This is the time of the year the kids bring back home contagious illnesses they caught who knows where and from. Soon the siblings get sick as well, and we have to take time off from work. Schools and classmates are the usual suspects, but chances are hand hygiene negligence played the most part. To reduce the incidence of pathogens we are stocking antimicrobial products in our home cabinets, a behavior that is not without incidence on health, safety and the environment. In a three part series, I intent to address the issues surrounding this controversial topic, starting with revisiting the roots of poor hand hygiene, then sorting out some “staggering” evidence and finally offering some sound solutions that everyone – including schools and your work place – can easily adopt while keeping toxic products at bay and lowering our carbon footprint.

Part 2 – Our immune system is up against a steep hill. Continue Reading »

The first time I heard the term greenwashing, it came from Steve Ashkin, a respected and outspoken green advocate. We were at a green cleaning conference in San Diego, California in 20004 (he was the keynote speaker) and we had the “Pope of Green Cleaning” just for ourselves over dinner. What a treat!

He was reflecting on his long journey to greening the cleaning and maintenance industry. “A conference like this one would have attracted 20 to 30 people two years ago. Continue Reading »

This is the time of the year the kids bring back home contagious illnesses they caught who knows where and from. Soon the siblings get sick as well, and we have to take time off from work. Schools and classmates are the usual suspects, but chances are hand hygiene negligence played the most part. To reduce the incidence of pathogens we are stocking antimicrobial products in our home cabinets, a behavior that is not without incidence on health, safety and the environment. In a three part series, I intent to address the issues surrounding this controversial topic, starting with revisiting the roots of poor hand hygiene, then sorting out some “staggering” evidence and finally offering some sound solutions that everyone – including schools and your work place – can easily adopt while keeping toxic products at bay and lowering our carbon footprint.

Part 1 – Is catching a contagious illness an ineluctable outcome of social life?
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The Clorox Company
Mr. Don Knauss
CEO & Chairman

Dear Mr. Knauss,

I am responding to your letter of January 2007. I am apologetic to have delayed my answer, but I have been very busy working with schools and childcare centers in helping them develop and implement green practices. You are not without knowing that while our kids spend about one third of their time in an indoor environment they are exposed to many chemical irritants that can trigger chronic illnesses such as asthma and dermatitis as well as increased sensibility to pathogens.
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