Recent statistics from the Census Bureau reports that there are now over one million janitorial workers and over 70,000 janitorial workers in the U.S. For more than twenty years, the janitorial services of our country have been relatively unchanged. They are now a vital part of the Green revolution. Few have noticed these faithful workers who come and go in the middle of the night leaving a clean building for the daytime workers who show up each at 9 am. The janitors that provide this service are often the forgotten and neglected workers in any business.



In the last decade, the Green evolution has become extremely important imposing new expectations, mandates, and rules that our businesses must incorporate within the principles of environmentally-friendly guidelines. We should ask who will carry out all these new rules, mandates, and practices. These rules will not occur by rhetoric, regulation, or well-wishing. This profess will take a newly educated workforce to implement the duties of making schools, offices, and homes that are "Going Green."

The janitorial workers have new and more lofty expectations that far exceed the traditional duties of sweeping, dusting, and dumping the trash. These janitors must now understand the concepts of new equipment, new chemicals, and new practices that are Green options. To move up to these new practices, janitors need more training than how to operate a vacuum or clean a toilet bowl. They need certifiable training and guidance in Green practices.

Consider that these people are the custodians of public health at a different plane than the medical workers. It might be said that our janitors are the first line of defense for protecting the public health. Of course, the medical workers are the last line of defense in protecting the health of our country.

Cleaning and sanitation is the most simple form of janitorial work. Chemical used in the workplace are an important part that dramatically affects all of us who work in buildings. Disease control, allergies and asthma issues, and chronic health issue are now a part of the cleaning equation.

It is finally time to realize who are the people that "Bring the Green." They are the long-forgotten workers also known as the custodians and janitors of the evening shift. It is a recognition long overdue to appreciate the people who work to keep our buildings clean or our health protected. Our Green theories become practice in the hands of these hard-working custodians.

Will is cost more? Probably. Is it worth the moderate cost it will take to graduate these workers from simple laborers to trained technicians capable of implementing the Green practices needed to protect our health as well as clean the building. I think these folks deserve the New Respect of co-workers in the promotion of your business success and your health.