Attendance doubled at April’s ISSA Legislative and Regulatory forum, requiring the event be moved to a larger room, according to Bill Balek, ISSA’s Director of Legislative Affairs. “We are thrilled with the response to this year’s regulatory forum,” he said. “As interest in environmentally preferable cleaning grows, ISSA will continue to keep its members up to date by offering sessions like these.”

In 14 sessions, the forum touched on the ISSA sponsored CleanGredients database; the EPA Design for the Environment Formulator Program; and the new GS-42 standard and certification process for cleaning service providers.

Other presentations addressed the USDA bio-based procurement program; the USGBC LEED–EB certification program, which is largely dependent on green cleaning procedures, and recent market research on the demand for green products. Experts also addressed state and local government green procurement policies, and developments in the school and hospital sectors.

“The incentives announced by each of these leaders in the green cleaning movement will encourage the further development and production of innovative, environmentally preferable, and effective cleaning products,” said Steve Ashkin, green cleaning expert and president of The Ashkin Group. “ISSA is to be congratulated for forging solutions that reduce economic and other barriers to businesses that are interested in pursuing environmental strategies.”

Ashkin, author of a new book titled “Green Cleaning for Dummies,” also spoke at the BSCAI show, which broke attendance records in Chicago. In his book, Ashkin states, “green cleaning, in a nutshell, is an approach to cleaning that protects the health of people without harming the environment…

It’s a concept that ultimately focuses on creating the healthiest, highest-performing indoor environment that meets the unique needs of building occupants and reduces impacts on the outdoor environment.”

Green cleaning is good for cleaners and service providers, but is also demanded by their customers.

“We are hearing from our BSC customers that more of their customers want environmentally responsible products. People want to go green but they don’t understand how to distinguish between products that are truly ‘green’ and those that are not,” said Julie deSylva a P&G Professional spokesperson who presented an educational session focused on green cleaning at the BSCAI show. “These customers want to know the products used by contracted cleaners are not only effective, but are safe for the BSC’s employees, the environment and building occupants.”

Meanwhile, the city and county of Racine, WI has become the first community in the nation to embrace an effective, cost-efficient, community-wide green cleaning campaign.

Called “Green Racine,” the campaign is a first step in creating an ongoing, coordinated effort to improve the impact facilities have on health and environment.

“Green Racine will be an annual event aimed to continually improve the health of people in the Racine community and our natural environment,” said Gary Becker, mayor of Racine. “We hope that by being the first community to make this degree of concerted effort to ‘green’ cleaning operations we can inspire other communities to do the same.”

Because better measurements are emerging, we’re beginning to recognize the impact that facilities have on health and environment, said Bill McReynolds, county executive of Racine County. “I’m very proud of the leaders across the county, who’ve committed their organizations to make a difference. And together we can make a big difference.”

More than 20 major institutions and businesses made a pledge to green their facilities by starting with the simple step of changing to green cleaning processes and related products.

One of those businesses is JohnsonDiversy, Inc., which has made available to BSCAI members and others tips on how using GREENGUARD certified cleaning systems and products can help protect the health of building occupants while also giving their business a competitive advantage.

JohnsonDiversey Chairman S. Curtis Johnson described the community-wide green cleaning event as historic. “In many ways, this is a reflection of my family’s deep commitment to this community and the environment,” he said. The event was held on the shoreline of one of the world’s largest bodies of freshwater [Lake Michigan], a reminder of our responsibility to this planet and to the people who will inhabit it long after we’re gone.

Thanks and good luck.