Month: March 2012

Have you thought about ‘going green’ but haven’t taken the first step? If so, you’re not alone. Buzzwords are tossed about, but how do you actually implement a green lifestyle? It begins with a different mindset. The fact is that now is the time to make simple changes that will improve your health and lifestyle and the environmental quality for workers while caring for the environment. You may already recycle but going green is so much more. Let’s look at why going green requires a different mindset and is not just a matter of sorting paper and plastic into bins.

Going green is a habit you must develop. A green mindset involves thinking green so that thoughts are converted into acting green. In other words, you don’t just think about it; you take steps to make green living a reality at home and work. Going green is a lifestyle and not insulated acts.

It takes twenty-one days to develop a new habit or break an old one. If you start today – thinking green and acting green – you can develop a mindset in less than a month.

When developing this new healthy and environmentally safe method of thinking you will have to slough off years of doing things the ‘old way’. It will take some effort like most important changes in life – like purging your cabinets of old, toxic cleaners and replacing them with environmentally safe products for you, your home, and your office. It will require new procurement policies and procedures so that green product purchases take priority. Going green also will require staff education so that a green culture mindset is developed within the organisation.

Green Resources

Green cleaning is defined as, ‘cleaning products and processes that achieve hygienic outcomes, while demonstrating a substantially reduced risk to health and impact on the environment’.[1]

The first rule to developing a green mindset is to be thankful for Australia’s natural resources. There are many resources that we use every day that can be conserved. For example, we are fortunate to have clean fresh water anytime we turn on a faucet. Many people in the world do not have this luxury? For Australians, the green mindset asks this: How can you be thankful for clean water while at the same time conserving as much water as you can?

Asking yourself simple questions like this on a daily basis will get you on the road to green. Turning off lights when you leave a room, using green cleaning products around your home or office, and carpooling are easy ways to implement a green lifestyle.

An Easy Fix

One of the easiest ways to reinforce your new green attitude is to use green cleaners and other products in your home and office. Green cleaners and other products are safe for the environment and safe for you and your family.

When shopping for green products ensure you buy the best. There are no governmental labelling standards for green products so do not be tricked into buying products that claim to be green. A recent study revealed that people sometimes find it difficult to differentiate which cleaning products are green.[2]

Look for green products that are environmentally rated by the maker. For example, a reliable company puts all of their products through strident environmental safety testing and can document the results. Any company can claim their products are ‘green’ but it’s important for consumers and business procurement professionals to verify the claims are accurate and justified. Reading the ingredient labels and not just accepting the advertising claims is necessary.

From Your Home to the World

The small changes you make today will improve your lifestyle, your home environment, your work environment, and even provide benefits to the earth we live on. Going green requires a new and improved mindset requires thinking in terms of “green’ every time a product or lifestyle decision is made.

Small changes can begin with the purchase of products from Envirosafe Solutions (www.evss.com.au or http://www.evss.com.au./ which are designed to protect users from exposure to chemicals. Using environmentally safe products is a simple way to make a significant contribution to the environment while improving employee safety.

---

References

[1] On the Road to Green Cleaning. (Facility Management Magazine). Retrieved from http://www.fmmagazine.com.au/features/on-the-road-to-green-cleaning/

[2] Greening the Cleaning Contract. (n.d.). Retrieved from Government News: http://www.governmentnews.com.au/files/GN%20DEC-JAN%20pg44-45.pdf

Why is green cleaning such a topic of interest today? There are two very good reasons. Standard cleaning chemicals can create smog and can also create an unhealthy environment. Cleaning with green products alleviates harmful toxins that enter the air while keeping your home or office clean and healthy.

The goal of green cleaning is to eliminate dust and grime in addition to viruses, allergens, bacteria, mould, and other harmful substances. This will result in better health for everyone.

With the intense focus on green cleaning, experts are redefining indoor air quality. Indoor environment quality, also known as IEQ, takes into account the use of volatile organic compounds, (VOCs), thermal comfort, glare, mould, formaldehyde, and even noise.[1] Green cleaning focuses on eliminating cleaning products that can cause smog in the environment.

Is Green Better?

While the news is flooded with information about green cleaning, many people remain wary. They wonder if green cleaning products will actually perform and eliminate germs and diseases. However, a look at the many health problems resulting from common pollutants is staggering:[2]

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Respiratory illness
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Carcinogenic exposure
• Viruses like the clod and the flu

Each of these health problems can be treated and in some cases eliminated when properly using green products to clean your home.

