SUSTAINABILITY - TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

At the beginning of all of our presentations to clients and potential clients about green cleaning we also discuss the concept of sustainability and the triple bottom line. It is important for members of our teams to understand why we are going down this path.

Sustainability can be described as "meeting the needs of today without compromising future generation needs". That can be a very broad concept so let's focus on sustainable business practices for the purpose of this article. Sustainable business practices can be applied to all sectors of business and non-profit and is often measured against a triple bottom line approach:

• Economic Vitality
• Social (Human Capital) - fair treatment for workers, giving back to contribute to the strength of our communities where business is conducted
• Environmental (Natural Capital) - life cycle assessment approach, ecological impact

To become a sustainable organization, you must work constantly to balance all three of these areas.

Challenge your organizations with every major decision you make. Ask yourselves how the decision you are about to make impacts: the economic vitality, the social impact and the environmental impact of your organization.

NEWS SPECIFIC FOR SCHOOLS

• Federal Stimulus Information for Schools on MSBO website at http://www.msbo.org/services/biz/2009/arra2009.shtml
• Share this with your school leaders. Eco-Schools USA - Earlier this year the National Wildlife Federation was awarded United States host status for the International Eco-School Program. Started by the UNEP in the mid 1990s and under the auspices of the Foundation for Environmental Education it now has 43 participating nations and 30,000 schools enrolled. The U.S. and China joined this year.
  
  NWF plans a September 2009 launch and will be working with environmental education, green school, and science and civics education leaders across America to blend effectively with national, state and local green school efforts.
  
  The Eco-Schools USA program has three key goals for America's K-12 schools: a) green the buildings, b) green the grounds, and c) green the curricula and student experience. We anticipate many thousands of U.S. schools participating in the program in the coming years.
  
  To download a fact sheet on the new Eco-Schools USA Program please visit our interim website at www.nwf.org/ecoschools
• National Energy Education Development Project (NEED Project) - The mission of the National Energy Education Development Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, businesses, government and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs. They have some great curriculum for educating on many topics around energy - something you can bring to your school leaders: http://www.need.org/
• Michigan Senate Bill No. 46 - A bill has been introduced to the State Senate that would authorize zero-interest loans for schools to install renewable energy systems. The language of the bill requires solar PV or wind generation of electricity. A copy of the proposed bill is located here.


Please contact your elected State representatives to encourage them to expand the provision to also include geothermal heat pump systems, as the new Federal incentives do. Sample language for a letter is included below for you to cut and paste any applicable ideas. Find your state representative's contact information: http://www.house.mi.gov/find_a_rep.asp

THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE ENTRY SYSTEMS

Did you know?

• Approximately 80% of contaminants enter buildings through entryways
• A good entry system effectively stops damaging dirt and moisture at the door saving wear and tear on your hard floors and carpeting, eliminates crushing of the surface insuring long term cleaning effectiveness and allows dirt and moisture to fall below traffic level until it can be removed
• The ISSA estimates that the cost of removing one pound of dirt from a building is $600 or more
• The U.S. Green Building Council recognizes that high quality entrance systems are an integral part of green buildings

Now is the time to evaluate your entryways for a high performance entry system.

In the News

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