Answers to Your Questions About Green Cleaning

1. What & Why Answers to Your Questions About Green Cleaning

2. Cleaning for Green-Turning the Right Thing to Do into the Rational and Profitable Thing to Do!

3. What is Green Cleaning? Is Now the Time?

4. Two fundamental principles Cleaning Green is a process, not just a new cleaning product. Cleaning green must not only be the right thing to do, it must be the rational and profitable thing to do.

5. “Be Cautious Before You Rush To Green” • Dr. Michael Berry – • Retired EPA Research Scientist • Retired Professor – U. of North Carolina • Led two groundbreaking scientific studies of cleaning and indoor environmental quality improvement • CIRI Scientific Advisor • Author of “Cleaning for Health – Protecting the Built Environment” Dr. Michael Berry

6. Be Cautious Before You Rush To Green • Green is a process, not a chemical. • We must have science that supports the effectiveness of the “green” solution. • “Green” and “cleaning” are synonymous terms – proper removal, collection, and disposal of unwanted matter is healthy and good for the environment. Dr. Michael Berry

7. Be Cautious Before You Rush To Green • Examples of indoor environmental disasters caused by switching to so-called green chemicals for political purposes • Bacterial and viral outbreaks in health care facilities caused by ineffective and untested “green” disinfectants Dr. Michael Berry

8. Be Cautious Before You Rush To Green • Disasters - Continued • Overuse and misuse of “green” cleaning chemicals because they were not getting the surfaces cleaned. A build-up of “seed-based” organic surfactants being applied and not completely rinsed / extracted leading to “mold farms.” When products are ineffective at cleaning, the natural tendency of the technician is to apply more. Dr. Michael Berry

9. Green cleaning could be called “cleaning green” • “Cleaning green ... is achieved by employing cleaning products, formulas, equipment, procedures or systems intended to minimize any harmful environmental impact and maximize sustainability of our built environment; such environments include human health, the air we breathe, the water we use, the land and our earth.” Dr. Steven Spivak • Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland • ASTM International • RIA (Formerly ASCR) • ANSI • Standards Engineering Society • ISO

10. Is Green Always Green? • Just because something is called green, does that mean it is really beneficial for you, your customer and the environment? • Some green ideas, adopted for political reasons or marketing strategies are not well thought out.

11. Remember How the Government Helped Us Save Water? • Those low flow toilets that had to be flushed several times to get the job done • Ideas like using cold water and limiting cleaners to less effective products can result in more chemicals getting into the environment.

12. What Should Green Cleaning Include?

13. 8 Dynamics of green cleaning • Outdoor environmental impact and footprint • Indoor environmental quality • Sustainability and the use of renewable resources • Packaging and recycling issues • Reducing use of resources • Health impact upon the occupants of the home or business • Impact of the “new” green chemistry upon the construction and texture of the surface being cleaned • Cleaning effectiveness

14. What is called green today? Almost anything someone wants to call green. Example - Clinton era rule: If it is environmentally preferable over what it replaced it can be called green. Switching from plastic wrap to cardboard box qualified some products to be called green.

15. Green Cleaning Chemistry and Certification Programs • Some of the Players in this Game • Green Seal (GS-37) • US EPA Design for Environment (DfE) • GreenList Program • Eco-Green • Cleangredients • California Air Resource Board (CARB) C.A.R.B. No one certification program covers all of the 8 dynamics! DfE

16. Shades of Green • Over 300 organizations with different definitions of green • How do our customers define green? • No harm to them or family; Their pets; Cleaning techs; The environment • Natural sources, sustainable

17. Who Else Is Trying to Define Green? • Home products manufacturers are introducing their definitions of “green cleaning” through ads on Oprah and Desperate Housewives. Do your customers listen to what Oprah says?

18. Look at What’s Been called Green for Carpet Cleaning

23. Is It Really Green? • One company who has SOME Green Seal products, shows the Green Seal Logo in advertising that includes other products that are not certified as green.

24. The fact is that… Kermit was wrong…. It’s too easy to say your “green”

25. Green Cleaning Certification and Your Wallet • This has an immediate impact upon you as a professional cleaner ... Large commercial business or government cleaning contracts may require “green products” as a provision of the bid.

26. Green Cleaning Certification and Your Wallet • Upper Middle and Upper Income Prospects: • Many Work in “Green Buildings” • Informed about Green Issues • Are Socially Responsible • Show “Green Concerns”

27. Who Is a Green Customer? • Not her! • It is not aging hippies that spend money on green cleaning.

28. Who Is a Green Customer? This woman. (Yes, it is women we market to.) • Educated • Well informed • Professional job with responsibility

29. Will These Prospects Buy from a Green company? • Good Housekeeping survey reports that 42% will pay more for environmentally friendly or green products and services. • Survey – 73% would choose green if price was equal or only slightly more.

30. Cleaning the totally trashed out and filthy carpet with caked on grease in a Chinese Restaurant has NOTHING to do with what we are discussing!