Ordinary cleaners release smog into your home or office every time they are used. Standard detergents, floor cleaners and finishes, furniture polish, and disinfectants are all on the list of offending products. They produce harmful compounds such as fluorocarbons, acetone, and ethanol. When they evaporate they combine with the air in your environment (the ozone) and are the cause of health problems.

Simple changes to green cleaning products can immediately make a difference. It’s important to look for green cleaning products that are non-toxic. Many green cleaners are biodegradable, and some are made from renewable resources.

Going Green

Going green will require you to make some changes in your cleaning supply cabinet. Many of the cleaners you currently own contain chemicals that have been manufactured such as phosphates found in detergents and volatile organic compounds found in solvents.

When replacing your old cleaning agents with green cleaners, it’s crucial to ascertain that they are free of pollutants that cause indoor smog by reading the labels carefully. Here are a few hints to get you started:

• Dishwasher soap often includes phosphates. These chemicals should be avoided.
• Buy cleaning products that are free of petroleum.
• Avoid bleach by using products with borax.
• Use furniture polish that does not list phthalates.

A good rule of thumb to remember: if you can’t say it, do not use it.

The Careful Green Consumer

While the interest going green is growing, there are no standards in labelling for green cleaning products. Consumers must take the time to ensure that what they buy is truly a green cleaning product.

Fortunately, there are excellent green cleaners available. Because so many false claims have been made in order to sell products, companies are beginning to take matters into their own hands. For example, one company has created its own rating system for their cleaning products, proving they are safe for the environment. It follows a strict protocol created to ensure product safety for your home.

You can also alter other green common behaviours to improve the air quality in your home or office:[3]

• Give your cleaner time to work instead of using more. You can soak baked on grime in pots using a green dish detergent or use a damp cloth with a green cleaning agent on hard to remove grime on hard surfaces.
• Clean your home or office on a regular schedule to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating.
• Keep a cleaning tool kit stocked with the right brushes, cloths, and other implements.

Cleaning chemicals can create smog by releasing chemicals into the air. Fortunately, it’s easy to lean up the air in your home or office today by making the switch to green cleaning. Products like those sold by Envirosafe Solutions (www.evss.com.au) are safe to use and won’t lead to air pollution.

---

References

[1] Is Green Air Clean? (n.d.). Retrieved from AIRAH: http://www.airah.org.au/imis15_prod/Content_Files/EcoLibrium/2011/May2011/2011_05_F01.pd

[2] Brisbane City Council Green Home Fact Sheet – Clean Home Indoors. (n.d.). Retrieved from Brisbane City Council: http://www.sustainablehomebrisbane.com.au/bcc1.pdf

[3] Green Cleaning. (n.d.). Retrieved from Penrith City Council: http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?id=2867

Infectious disease occurs all too often in childcare facilities and that’s because childcare centres are germ breeding grounds. Your child will come into regular and close contact with a large number of other children – maybe for the first time – leading to the spreading of infectious germs.

While there is no proven way to control all infectious diseases from spreading in childcare centres, you can greatly lower the risk using certain methods to control the spread of germs.

How Do Infectious Diseases Spread?

The National Health and Research Council has identified four major steps in the spread of infectious diseases and germs.[1]

• The infected person spreads germs (releases them into the environment)
• The germs continue to exist in the environment
• A second person contracts germs through hard surfaces, water, air, or food where the germs thrive
• The second person is infected by the germs

Each of these steps can be halted in most cases when proper precautions are taken by childcare workers and children. One of the most important precautions for infectious disease control requires using proper cleaning methods that break this cycle.

Preventing the Spread of Infectious Disease

How can the spread of infectious germs be halted? In addition to identifying the way infectious diseases spread, the National Health and Research Council also recognises three methods to keep the spread of germs to a minimum.[2]

• Washing hands
• Prohibiting sick childcare workers and children from interacting
• Immunisation

Due to the fact that germs have the ability to spread silently, or before a person exhibits any sign of illness, washing hands is one the first barriers to the preventing the spread of infectious germs. The trick is to wash hands completely with the proper hand cleaning product.

