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-Five Simple Steps
Five Steps Overview STEP 1: Use Green Cleaning Products STEP 2: Introduce Green Equipment and Supplies STEP 3: Adopt Green Cleaning Procedures STEP 4: Use Green Paper and Plastic Products STEP 5: Share the Responsibility
-Implementation
Implementation Overview Sustainability Considerations Ongoing Infection Control Choosing Green Cleaning Products Choosing Green Equipment and Supplies Developing Green Cleaning Procedures Choosing Green Paper and Plastic Products Green Cleaning for Food Service Integrated Pest Management Training Issues and Opportunities Choosing a Distributor
-Long-Term Success
Success Overview Create a Green Team Develop a Green Cleaning Plan Adopt a Green Cleaning Policy Implement the Green Cleaning Plan Evaluate Progress Communicate About Green Cleaning Learn about new technologies
-Resources and Tools
Resources Overview Documents and Links Forms and Checklists Glossary of Terms Government Resources
-Partners
Partners Overview Healthy Schools Campaign Authors and Acknowledgements Corporate Green Team Sponsors Participating Organizations Copyright and Usage Information

Evaluate Progress

The Green Team should conduct reviews of the Green Cleaning Program, perhaps every three to six months in the first year and annually thereafter. The Green Team should compare the original baseline data, plan and implementation priorities with objective measures and subjective measures of progress. This information can serve as a source of pride for students and staff and allows the benefits or savings to continually grow.

Objective Measures

Objective measures can include the:

  • number of green cleaners piloted;
  • number of training workshops held and number of participants;
  • number of indoor air quality and other cleaning related complaints;
  • number of times asthma medication was administered;
  • amount of paper products saved by switching to recycled paper;
  • amount of toxic chemicals avoided;
  • amount of materials eliminated from the waste stream through recycling and other source reduction efforts;
  • amount of pollution prevented (see below and sidebar).

The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive developed a Green Cleaning Pollution Prevention Calculator that quantifies the projected environmental benefits of purchasing and using "green" janitorial services and products. It is designed to forecast the environmental benefits of reducing chemical use by doing some or all pollution prevention measures typically involved in the routine interior cleaning of an office building. This tool also enables users to identify which green cleaning measures will have the greatest impact in reducing their use of hazardous chemicals and in preventing pollution. See: http://www.ofee.gov/janitor/index.asp for more information.

Subjective Measures

Pre-implementation and post-implementation surveys or interviews can be used to measure the perceptions of progress by various school stakeholder groups. Given their high margin of error, surveys should be supplemented with other methods of gaining feedback, including:

  • Providing an e-mail address or phone number that can accept and record unsolicited comments (measures can be installed to protect anonymity for those that desire).
  • Conducting “town hall” meetings or assemblies and after a short update, encouraging questions and comments from the floor
  • Placing comment books in key places throughout the school, collecting and collating the data frequently
  • Conducting small “focus groups” periodically with representatives of all stakeholder groups.

Qualitative measures should not be used as the major or even significant measure of success, but they are useful as a communication tool to build support among important constituencies. The importance of capturing the heart of your stakeholders cannot be over-emphasized. Providing opportunities for feedback and being seen acting on the feedback will help meet that objective.

Back to Implement a Green Cleaning Plan

 

Calculating P2

The amount of pollution prevented also can be calculated by checking the Material Safety Data Sheets for the amounts of toxic chemicals in the traditional cleaners and determining how many of these cleaners were used on an annual basis at the school based on an initial assessment. Visit the OFEE's website for more information.
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