As seen in The Sudbury Star, Canada.

Kid George Van Embden about the black garbage bags in his new green-emphasis laundromat not being so environment friendly and he is quick to the challenge.

Pulling one of the bags out of its receptacle, he checks the bottom for the telltale recycled logo.

Not being able to find it, Van Embden remembers that when he bought the bags, he read on the box that the bags were made of recycled plastic and will biodegrade in 10 years.

Look around the new Green Star Laundry and you will find many more signs of Van Embden's attempts to create Greater Sudbury's most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient laundromat.

The washroom, for example, features recycled toilet paper and an ultra low-flush toilet. The lounge boasts an Energy Star high-definition 40-inch television screen because it uses less power than a plasma set.

The washers and dryers are all Energy Star rated, as are the four computers in the Internet lounge. Hot water used by customers is supplied by a Rinnai tankless heating system.

Environmentally friendly cleaners are used when cleaning the 2,000 square-foot facility. The 20 regular washers are energy- and water-efficient front loader Maytag Neptunes, while the 19 Maytag dryers use some 23 per cent less natural gas. Finally, the laundry soap for sale, which is both phosphate free and intended for use in cold water, is dispensed in reusable cups.

"I want to save Sudbury a lot of water and energy," said Van Embden. "I save money, too. I'm saving money on (natural) gas, water, wastewater and electricity ... The washers use literally 50 per cent less water than you would with standard machines."

A better laundromat was one of the big reasons why the Laurentian University groundskeeper decided to open his new business: he didn't like what was available in the city.

So, when Van Embden did research on laundromats, he thought he could design a laundromat that would tap into the green push in society today, operate much more efficiently than a traditional one and also be much more family friendly.

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