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....

There will be the hypocrisy as some people and companies mask their singular drive for profits by pretending to be Green and even promoting themselves to be Green. This is the trend called "Greenwashing" where there is either a purposeful or subtle form of deception at work.

As the janitorial world comes to terms with the emerging Green economy, they have the same habit of trying to "Go Green" with the least effort possible. To that end, they are told by their suppliers that they can suddenly be a Green janitorial firm by purchasing Green products for their workers. Like the saying goes, "All that shines is not gold." We are going to see numerous businesses that are examples of Greenwashing, and that hurts the cause in ways yet unseen.

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.

Training and certification brings an independent third party into play that will certify that a firm has met a basic standard of conformity to good practices. Green Clean Institute does not sell products nor operate a janitorial service on the side. It is an educational and independent certifier of reputable Green services.

You can only imagine the impression of a potential customer evaluating bids and quotes noting that all claim to be Green, but only one is Green Clean Institute Certified. There is a lot of pressure these days to decide to go with a validated Green service even the they may not be the lowest bidder. In a recent survey, it was found that 84% of companies would choose a Green Clean certified firm over the competition. Yes, it is a marketing opportunity, but it is also a challenge of integrity to be truly Green.

Janitorial services are no longer about sweeping floors and taking out the trash. A great variety of duties and responsibilities have been added to the standard duties of the janitorial workforce. But, consider the magnitude of this transition to Green practices. There are over one million janitorial workers in the US, and though they are expected to raise the level of service, they are often the least trained and equipped to do the job. If we are going to pass regulations demanding Green services, there must be the training and certification of those who carry the responsibility.