facility focus Green Team And By: Marty Beil Green Initiatives T The general meaning of the term green has emerged from the mainstream with foundations in ecol-ogy, environmen-talism and conser-vation. The definition of green cleaning is the use of products and procedures that are more healthful and have less environmental impact than other products while maintaining the same clean-ing standards. During this time of economic concern, the green movement is more important than ever before as businesses, nonprofits and gov-ernments are facing financial chal-lenges. Many owners and employees of compa-nies are discussing ideas about going green. One cohesive measure to get past the talk and closer to implementation is form-ing a “green team”. Key people can be brought together to create initial ideas about the basics, such as recycling, garbage needs and energy-saving aspects of the workplace. As the green team grows in experience, energy use and business practices should be addressed. A green team should consist of various management, employees, and if neces-ing technology or audio conference capabilities, it would be beneficial to utilize these assets to create a network of unified vision. In the beginning phase of a green team, the key people should research the Internet for ideas and information. It is imperative to utilize the wealth of the information about green in the media. It is very important that upper level management be aboard even in the small steps. As the team meets monthly or quarterly, it is important to edu-cate employees about ways of con-tributing to reduce environmental stress and conserve company resources. In the most advanced state, the green team dialogue should contain carbon foot-print discussions and a sustainability plan. The carbon footprint is the amount of car-bon dioxide and greenhouse gases that are released into the air when original goods are manufactured, shipped, stored and eventually used by the consumer. As your green team becomes more experienced, a broader approach to sustainability evolves. sary, continual subcontractors. For large facilities, employees should have representation from many different departments. If the environmental services or house-keeping is subcontracted, representatives should be contacted to participate or at least be given specific directives. Footprint For The Future As initial ideas are accepted, introduce a sustainability plan that explains strategies of conservation for the resources at your institution. In the present economy, companies can merge green initiatives with budget reduc-Game Plan A green team should not be limited to one location. If a company has satellites throughout the United States and has videoconferenc-38 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • August 2009
CMM – Archives Aug 2009: 38