To wash hands correctly takes ten to fifteen seconds. First, run hands under water to wet and add liquid soap. Hands should then be rubbed together and attention must be given to under the fingernails and between fingers. Next, rinse the hands completely. Finally, dry the hands with paper towels.  Experts suggest using a soap dispenser that does not require pumping so it’s a hands-free device and using paper towels when touching the faucet after rinsing hands.

Children and staff should wash hands with the right cleanser after going to the toilet, blowing their nose or coughing, coming into contact with raw food, changing diapers, and before eating.[3]

Remember, children must be taught proper hand washing. Young children may require supervision.

When to Stay Home

Because childcare centres are germ breeding grounds it is important to know when to stay home. When sick staff and children are present it increases the risk of others getting sick.

Childcare centres should have a written exclusion policy to avoid complications with parents. A child or staff member should be excluded if they present with an infection that has the ability to spread to others. Overall, staff and children who are not healthy should stay home.

The length of exclusion is variable. For example, a person with measles should stay home for a minimum of four days after the first signs of the disease while a person with influenza need only stay home until well enough to function without strain.

Immunisations

You can greatly reduce and in some cases prevent the spread of infectious germs with immunisations. Childcare centres should keep a record of a child’s immunisations on file.

Even with proper hand washing, immunisations, and a strict exclusion policy some infectious germs will find their way into childcare centres. Childcare centres are germ breeding grounds, but the danger can be greatly reduced with attention to cleaning and the use of proper cleaning products, a strict exclusion policy, and immunisations.

Envirosafe Solutions (www.evss.com.au) can recommend the right hand and surface cleaners that are effective at preventing the spread of germs. The cleaners are environmentally safe while being highly effective.

---

References

[1] Staying Healthy in Childcare. (2005, December). Retrieved from National Health and Medical Research Council: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/ch43.pdf

[2] Ibid

[3] Antibacterial Cleaning Products. (n.d.). Retrieved from Better Health Channel: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Antibacterial_cleaning_products

Overfishing and offshore oil drilling and are among the threats facing Western Australia’s marine environment. Cleaning products, plastic rubbish and other pollution are also spoiling WA’s big blue backyard. Conservationists believe it’s time to take action.

Marine parks are needed along south-west coast of Western Australia to protect ‘globally-significant’ hotspots, according to one Australia’s peak conservation groups.

The Australian Conservation Foundation has called for marine national parks to be established in the Kalbarri to Eucla region, which includes the Perth Canyon. The green revolution movement is aimed at protecting vulnerable species, which have faced increased pollution from non-eco-friendly industrial liquid waste.

“This is one of only two feeding sites in Australian waters for the critically endangered blue whale, the world’s largest animal,” said an ACF spokesperson.

“It features the southernmost major tropical coral reefs in the Indian Ocean and Australia’s highest underwater mountain range.”

The region is also home to the white shark and the leatherback turtle and provides an annual harvest of about 25,000 tonnes of seafood, including western rock lobsters. According to the CCWA, marine parks would ease pressures on vulnerable and threatened marine species and keep the coastal region environmentally friendly. Liquid and hard waste add considerable pollution to the once-pristine ocean.

“Western Australians can see that all is not well in their big blue backyard, they have observed the decline of water quality, marine life and habitats and the loss of seagrass nurseries for fish,” the ACF continued.

‘Vulnerable five

Big reef fish species – referred to as the Vulnerable Five – are believed to be at risk from overfishing. They include the West Australian dhufish, baldchin groper, breaksea cod, pink snapper and red snapper.

Offshore oil and gas drilling projects are also on the rise and bring with them an increased risk of oil spills

Despite the push by conservationists for the creation of marine parks (a no-go area for fishing and mining activities), opponents argue they would threaten the viability of professional and recreational fishing.

WA Fisheries Minister Norman Moore has said WA’s fish stocks were “some of the best managed in the world” and that the state’s marine environment was eco-friendly. Liquid products including fertilisers, pesticides, industrial waste and non-environmental cleaning products contribute to marine pollution.

One of Australia’s leading suppliers of eco-friendly cleaning and industrial products believes reducing reliance on toxic chemicals is an easy way for Australian businesses to support the marine environment.

Perth-based Envirosafe Solutions has alternate products which work just as effectively as traditional cleaners and industrial applications. Its Extreme Green range is safe to use, transport and store. For more information contact Envirosafe Solutions’ on 1300 88 90 70 or email info@evss.com.au.

