Putting a new green sheen on clean
Patrick Brough feels better about his cleaning efforts at Semiahmoo House Society, now that the society has switched to using environmentally friendly cleaning products.
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Updated: November 04, 2009 4:44 PM
The cleaning crew at Semiahmoo House Society has a new sparkle these days.
Call it a green clean.
“We just wanted to do something that was better for our community, not to mention the individuals,” said Denene Robinson, of the recent switch to using only environmentally friendly cleaning products in the building.
Robinson works with the society’s Employment Training and Support program, which offers job-skills training to the 24 Avenue facility’s developmentally disabled clients.
The six-member crew charged with cleaning the building – from buffing the bathroom mirrors to vacuuming the halls and taking out the garbage – bid adieu to chemical cleaners in July.
And they couldn’t be happier.
“Breathe easy now,” said Ryan Cameron, noting he used to get headaches from using the chemical cleaners for his day-to-day tasks in the building.
“It was not very healthy for your lungs, all that stuff. I felt sick.”
Kristen Gorman, who splits her time between the cleaning and kitchen crews, likes the benefits the switch has for the environment.
“I think it’s better going green because it’s just healthy,” she said.
The switch includes a move to degradable garbage bags which break down in 24 to 36 months. It was made with help from Delta-based PlanetClean and M•Chem Technologies Inc., which provided the crew with training on the products and support in implementing the change. As well, Semiahmoo House receives the products at a discount.
“We’re saving money. It’s just healthier,” said Robinson. And, “nobody’s been sick.”
The knowledge the team members have gained about going green will also be “a huge asset” when they’re ready to apply for work outside Semiahmoo House, she added.
Robinson said other Semiahmoo House facilities have caught on to the trend; and, the society’s new Employment Training and Support building in Newton will also be green, she said. She hopes the effort will inspire others to act, too.
“Because we’re so community-based, it’s a good message to send out to other businesses in the area that could do the same for the environment.”
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