Green Matters

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:07:31 GMT

When evaluating supplier partnerships, Ceres takes into consideration how they are managing their carbon footprint. We are most interested in partnering with companies who use technologically and efficient processes that produce more eco-friendly products. We prefer products that have a smaller carbon footprint, contain less or no chemicals and, where applicable, cause less green house gas emissions.

While going “green” is the right thing to do, it is inherently complex and can be filled with risks and confusion. For example, most janitorial cleaning products contain chemicals and other toxic substances. Unlike the food industry that is federally mandated to label their ingredients, the cleaning materials industry is not required to do so. While a few manufacturers voluntarily list the ingredients, many others do not but claim their products to be “green.” Grand Technology, the supplier Ceres has partnered with, offers cleaning products that contain 100% natural resources, and meet or exceed the criteria for certification by Green Seal and Terra Choice.

But just because a product is eco-friendly does not always mean it’s the best product choice for our customers. There are economic and health risk considerations to be made. The following are some of the questions we ask when evaluating a more eco-friendly product:

Does the product’s status change from a “hazardous” to a “non-hazardous” classification eliminate special disposal costs?
Does the product integrate seamlessly with a company’s existing technology, or will it require additional accessories to bridge integration making it uneconomical from a life-cycle cost standpoint?
How does the product’s energy consumption compare to the product currently being used?
What is the status of the product’s technology? Is it still evolving (and might soon become obsolete), or mature enough to deliver the expected ROI?

At Ceres we recently reviewed a new type of light bulb that the government has been encouraging companies to use. The bulbs are supposed to last much longer than the traditional incandescent and fluorescent ones. However, their upfront and downstream costs are significantly higher than the bulbs currently being sold through our suppliers. More importantly, there is a critical health risk associated with them as these bulbs contain high levels of mercury; a hazardous substance. In addition to the health risks, the bulbs require special EPA-mandated disposal handling that adds to their downstream costs. Even though these bulbs are longer lasting than the traditional ones, the primary reason Ceres decided not to choose this product was the critical health and safety issues it posed to our patients, residents and employees.

Ceres’ customers can rest assured that as we actively pursue eco-friendly product alternatives, we will be doing so carefully and deliberately before making any recommendations.

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Green Matters