31. Why is Bridgepoint Involved? What do We Offer?

32. Bridgepoint is Bringing Common Sense and Balance to the Green Picture • We have been innovative and first on many products – but these issues were too important to rush into. We wanted to get the facts straight, use the truly best formulation technology, and put our customer first in how we approached this.

33. Green is a process, not just a cleaning solution • We recognize that green is more that a cleaning solution. It’s a process. • Green cleaning must include the proper management of the environment being cleaned. • It includes a properly trained cleaning technician who understands the nature and construction of the surface they are cleaning, as well as the composition of the soling they want to extract. • It includes proper cleaning procedures according to industry standards. • Finally, it includes the proper disposal of cleaning waste water. • Green is so much more than how a chemical is made; it’s a commitment to understanding how it is used in the overall cleaning process.

34. Green based on research and scientific testing, not hype and what “sounds good” • We carefully studied and evaluated the science behind the recommendations for “green ingredients” from a number of sources. While we evaluated guidelines from a number of “green” certification and listing programs, we found that the best guidelines came from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Design for Environment (DfE) program • We insisted that the companies who supplied us with ingredients and claimed they were “green,” had the information to back up their claims.

35. Green based on research and scientific testing, not hype and what “sounds good” • We tested and evaluated the formulas for cleaning effectiveness in our own laboratory and in field testing. Then we submitted the formulas to a leading independent testing laboratory to scientifically measure the level of actual soil removal, and to ensure that they did not contribute to rapid resoling. • Then we knew that we had green cleaning solutions that had the best presently available facts and science backing them up.

36. Committing to the process ofCleaning Green • We chose green cleaning products that have been tested, measured, and demonstrated to work – Bridgepoint Green Balance. The answer to a carpet cleaning job with significant soiling is not to continuously apply more chemical to get the job done.

37. Introducing Green Balance from Bridgepoint • They are approved by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Seal of Approval Program (SOA) signifying their cleaning effectiveness, as well as the fact they do not contribute to re-soiling. The CRI testing process • Assure pH is not excessive • The solution contains no optical brighteners • Measures any negative effect on carpet texture • Makes sure no residue is left that would cause rapid re-soiling. • Finally it measures for soil removal and cleaning effectiveness.

38. Green Balance from Bridgepoint – • Ingredients from renewable sources, quickly biodegradable • Non-toxic; no known carcinogens; no allergy triggers • No added fragrances • No Added dyes • No Solvents! Ideal for homes with chemical sensitivities

39. Green Balance from Bridgepoint – Why no solvents? • Safety for the users and occupants • Regulations (in California and 10 other states) limit the allowable level of solvents to a level where effectiveness is doubtful. These restrictions are only going to get tighter. • Solvents, even natural ones, are not typically “green.” • Soybean oil replacement solvents are massive contributors to carpet re-soiling.

40. Why is now the time for green cleaning and Bridgepoint Green Balance Cleaning Solutions? • The right thing to do is now finally the rational thing to do. • It is highly “marketable” to the clientele most of you are after. • Because you recognize green is more than a cleaning product, it’s a commitment to an overall process.

41. We have Many Green Products • Different shades • None are harmful when used as directed • Products from Natural or renewable Sources – Citrus Solv • Plentiful sources – Prolon • phosphates • Only food grade ingredients are used,

42. Green is a commitment ... • ... to providing your customer with cleaning and confidence. • Green Balance is also a commitment to you our customer, to use the best available science, understanding and testing we can to bring to you, recognizing that the way carpets look, feel and perform after they have cleaned them is critical to your reputation as a professional. • It’s about providing you with a “green” cleaning solution that you can be absolutely confident will provide your customer with a cleaner, fresher carpet.

43. The answer is a resounding…. • NO! As a matter of fact, many successful and savvy marketers like you have been doing this for years! Is marketing the concept of “green” or “environmentally preferred” new to carpet cleaning?

44. So what has changed? • The right thing to do has now become the rational business decision to make • Why? • Improved performance of green cleaning products • Improved marketing strategies have taken the cleaners in this audience beyond cleaning the carpet in a Chinese restaurant • Whether you believe it is the planet, the professors, or the politicians that are in peril, the economic drive to switch to green is growing.

45. Consumers Are Assaultedwith Green Information • The environment and green causes are in the news daily.

46. Consumer may be persuaded to think globally but she acts locally. • She is more concerned about her kids and pets (and maybe her husband) than global warming.

47. “Green” Marketing Programs that are Working… • Sell the benefits that mean the most to her… (clean carpet looks good and it is healthy) ... then bring in the added benefit that your service is green

48. Does Your Client Believe You’re Green? • It takes more than your ad copy to convince her ...

49. The Green Balance Carpet Cleaning Process Provides… How can you market green and answer every potential client’s question ... “What’s in it for me?”

50. Carpet you can truly live on… What’s in it for your customer? Committed Technicians - “Our company is committed to the technical education of our cleaning technicians in the best cleaning practices in the industry. They understand the construction of your carpet and the nature of the substances that soil them.” • The Green Balance™ Process for A Clean, Safe, & Healthy Home