Sources:

http://acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=2148

A decision to sell uranium to India has reignited a heated debate in Western Australia. The state’s Liberal Government overruled a controversial uranium ban in 2008 but opposition to the mining of the radioactive element remains extreme. Green conservationists warn opening the door to India sets a dangerous precedent.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Australian Labor Party voted to lift a ban on uranium sales to India in December.

The policy-shift made headlines around the globe as Australia has some of the world’s richest uranium and mineral deposits. Removing the ban paves the way for sales of uranium to India, which is not a signatory to the international nuclear weapons Non Proliferation Treaty.

The move has reignited debate over uranium mining in Western Australia, which despite driving Australia’s current mining boom has left its rich uranium deposits – including Kintyre and Yeelirie – untapped. Radioactive uranium is not seen as an environmentally clean product, due in part to the impact of mining, including non-eco-friendly industrial liquid waste.

WA Opposition leader Eric Ripper has signaled the Labor party’s intention to make uranium mining a major issue at the next election. The WA Labor Party has remained firmly opposed to uranium mining, despite the decision by Federal Labor to allow sales to India.

“The next election is possibly the last chance to stop uranium mining in WA,” he said.

Premier Colin Barnett dismissed the possibility of uranium mining becoming a major election issue.

“This is a mining state; I think people are well educated, they understand that uranium and particularly nuclear power generation is a reality,” he said.

Mr Barnett said it was likely a uranium mine would be under construction in WA by the next state election, in 2013. South Australia has the world’s largest known uranium deposit, being mined by BHP Billiton at Olympic Dam. Another large-scale uranium mine is at Ranger, within the Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park. The mine has been plagued by spills requiring environmental cleaning production.

Green revolution lobbyists have warned the decision to allow uranium to be sold to India sets a dangerous precedent.  Conservation Council of WA campaigner Mia Pepper has argued that Australia’s disregard for the non-proliferation treaty sent a message to fellow signatories including China and Russia and non-signatories such as Pakistan and Israel.

“This is a dangerous precedent to set and one that undermines the only international agreement we have limiting the spread of nuclear weapons,” Ms Pepper said. “This decision also undermines the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as India continues to test long range missiles and it undercuts the Roratonga Treaty, implicating the Pacific in an illegal trade of uranium.”

Last year’s Fukushima nuclear power plantdisaster highlighted the dangers posed by nuclear energy yet the prospect of safe nuclear energy generation remains tantalising. Creating a greener mining industry through better environmental practices, including the use of environmental cleaning products, is a step in the right direction. Envirosafe Solutions has a range of eco-friendly liquid products designed to eliminate the need for toxic chemicals at remote mine sites. For more information contact 1300 88 90 70 or email info@evss.com.au.

Sources:

http://ccwa.org.au/blogs/nuclear-disaster-federal-labor

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/premier-unafraid-of-fighting-election-on-uranium-mining-20111115-1ngz8.html

http://www.perthnow.com.au/business/japanese-disaster-hurts-was-uranium-support/story-e6frg2r3-1226094838478

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1610027/alp-votes-to-lift-india-uranium-ban

A peak Western Australian environmental group has called for a review of fertilisers and other non-eco-friendly industrial products because of impacts on river health. The Swan River program has highlighted the risk posed by toxic chemicals on soil and water health and promoted the use of environmental cleaning products.

A ‘cocktail of environmental pollutants’ are to blame for the poor health of the Swan River, according to the Conservation Council of Western Australia.

The green revolution lobbyists have launched a campaign to make the iconic river more eco-friendly. Industrial liquid waste including fertilisers and other pollutants have been blamed for poor river health.

“The main cause of the river’s chronic poor health can be traced to a cocktail of environmental pollutants entering the river system from a range of industrial, agricultural and urban sources,” according to the CCWA. “These pollutants’ impact is exacerbated by climate change as we receive less rain in the catchments to flush the nutrients out to sea and higher temperatures aid algal growth.”

The CCWA claims toxic algal blooms have increased dramatically along the Swan River in the past five years.

Warm temperatures and high-levels of nutrients make waterways more prone to outbreaks of algae (the greenish blue slime which sits on the surface of the water). Non-environmentally friendly liquids including fertilisers and domestic and industrial products such as laundry powder contribute to algal blooms, which kill fish life and can pose a threat to other animals.

