The demand to "Go Green" is becoming more prevalent in rules passed at the federal, State, and municipal levels. However, there is a great deal of confusion about the process it takes to go Green. In full application, Green business require sweeping changes including building construction, water and energy usage, interior design, and sustainable practices in the use of resources. The cost of changes on many levels can be prohibitive, and hinder the adoption of Green policies in many building.



A better way to achieve a Green Building status is a pragmatic and progressive program that allows nearly any building to achieve the Green Building status in affordable and simple stages. We suggest that the first step in is the janitorial and office operation. It is not necessary to endure a massive overhaul of the facility. In truth, there are many simple steps to adopt a Green program in a month by month progression that will be a negligible cost to the company.

Green Clean Institute offers a federal trademark certification for Green Buildings if they will submit a simple Green Survey and start a transition to a Green certified janitorial service. The cleaning service is the first step in operating a healthier and Greener office. The Green Survey creates a baseline for a Green program, and lays a foundation for improvements on a month by month basis.

Get more information about Green Building certification at www.GreenBusinessLeague.com. Download a copy of the Green Survey, and start the program that can get your facility a Green Building certification in a month's time. This is not a rubber stamp program. It requires that the cleaning service provide Green products and practices in the cleaning of the facility.

Month by month, the program introduces affordable steps that allow the building to transition to Green operation in a year's time. Green Business League gives recognition to every member facility, lists the firm with Dun & Bradstreet, and revisits the subject each year. There are programs that make Green Building certification more difficult by creating a point system that is difficult to obtain, but it need not be that complex. Some steps may be as simple as trash management with techniques that require only modest changes to your existing operation.

Green Awareness is the associated training program that comes with the Green Building certification. Each month, each member is advised on the next step in Green operation with very practical applications. Do you know the ten best plants for a Green office that have proven to remove volatile organic compounds and add oxygen? How about the concern for outgassing and simple steps to reduce this harmful process among your workers? There is a failure of cooperation between the day workers of an office and the cleaning service. How do you solve this problem and make sure that there is continuity that improves the Green operation of the building?

Admittedly, there are dozens, even hundreds, of ideas to move any operation to a Green status. While impractical as a whole, the process is doable when taken in simple steps toward the greater goal. It is possible for a company to hire an environmental consultant, pay money for revamping of your facility, and hope that the benefits will outweigh the trouble. Your company could also choose to appoint key person in the facility to start the Green Survey. This same person would also work to incorporate the Green program in monthly stages with minimal cost. The Green Survey is the starting point and enables everyone to enjoy a healthier workplace.