Walking The Talk of Sustainability

For years, you have read about the importance of promoting green and sustainability in your facilities within the pages of Housekeeping Solutions. Well, you should know that we are walking the talk and doing the same thing in our office.

About a year ago, we implemented a Sustainability Committee to build excitement about green and sustainability among employees, and maybe even improve the bottom line. The committee was a natural fit for our organization and was well received by employees. To date, cleaning has been reevaluated, recycling efforts have ramped up, lights have been turned down and most recently, timers on the touch-free faucets have been shortened to save water.

I noticed this most recent change immediately, although it was not openly communicated to the staff. I got the impression that I was running the water more than usual to completely rinse soap from my hands and I worried that maybe I was actually using more water than I had been previously.

Although I am sure this push for water conservation has been effective in our building, it is important for facility managers to understand that when implementing sustainable programs, one change can affect another. For instance, if water conservation is important at the facility, it might be wise to also switch from liquid soaps to foaming options. Foam reportedly rinses from hands quicker than the liquid counterpart, requiring less water. Statistics also show that foam soaps last longer, which means fewer purchases — minimizing packaging and delivery and contributing to sustainability.

Implementing sustainable initiatives is important and small changes can make a big difference. We've certainly experienced that in our facility. What have you done in yours?