Midwest's Green Reputation Growing

Missouri has the potential to become the third state in the country — and second in the Midwest — requiring green cleaning in schools. A bill tailored after the Illinois Green Cleaning Schools Act recently passed through the Missouri House of Representatives and Senate. However, even though the bill was sent to Governor Matt Blunt at the end of May, it has yet to be signed.

Hopefully, Gov. Blunt won’t wait too much longer. Green cleaning legislation has helped building service contractors in New York and Illinois grow their businesses. BSCs in these states have seen increases in profits and questions from both colleagues and customers asking “How do I become green?” I can only imagine BSCs will experience similar results in Missouri.

And don’t forget that BSCs are not the only ones to benefit: cleaner and healthier schools mean fewer absentee days for students and better learning environments.

If the Missouri bill is signed, it will also help prove that the Midwest is progressive in regards to green. Typically, the region is viewed to be slow to adopt change, unlike states on the East and West coasts. But, while Missouri is considering green schools, Maryland rejected a bill requiring public schools to implement green cleaning. Midwest contractors can no longer say that green isn’t impacting their area.