Choosing products low in phosphorous and nitrogen can dramatically reduce the risk of pollution from non-environmental cleaning products entering catchment areas.

Phosphate and nitrogen-rich fertilisers applied to the sandy soils of the Swan Coastal Plain enter the river through groundwater and surface flows.

According to the recent Swan Canning Water Quality Improvement Plan nutrients entering the Swan River are twice the maximum levels allowed for the river health to be restored.

The CCWA has been lobbying for greater awareness and better waste management.

“Nutrients that are not used by garden plants or agricultural crops and pastures are a wasted resource.. we know that alternative, slow release fertilisers can have the same, if not greater, results in promoting plant growth without the pollution.”

Alternative environmental cleaning products in industrial factories, workshops and farms can also reduce water and soil contamination.

Perth-based Envirosafe Solutions’ Extreme Green range of eco-friendly industrial liquids are highly-effective and unlike traditional cleaning solutions are safe to use, improving workplace safety and reducing storage risks. Its environmentally responsible range includes Soil Wetta-Dust Suppressor (ideal for use on farms, mining sites and transport depots), industrial hand cleaners including anti-bacterial hand wash, low-phosphate laundry liquids and powders as well as specialist cleaners such as rubber remover. For more information contact Envirosafe Solutions’ on 1300 88 90 70 or email info@evss.com.au.

Sources:

http://ccwa.org.au/issues/swan-river

Water security remains a major challenge for Australia. As the driest continent on the planet, our inland waterways are a precious yet threatened resource. Pollution from non-environmental cleaning products and overuse from thirsty industries present a tough challenge for policymakers.

The latest report card into Australia’s environmental health has identified climate change as the biggest threat facing inland water systems.

It has called for better management to sustain our river systems and keep them environmentally-friendly. Liquid pollution, including waterways contaminated by non-environmental cleaning products, are also threatening the health of our rivers and lakes.

The State of the Environment 2011 report was released by the Gillard Government in December.

The independent assessment – the fourth in a series tabled in Federal Parliament every five years – examines the state of the atmosphere, land, biodiversity, coast and marine environment, inland waters, heritage and built environment and the Antarctic.

It looks at the impact of climate change and population on the environment.

Environment Minister Tony Burke said development had taken a significant toll on Australia’s natural resources. Major environmental cleaning productions are needed in some areas to restore water and land habitats.

“The report provides a big-picture view of what Australia’s doing right, what we could do better, and what more we need to know to target our management responses,” Mr Burke said.

“We are turning things around on some counts but, on others, we are still facing challenges with the legacy of centuries of over-consumption and pollution of our environmental resources.”

Green revolution lobbyists warn the report sounds an “urgent alarm’ about the health of Australia’s environment.

“The report itself states that ‘the prognosis for the environment at a national level is highly dependent on how seriously the Australian Government takes its leadership role,” Australian Conservation Foundation campaigns director Denise Boyd said. She said the most urgent findings included:

• Identifying climate change as the ‘largest future threat’ to inland water sources remaining eco-friendly (industrial liquids including fertilisers also continue to contaminate catchments);
• Land clearing had continued at a rate of one million hectares per year for the past decade;
• Since 2006 the East Antartic Ice Sheet had lost about 60 billion tonnes of ice each year; and
• The Southern Ocean is warming faster than anywhere else in the world.

Inland water threat

The report identified increased demand for water as a major challenge facing Australia.

Fresh inland water supplies have been under threat from years of drought and restoring environmental flows was critical to keeping systems eco-friendly. Liquid products including desalinated sea water and recycled wastewater would reduce reliance on river and lake systems but would carry other environmental costs, including increased energy consumption.

The 2011 State of the Environment Report is another warning card for Australian policymakers. Water-thirsty industry – from irrigators to miners – will need to continue to find water-saving measures to ensure future water security.

Reducing water pollution is another step toward preserving our waterways. Leading Perth-based environmental cleaning products suppliers Envirosafe Solutions has a range of non-toxic, biodegradable products to replace toxic chemicals including anti-bacterial hand wash, rubber remover and fuel conditioners. For more information contact 1300 88 90 70 or email info@evss.com.au.

Sources:

http://acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=3585

http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2011/report/key-findings.html#inland-water

http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/burke/2011/mr20111212a.html