Greening Your Cleaning Agents
Problem: Other key office irritants dissipate in time, but cleaning agents are refreshed constantly. Each month, millions of tons of carcinogens, toxins, phosphates, flammables, and ozone-depleting chemicals from cleaning solutions are released into the environment.
Solution: Avoid synthetic cleaning agents. Even chemicals added for fragrance (which have nothing to do with cleaning effectiveness) are known to disrupt reproductive processes and cause allergies. Instead, go for nontoxic alternatives. Big office suppliers are rolling out lines of cleaners derived from plant oils and other natural agents. Corporate Express' Sustainable Earth line is due out this fall.