Green Is Not Just a Color

1. Green Is Not Just a Color Sandy Jones Environmental Coordinator, Southeastern Sunbelt Region General Services Administration

2. Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management

3. Acquisition of green products and services Pollution prevention, including reduction or elimination of the use of toxic and hazardous chemicals and materials Sustainable design/high performance buildings

4. Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings MOU … The Federal government is committed to operating its facilities in an energy efficient and sustainable manner that strives to achieve a balance that will realize high standards of living, wider sharing of life’s amenities, maximum attainable reuse and recycling of depletable resources, in an economically viable manner, consistent with Department and Agency missions…

5. MOU GOALS AND OBJECTIVES • Provide safe, healthy, and productive built environments. • Promote sustainable environmental stewardship. • Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality Ventilation and Thermal Comfort. • Specify materials and products with low pollutant emissions, including adhesives, sealants, paints, carpet systems, and furnishings. • Protect Indoor Air Quality during Construction.

6. GSA Environmental Goal • Carry out social, environmental, and other responsibilities as a federal agency

7. … and, it’s simply the right thing to do …

9. Partners • GSA/Lessor • Project Manager • Maintenance Staff • Cleaning Staff • Building Occupants

10. Recycling…

11. Sandy

12. Energy Conservation

13. Critical Elements

14. Water Conservation

15. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s)Organic Gases • VOC’s are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOC’s include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short and long term adverse health effects.

16. Those Stinky Things That Can Make You Sick

18. Green Cleaning Health Issue ? Environmental Issue ?

19. Some Causes of Poor Air Quality • Cleaning Products Copiers • Air Fresheners Pest Control • Walkoff Mats Perfume • Outside Plants Nail Polish/Remover • Paint Microwaves • Carpet George Forman Furnishings Grills

20. SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTION, NaOCI • Breathing apparatus and protective equipment • Exposure… burning eyes, coughing, choking, vomiting, headaches and dizziness, fainting, fatal pulmonary edema, inflammation of the cornea, burning chest pain, difficulty breathing, bleeding in the respirator system, oxygen deficiency, skin blisters, emphysema and damage to pulmonary blood vessels, corrosion of the teeth.

21. SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE… continued • Leaves behind trace amounts of a cancer causing chemical • Eats floor finishes, stains carpets, corrodes metal, even stainless steel • 1997, The American Public Health Association, stopped using the chemical • Hazardous air pollutant - 1990 Clean Air Act

22. SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE… continued • Do not mix with urine, creates an explosive called nitrogen trichloride • ? ? ?

24. Green Cleaning • Cleaning Products • www.greenseal.org

25. Is It Clean?

26. Changing Your Mind Set

27. Green Cleaning • Walk-Off Mats • HEPA Filter Vacuum Cleaners • Micro Fiber Cloths • Outside Plants

28. Wipe Your Feet!

29. Walk-Off Mats

30. Hepa Filter Vacuum Cleaners • Carpet and Rug Institute • CRI Testing Program

31. Micro Fiber Cloths

32. Outside Plants

33. Paint has those stinky VOC’s that can make you sick

34. Low VOC Paints… • Benjamin Moore • Pittsburgh • Sherwin Williams • Etc., etc., etc.

35. Green Label Plus Carpet and Adhesives

36. Furnishings and Wall Coverings

37. Interior Challenges

41. Pest Control

42. Integrated Pest Management

43. Incorporate Changes in Specifications

44. EDUCATION

45. Helpful Resources • www.greenseal.org • www.carpet-rug.com • www.greenguard.org • www.usgbc.org • www.ofee.gov • www.gsa.gov

46. Thank You! • Sandy Jones • GSA Environmental Coordinator • Southeast Sunbelt Region • sandy.jones@gsa.gov