Recently American School & University magazine announced the winners of its prestigious Green Cleaning Award for Schools and Universities, co-sponsored by the magazine, HSC and the Green Cleaning Network.
Steve Ashkin, executive director of the Green Cleaning Network and author of HSC's Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools, commented on the tremendous work of this year's winners in an article for AS&U. He writes:
. . . Nominees were using all green products, which is an indication of the mainstreaming of green cleaning. Manufacturers, along with distributors and service providers, all are embracing green cleaning. As a result, products are widely available, performance has improved, and costs have declined.
Nominees indicated their focus was on training and effective cleaning procedures and not simply the use of green products. Thus, it is hoped that the use of green products and staff training will become the standard for schools and universities, not the exception.
What set the winners apart was how their programs have progressed beyond green products. Some of the most notable activities by the winners included their focus on outreach in an effort to not only inform them of their green cleaning efforts, but also enlist their participation.. . .
Innovative measurement of cleanliness was another trait of the winners. Many used automated quality-control and assessment devices to measure performance. These devices, historically used in the food industry, provide objective information and are relatively inexpensive. This appears to be part of the future of cleaning, as measurements will help improve performance and focus limited resources on delivering cleaner and more healthful buildings.
To learn more:
Read Steve's full article, including his overview of the "firsts" in this year's contest!
Read more about this year's winners in AS&U magazine!
Check out www.greencleanschools.org for updates and to access HSC's full Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools,
Congratulations to all the winners and great job to all the facilitators! I hope contests like this continue to show to the nation and to the world as well that Earth is our home and we should save it.
Posted by: Tera Scott | February 10, 2010 at 10:20 AM