Our Blog

Fostering Sustainability – At Home, Work and School

Whether discussing the health of employees at work, kids at school, or families at home, there is no doubt that good cleaning practices, using non-toxic products are a must.

A report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that products containing Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) are hazardous to the health of those that work indoors. The “EPA’s Office of Research and Development’s ‘Total Exposure Assessment Methodology’ (TEAM) Study found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be two to five times higher inside homes (*offices, classrooms) than outside, regardless of whether the homes (offices, classrooms) were located in rural or highly industrial areas. TEAM studies indicated that while people are using products containing organic chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high pollutant levels, and elevated concentrations can persist in the air long after the activity is completed.”

According to a green cleaning guru from Green Worx Cleaning Solutions, eliminating VOCs doesn’t mean compromising on cleanliness; if the right products are used. “We’ve seen an increased focus on green practices and the encouragement of sustainability across the globe. This is essential to protecting both the planet, and the health of the humans that inhabit it,” he confirms. “With affordable, highly (if not more) effective, enzymatic and biological product ranges on the market, there really is no need to expose staff or children to the dangerous chemicals found in traditional cleaning products.”

An article recently published on ‘Clean Link’ illustrates the international focus on green cleaning, and creating a healthy, green environment for learners and workers alike. “At the Center for Green Schools, United States Green Building Council (USGBC), we know that where we learn (*work) matters. From the air students (employees) breathe to the lighting in a room, the environment has a tremendous impact on children’s (workers’) health and education (productivity). That’s why the Center has made it its mission to put every child (employee) in a green school (office) within this generation.”

While the push towards cleaner schools, more sustainable offices and greener homes is an excellent start, he warns against seeing these environments in isolation. “If an employee ensures that his/her home is clean and sanitary, using chemical free biological products, but then goes to work in a fluorescently lit office that still reeks of last night’s janitorial chemicals, they are still being exposed to an unhealthy environment for half of their day. Similarly, if learners attend a green school, and then come home to an unhealthy atmosphere, the benefits of the healthy learning environment will be tarnished. The real push must now be to create a lifestyle of green, clean, healthy living – regardless of whether at home, work or school.”

———

Issued by Perfect Word Consulting (Pty) Ltd