Green Terminology: Educate Yourself

Green has become one of the most important issues in the cleaning industry, but at times it can be very confusing. The following are some of the most important terms that can help you become a green expert:

• Green: It’s a term that is used interchangeably with “environmentally preferable.” The definition comes from Presidential Executive Order 13101 and defines it as “products or services that reduce the health and environmental impacts compared to similar products and services used for the same purpose.”
• Green Cleaning: Based on the definition of green, green cleaning is defined as cleaning that protects health without harming the environment. It is also important to recognize that green cleaning includes all products used in the cleaning process including preventative methods such as entrance mats, along with the appropriate procedures and staffing levels with an overall goal of creating healthy high performing buildings with minimal impacts on the environment.
• Greenwashing: The term describes green advertising, labeling and other sales or promotional activities that use misleading, vague, irrelevant or unsubstantiated environmental claims to sell a product or service. Greenwashing is a serious problem because it confuses consumers and creates a serious disadvantage for companies and products trying to do the right thing.
• Sustainability: This term was coined in 1987 with the publication of the World Commission on Environment and Development report, “Our Common Future.” Also known as the “Brundtland Report,” this document defined “sustainable development” as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
• Triple-Bottom Line: The phrase coined by John Elkington in 1994 suggests that organizations can’t solely focus on profits, but must also consider impacts on people and the planet. Often a three-legged stool is used to illustrate the concept because it demonstrates that all three legs must be strong, and that none is more important that the others.
• Certification: This is the process by which a third-party, typically a nonprofit evaluates a product according to a specific standard to “certify” that the product meets the stated requirements. Certification makes it easier for both manufacturers and purchasers to address complicated health, safety, environmental and performance criteria and have become an important tool used to accelerate the adoption of green cleaning.
• Self-Certification: This is the process by which a manufacturer relies only on its own testing to claim that their product is green. To avoid greenwash, manufacturers should be able to provide test data to substantiate their claims.
• LEED: An acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED is a series of “rating systems” that define the construction of new buildings, operations and maintenance, schools, interiors and other aspects of buildings. LEED is a product of the U.S. Green Building Council.