Most people will find it hard to define a green business. Some will relate organic with green, but these two are not the same concepts. Organic means that the product is made of natural resources rather than synthetics. Green, on the other hand, refers to the health impact of any product or its process on humans, pets, and living things. An example of non-Green, but organic, things could be poison ivy, the sap of a hemlock tree, or black mold in a home. These are natural and organic but harmful to human and animal life.
"Eco" and "Eco-Friendly" are often used so loosely that they are almost meaningless. Therefore, it is very important that we do not dilute, twist, or misrepresent the definition of Green. Green equals health protected, nurtured, and integrated into our daily practices. "Green Clean" is a subdivsion of "Green" localizing the actions and products used in a facility that also impact the immediate and long-term health of the building inhabitants.
Those wishing to be "Certifiably Green Clean™" undergo a Green Audit to evaluate the health implications from known to our industry. The EPA offers its own version of approval, but does not fit into the needs of all business applications. Using known metrics, a Green Audit will review, document, evaluate, and determine whether a service or product is a Green Clean project.
Examples of Green Businesses[]
- Whole Foods
- Seventh Generation
- Maggie's Functional Organics (Also known as OrganicClothes.com)
- Rising Moon Organics
- Portable Self-Storage rather than Traditional Self Storage