Environmental Information

The benefits of green cleaning have long been discussed in janitorial supply company circles, among cleaners, and even among moms. It is not new knowledge that using green cleaning products expose those who use them and those who use the areas being cleaned to fewer chemicals. This is probably the most well-known fact in support of green cleaning, besides the obvious environmental benefits. We’ve compiled a list of some of the other benefits of green cleaning in both public buildings and the home.

Public Buildings

Research has shown that buildings that switch to green cleaning products have:

• Healthier employees – when exposed to less chemicals employees are less likely to become sick.
• Lower operating costs
• More access to government monetary motivation plans, such as the EPA Energy Star program and earning points toward becoming LEED certified.

Homes

• Less family sickness – no one will have allergic reactions to detergents, and no one will be exposed to carcinogens, making green products ideal for use around children and the elderly.
• Lower chance of encountering other living things – some toxic cleaning chemicals do not kill bugs and rodents, rather, they cause disease and mutations among living ones – not something you want living in your home.
• Longer lasting home – green cleaning products won’t eat away at your wood furniture, damage your chrome fixtures, or fade your upholstery like the chemicals in non green cleaning products will. A key tip is to always use products that are biodegradable.

Switch to green cleaning products today!

 There are many ways to reduce the energy usage in your home, putting less strain on the environment and in the long-run saving you money at the same time.  It is understandable that not everyone has the time or money to make drastic updates like placing solar panels on their roof, or replace all of their windows with energy saving windows.  However, there are cheaper alternatives to making your household green.  Below are 5 practical ways to help you cut your energy usage in the home.

 Check Your Insulation – All insulation is rated by an R-value, or how well it can trap heat.  The average recommended R value for insulation in North America is 12.   If yours is lower, upgrading could dramatically reduce your heating and cooling costs.

 Plant a Tree – Properly sited trees planted around the house can reduce your cooling and heating costs by up to 30 percent!  Also, they may increase your property value as an extra bonus.

 Use Low Flow Toilets and Showerheads – Older showerheads are likely pumping out more water than you need, today’s standard showerhead uses 2.5 gallons a minute or less and would help cut your water bill.  Additionally, new standard low-flow toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush or less compared to much higher amounts in older toilets.

 Recycle Paper and Used Recycled Paper Products – Recycled paper uses far less resources than non-recycled paper.  One ton of recycled paper uses 17 fewer trees than non-recycled paper, and recycled paper products require less energy consuming to produce.  In comparison to producing non-recycled paper, every ton of recycled paper produced saves enough energy to power a 3 bedroom house for a year!

 Bank Online and Pay Bills Online – The amount of paper saved if every home in the U.S. paid its bills online would reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by a staggering 2.1 tons.

 A person doesn’t need to spend thousands of dollars to reduce their own energy costs and consumption – do you have tips for going green in the home?  Share them in the comments section!

You’ve come to the end of a roll of toilet paper or paper towels. You have a decision to make.

Thanks to coreyjune12 for the picture!

You can

There are hundreds of ways to reuse the cardboard roll that is left behind after a roll of toilet paper or paper towels is used; here we highlight some of the most creative and most popular.

Planters – Cut cardboard rolls down until they are about two inches tall and insert into potting soil. Sprinkle seeds inside of the cardboard circles and emerging plants will be protected by a compostable support system.

Plastic Bag Storage – Forgot your reusable shopping bags when you went to the grocery store and now you’re stuck with a bunch of plastic shopping bags? Use a paper towel tube to effectively store plastic bags until you’re ready to reuse them.  Stuff them in one-by-one on one end and pull them out in the same fashion on the other and you have yourself a handy plastic bag holder and dispenser!

Extension Cord Control/Storage – Trying to store electrical cords, extension cords, or Christmas lights and the cords end up incessantly tangled? Wrap the cords into a small circle or oval and then slip a cardboard toilet paper or paper towel tube over one end. Cords will maintain their shape and position and will not get tangled with themselves or with other cords.

