Janitorial Services Fake Green

by Michael Richmond

I guess it is a little laughable to see the flurry of activity that is inevitable in the growing Green economy. There are a number of companies who finally realize that this is going to impact their business and so they make the shift to Green more out of necessity than commitment to the cause. Of course, after they have shifted to a few Green elements, they want the credit for being a responsible Green citizen of the world. I get it….

Business will always respond to demand, and the Green economy is demanding more and more of the Eco-friendly products and services. This brings us to the subject of “Green Washing” where people and companies will give only token service to the cause while claiming to be a true follower. In overt and subtle ways, we must now be aware of those who are pretenders and those who participate in the Green practices now in demand.

As the Green economy grows, those in the janitorial business will also want to appeal to the Green business opportunities coming their way. We will find that the first stage is a simplication effort that provides enough justification for their claims to a Green service. This is done by purchasing a line of Green products that now adorn their janitorial carts. Oddly, this seems all that is required to be a Green janitorial service although their workers may be clueless about Green practices.

The “Green Equalization” happens when every janitorial service has a line of Green products passed to their workers, and they suddenly boast that they are a Green Clean firm. Regardless of the shallowness of this claim, it should be apparent that you cannot get a Green service from a bottle.

To demonstrate proficiency in any area, there must be a standard. Green Clean Institute has been that standard for a number of years by training and certifying janitorial and cleaning services across America and several other countries. In an industry without organization and definition, Green Clean Institute is a tremendous resource for reputable janitorial services.

In the full blossom of the Green service industry, there will arise those services that are willing to go the extra mile of training and certification to prove that they have the commitment to the cause. Green janitorial services may happen on their own, but how do we know the Green service from the Greenwashed service? Though there is no 100% guarantee, training and certification will bring forth the best to shine like the moon against the stars by comparison.

It is critical to understand that the janitorial service is in transition from pushing brooms and dumping trash to something bigger. The world is asking for Green service as well as Green products, and most janitorial companies offer only half the solution at best. There are over 1 million janitorial workers in our country, and they are not prepared to step up and provide the services required. It is imperative that every janitorial service train and certify their workers in Green practices as well as provide Green products. In the very near future, Green verification will make a huge difference in your success.

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