Green Team: Partners' Stories

6.30.08 | Q&A with Gary Walker, leading advocate for new law requiring green cleaning in Missouri schools

What inspired you to propose legislation requiring green cleaning in schools?

After I witnessed New York and Illinois take action, it encouraged me to do the same in Missouri with the hope that it would spread to the rest of the country. I wanted to create a green momentum that would encourage the rest of the nation to remove toxic chemicals from our schools.

How did you become interested in green cleaning?

I have owned a cleaning company for nearly 20 years, and being exposed to toxic chemicals has affected my health and the health of my associates in a negative way. I have had extreme sinus problems and numerous adverse reactions due to my exposure to hazardous chemicals over the years. It is my passion to educate as many people as possible on green cleaning as a safer, effective to traditional cleaning methods.

What challenges do you face in your efforts to promote green cleaning? What misconceptions do you help people overcome?

Some of the challenges are costs, tradition and opposition to the idea of a mandate.

First, the public thinks that green cleaning will cost more. This is a myth. Over the past four years, I have converted 7 million square feet to green cleaning and have not increased my clients’ budgets one cent. This was done through a partnership with vendors to include non-toxic chemicals, microfiber cloths, HEPA vacuums, floor matting, recycled papers, green hand soaps and energy efficient equipment. We had to make sure that we were being as cost effective as possible as we made our culture shift. One thing we discovered was that green is a lifestyle change and not just a chemical change.

Tradition is one of the more difficult issues to deal with because staff members may be resistant to change. I have found that people will embrace green cleaning if there are incentives on best practices, as well as education on the health benefits of green cleaning.

With passing the legislation, there was some opposition to the word “mandate.” People do have concerns with being told they have to do “this or that” in a partisan way, but when it comes down to doing the right thing for the kids it’s no longer an issue of political parties. Politicians set aside their differences and came across the aisle to agree this was for the good of everyone.

I’ve found that the people have about green cleaning can be summarized with three key facts:

1. Green cleaning is much healthier for you.
2. Green cleaning is affordable.
3. Green cleaning is just as effective.

Gary Walker is the CEO of Magic Touch Cleaning, a green cleaning company he founded with his wife, Trish, in 1992. He was instrumental in advocating for legislation requiring green cleaning in Missouri schools, making it the third state in the nation with such a law. 

10.25.07 | Q&A with Erika Platter-Turner, American Association of School Administrators

How did AASA become involved in green cleaning?

We have a school environments project funded by the EPA and, through this program, we work on various aspects of indoor air quality. So we branched into green cleaning and other aspects of the indoor environmental quality of a school. School districts really should look at green cleaning because of the benefits its brings.

How do you spread the word about green cleaning?

We do outreach through our newsletter, website and meetings. We have an urban schools coalition and a rural schools coalition as well. These coalitions have been key, because they allow us to provide networking opportunities for our members, opportunities for members to help each other and share their experiences with issues such as green cleaning. We include green cleaning presentations at our forums, and we find that our members gain a lot from the experience of learning from each other, that they appreciate having a forum that facilitates this type of exchange. It’s better for members to hear the green cleaning message from each other – they have more buy-in that way.

What obstacles have you faced in implementing green cleaning in schools?

As with a lot of environmental issues, the challenge is that the list of issues for school administrators to address is very long. Our challenge is getting them to make it a priority, to realize that healthy environments are as much part of a good school experience as academics and other issues. Many of them understand the importance of environment, but our challenge is helping them make it a priority.

Erika Platter-Turner is the assistant director for program and resource development for the American Association of School Administrators.

6.26.07 | Q&A with Darryl Alexander, American Federation of Teachers

How did you become interested in green cleaning?

About 20 years ago, we started discussions with American Federation of State and County Municipal employees. We became aware that custodial maintenance staffs were exposed to a soup of toxic substances like phenols, bleach and toluene and other solvents.

I served on an advisory committee with Steve Ashkin [president of The Ashkin Group and the author of HSC's Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools], we started to talk about this, and things started to really blossom with the federal government's interest in environmentally preferable purchasing and the impact of building materials on occupants. We wanted less toxic materials, period—for the users and for the occupants.

What has been your biggest obstacle in implementing green cleaning in schools?

In the beginning, the biggest obstacle was selling it to school districts. We need to get districts writing specifications in their procurements to get distributors to offer more green products, and we need to get training to the staff.

What strategies have you used to get schools on board with green cleaning concepts?

We work with affiliates at a local level and with local janitorial unions. We engage districts in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) management and have been able to get green cleaning as part of an overall IAQ plan. For example, in Jefferson County Ala., the district will purchase green cleaning products and train staff as part of a comprehensive IAQ plan. One goal of an IAQ plan is to get adoption of operation and maintenance policies and practices such as pest management, mold and water remediation. Green cleaning is another one of these policies.

What's in the future for AFT's green cleaning work?

We will be dong more work in mid-size urban schools because of the high incidence of asthma, because we know a lot of traditional cleaning products trigger asthma.

What is the most important message about green cleaning that you would like to share?

Green cleaning is a win/win for everyone in a district and a community. It is good for the kids, the staff and the community because schools won’t be putting things down the drain that harm the environment.

Darryl Alexander is the occupational health & safety coordinator for the American Federation of Teachers.

4.18.07 | Association of School Business Officials Supports Green Cleaning

"No one wants to intentionally screw up the air, but it happens when people don't know what they are doing," said Dan Moberly, resident practitioner for indoor air quality for the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO). "When they are cleaning they think 'a little is good, a lot is better,'"

But that kind of thinking is now changing. Each school day, more than 53 million students and five million staff members attend school in the United States, representing some 20 percent of the American population. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, half this population may be exposed to polluted indoor air, lead, asbestos, chemical fumes, pesticides, molds and other toxins, along with overcrowding and poor sanitation.

Those responsible for purchasing cleaning agents are looking to alternative solutions that will help to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) -- not make it worse.

"Green cleaning is catching on. With states like Ohio and Texas passing IAQ laws and New York requiring green cleaning in both public and private schools, it's just a matter of time before green cleaning becomes the standard for everyone," said Moberly, whose job involves educating ASBO members about green cleaning.

To that end, ASBO, along with 13 other organizations representing the nation's school administrators, school boards, teachers and parents, is promoting and distributing HSC's Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools to its member at conferences and trainings.

"I try to help people understand that although the air may seem clean, children are more sensitive than adults because their respiratory systems are still developing and poor IAQ is harmful to them," said Moberly.

Just five years ago, buying green cleaning products could be difficult. Today's green cleaning marketplace has matured so that the products are cost-comparable to traditional cleaning products.

"Green cleaning is actually very cost-effective," said Moberly. "How can you put a price tag on better health and productivity? When you look at the difference in productivity, cost should be a non-issue."

Dan Moberly, ASBO's resident practitioner for IAQ, can be contacted at dmoberly2003@yahoo.com. He is available to serve at no cost as a resource for school districts and professional associations across the United States and Canada.