Rodent Play – Paper towel tubes and toilet paper tubes are the perfect hiding places for mice, gerbils, hamsters, and other pet rodents. The paper nature of these tubes allows for them to be easily disposed of when soiled or dirtied, suppressing the need to clean plastic versions of such play tubes.

Packing – Need help separating your underwear, socks, jewelry, and other small items in your suitcase? Cut toilet paper rolls in half for an easy and convenient packing solution. Place cut rolls vertically in your suitcase and insert items inside to keep them secure and easy to find. Also works great for storing items in drawers.

Art Project for Kids – Toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls are a popular medium for toilet paper roll art for both adults and children alike. From pencil holders to firecrackers to animal sculptures, there are tons of different creative projects that can be made from a toilet paper or paper towel tube. A simple Google search results in a myriad of results with instructions, or just let your children use their imaginations!

Donate – If you have no need, use, or creative idea for reusing toilet paper and paper towel rolls, you can always donate those you have left over to senior centers, day cares, or elementary schools, all of which are bound to find a crafty way to reuse them!

5% Off Green Heritage Recycled Toilet Paper this week, with coupon code greentp. From standard bath tissue rolls to jumbo toilet paper rolls, in both 1 and 2 ply. Stock up and buy toilet paper for less!

CleaningProductsWorld carries a variety of recycled paper products ranging from toilet tissue, paper towels, napkins and wipers, and facial tissues. It is important to dispel the myth that using recycled paper products means you are using a product that has been recycled from someone else’s dirty tissues or soiled paper towels. These materials are not even suitable for recycling!

Rest assured, when treating your nose to a soft Fluff Out tissue, for example, you are using a product recycled from clean paper products. Read on to learn all about recycled paper products.

Making of Recycled Paper Products

The production of recycled paper products has a decreased environmental impact compared to the making of virgin (non recycled) paper products. Some of the advantages include a decreased affect on forests, less air and water pollution, less water and energy consumption, and less solid waste production. When you can impact the environment so significantly just from buying a certain kind of paper towel, why wouldn’t you?

Things to Look For When Buying Recycled Paper Products

The lingo behind recycled paper products can be extensive, so it’s often confusing to determine what you should be looking for. Key things to look for include a high percent recycled content and a high percent post-consumer content (the closer to 100% the better). Also important to look for is a bleaching process rating, which shows how much chlorine was used in the whitening of the paper product.

Good ratings include:

1. TCF (totally chlorine-free),
2. PCF (processed chlorine-free), or
3. ECF (elemental chlorine-free).

Recycling Guide

As previously stated, many paper products such as soiled paper towels, dirtied napkins, or used tissues cannot be recycled. Put only clean, uncontaminated, and dry paper items such as newspapers, magazines, and junk mailings into your paper recycling bin. Even pizza boxes with grease stains should not be recycled, but rather placed in trash receptacles.

Help the Planet!

According to the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), if every household in the USA bought ONE roll of recycled paper towels instead of their standard non recycled roll, 544,000 trees would be saved! Take a small, easy step in helping protect the environment by using recycled paper products!

Announcing today’s 30 Days of Green Green Giveaway! Customers receive a free Purell Green Hand Sanitizer 8 oz Pump Bottle when they order today at CleaningProductsWorld.com. Keep hands clean and germ free with this green alternative to hand sanitizer that is made from 100% naturally renewable ethanol. In a biodegradable gel formula, this product meets the EcoLogo™ environmental standard for instant hand antiseptics based on its use of less intrusive raw materials, a reduction of environmental hazards and an increase of product recyclability.

Green Cleaning in Schools

We already know the benefits of green cleaning include the obvious benefits for the environment, as well as limiting exposure to chemicals and allergens, making green cleaning products ideal for use around children. Therefore, it makes sense that many states are either encouraging or requiring the use of green cleaning products, such as Green Concentrated Liquid Deodorizers, Green Mop Heads, and Green Toilet Bowl Brushes, in schools across the country.

Green Cleaning Reduces Absenteeism

With there being a direct link between cleaning products used and chemical exposure, children exposed to less chemicals will end up getting sick less often. In fact, organizations such as the Healthy Schools Campaign suggest that students miss more than 14 million school days every year due to asthma caused by poor air quality.

States Require Green Cleaning for Better Public Health

Wisconsin is one of the states that recently passed a law requiring schools to use green cleaning products. State Representative Cory Mason feels that the use of environmentally-friendly products will create a better, healthier setting not only for children, but faculty, staff, and members of the public who utilize the school buildings. “The goal of the bill is to make schools and other public places less toxic and healthier for kids and the general public,” he states.

Other states with similar green school cleaning legislation include Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, and Missouri. Write your congressman and encourage him or her to pass green school cleaning legislation in your state!

Green Giveaway: The first and second people to comment on today’s blog will receive a free canister of Clorox Green Works Cleaning Wipes! Clorox Green Cleaning Wipes are a great cleaning product for disinfecting and cleaning surface areas while upholding your commitment to the environment. Get those thinking caps on and fingers typing and start commenting!

Items you Never Thought To Recycle

You can now recycle many items you never thought you could

We all know it is important to sort and recycle your newspapers, magazines, junk mail, and plastic and glass bottles. But what are the items you never thought to, or never thought could, be recycled? Read on to find out what these items are and how to recycle them.

Light Bulbs – Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional light bulbs and can be recycled at your local IKEA store. IKEA claims that if all their customers switched just one light bulb to a CLF, the energy savings would be equivalent to that of the emissions from 750,000 cars. When you can save energy and recycle, switching to CFLs is a no-brainer.

Paint Cans– Have a shelf full of paint cans piled up in your garage thinking there is no environmentally friendly way to dispose of them? You’re in luck – they can be recycled! Because they are considered hazardous waste by some, you should contact your local recycling center for information on how to recycle paint cans; most likely they will have you drop them off at the center. Filling the cans with kitty litter will help dissolve what’s left of the paint, as most cans need to be empty in order to be recycled.

Computers and Printers – While computers and printers cannot be recycled in the traditional sense, they can be donated and reused. Organizations such as the National Cristina Foundation collect unwanted computers and donate them to those in need. Even if your computer is not operating at its optimal level, chances are someone can use it for basic functions such as word processing. Printers can also be refurbished and reused when donated.

Cell Phones – Stores such as Staples and Office Depot collect old cell phones and rechargeable batteries, usually free of charge. If your cell phone is still working, donate to an organization such as Cell Phones for Soldiers and provide a phone for those in need.

Before you toss an item into the trash, check with your local recycling center, you may be surprised that this item can either be recycled or reused! What other obscure items can you think of to recycle?

Spring into Savings at CleaningProductsWorld! Today, April 4 – Saturday, April 9, save an extra 5% off your order with coupon code SPRING11. Get a jump start on your spring cleaning with extra savings! Happy Cleaning!

Keep the Air Green: Clean your Carpet and Upholstery

Cleaning your carpets and upholstery regularly can help improve air quality

One great tip in keeping your home greener and cleaner is ensuring you properly clean your carpets and upholstery to improve air quality. It is recommended that people with severe allergies clean the fabrics in their homes every three months, and when done with green cleaners like Arm & Hammer Carpet Care & Room Allergen Reducer & Odor Eliminator, one can further reduce his or her exposure to chemicals that can cause illness. For carpet cleaning on a more regular basis, try using a HEPA Filter Vacuum Cleaner, which will not only clean your carpets and rugs but also help reduce the amount of particulates released into the air. For more information, check out our other post on HEPA filter vacuum cleaners.

Check out our 30 Days of Green promotion on CleaningProductsWorld.com for more information on green cleaning and chances to win product giveaways. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

Today’s Giveaway: FREE Dial Basics Hand Soap with every order! No coupon code needed, just make your order and receive the sample bottle of hand soap! We are giving away two types of Dial Basics Hand Soap: a liquid hand soap and a foaming hand soap. Both soaps are dermatologist tested and hypoallergenic, perfect for use for sensitive skin. The liquid hand soap leaves a floral fragrance and leaves hands with a lotiony feel, while the foaming hand soap cleanses while being gentle on hands. Go green and buy eco-friendly cleaning supplies. Order cleaning products today and get your free Dial Basics Hand Soap!

How to Make Your Hotel Cleaner and Greener

Make your hotel more environmentally friendly with these great green tips

Hotels across the nation and around the world are implementing greener cleaning standards; including giving customers the option of having their sheets and towels washed everyday and using energy efficient lighting and electronics. Several products that can be used to help make your hotel even greener are highlighted below.

• Placing recycling receptacles in every room will encourage patrons to recycle paper, cans, and plastic bottles.

• Providing customers with shampoo in dispensers instead of individual bottles can help reduce waste.

• Using eco friendly laundry detergent for the hundreds of pounds of sheets and towels that are washed every day will help cut back on the amount of waste produced by traditional laundry detergents.

• The use of environmentally friendly urinal blocks in public restrooms will help eliminate odors and keep urinals clean without negatively affecting the environment.

 Start using these products in your hotel today and become an even greener establishment!

Check out our 30 Days of Green promotion on CleaningProductsWorld.com for more information on green cleaning and chances to win product giveaways. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

Green cleaning practices have been evolving since the 1960s

There are many environmentally friendly policies, products, and processes that are in place today, but this was not always the case.  The formation and movement towards an environmentally conscious culture began developing in the 1960’s and is still evolving today. 

Society began to think about the danger of chemicals in products and how they effect the environment.  This led to the formation of regulatory bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency, and later Green Seal.  Eventually more policies were put in place at state and federal levels, making various industries have to re-evaluate their own methods and comply with new environmentally friendly procedures.  The following is a brief timeline of major events in the history of Green products and policies.

1962 – Silent Spring by biologist Rachel Carson detailed and questioned the extensive spraying of DDT, a pesticide, without understanding the environmental impacts or effects on humans and wildlife. 

1970 – Formation of the Environmental Protection Agency

1972 – The use of DDT as a pesticide was banned in the US.

1978 – CFC’s were banned from aerosol cans due to their effect on ozone depletion.

1980’s – A string of products were released that carried the labeling “Environmentally Friendly.”  However, there were no regulations in place for determining if a product was really environmentally friendly.

1989 – Green Seal, an independent, non-profit body for developing certifications and standards for environmentally friendly products was formed.

1992 – Bill Clinton signed Executive order 13101, defining “green cleaning” and forcing roughly 100,000 organizations to switch to green alternatives.

1995 – Formation of the Environmental Choice Program, another regulatory body that helps create standards for Green Products.

2000 – Bill Clinton signs Executive order 13148, expanding the scope of Executive order 13101.

2005 – Washington becomes the first state to enact Green Building legislation – an environmentally responsible method for designing, operating, maintaining, and demolishing buildings and structures.

2006 – New York requires the use of green products in all public and private schools.

As technology develops, the level of refinement increases in new products and procedures.  The future of Green is sure to hold new and exciting changes! Check out green cleaning products at CleaningProductsWorld!

Compostable and eco-friendly packaging is changing how the food service industry operates. No longer do single serving and take-out meals have to create more trash going to landfills! Going green doesn’t mean that you have to change everything about your lifestyle or business culture. Every decision to switch to a green product counts for increasing your eco-friendliness.

By simply changing the disposable take out packaging for your restaurant or food service operation, you can help customers make greener choices when they buy from you!

These clamshell containers are made from 100% reclaimed and annually renewable materials. Instead of plastic take out containers, provide these eco-friendly containers made from sugarcane fiber reclaimed during the sugar refining process. Your customers will enjoy them for take out meals, including cold sandwiches and hot foods.

Available in size 9x9x3 in 1-Compartment and 3-Compartment options, as well as a smaller 1-Compartment box that measures 6x6x3 in.

Another way to serve greener is with compostable cups. These great new compostable clear cold cups are made from corn, with the strength and durability of plastic. A smooth-rolled rim ensures comfortable use and a secure lid fit. These cups can be used at outdoor festivals and events with zero waste programs. Serve cold drinks in style with an eco-friendly and BPI certified compostable cup!

Available in 9 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, and 20 oz with a compostable cup lid that fits every size cup.