We all know that the global economic collapse of 2009 was caused by a fixation on short term growth at the expense of our long term economic health. This short term focus (you could call it short sightedness) has led to an economy responsible for pillaging our planet, and its natural resources, at rates far beyond its ability to regenerate itself. As we have seen, this is neither economically sustainable, nor able to protect the health of our planet for the next Seven Generations and beyond.
In order to put our economy and the planet on a more sustainable path, we must not simply return to business as usual, we must reinvent our approach to business. Jeff Immelt, CEO of GE, said it best when he suggested that the global economic crisis has "fundamentally reset" the way companies can do business. It is now up to all of us, companies and consumers alike, to ensure that we do indeed reset and not return to our old way of doing business. One of our primary missions at Seventh Generation is to demonstrate the idea that there is a better way to do business, one that is both profitable as well as sustainable. We are not there yet, but every day, in every way, we are working as hard as we can to get there.
So in the spirit of the great reset, let me update you on our fantastic partnership with Women's Action to Gain Economic Security (WAGES). WAGES incubates cooperatively owned green businesses. They have been doing it for fourteen years, and are pioneers in the green jobs revolution. They were green before green became the new black. Seventh Generation has partnered with WAGES, and in February, together we launched its fourth green business, in San Francisco. Home Green Home is a green residential cleaning service that uses exclusively all-natural non-toxic products to clean homes, many of which are the same Seventh Generation products you use in your home. The women who clean the homes own the business, and for the first time in many of their lives, are earning a dignified wage with paid health care and vacation benefits. These things are almost non-existent in the cleaning service industry.
This business model, that partners a not-for-profit with a for-profit company to spin off a cooperatively owned business, is unique. It is creating good green jobs at a time when the economy is shedding jobs. It demonstrates a more sustainable business model that turns low income women into business owners. And it helps protect the planet by replacing conventional cleaning products with natural ones. Typically those in the cleaning service industry spend 8 or more hours a day using chemicals that are not only bad for the planet, but take a toll on their health. Asthma rates among cleaning service professionals are more than double the average American.
We encourage you to learn more about the work WAGES is doing, and if you live in San Francisco, invite the green jobs revolution into your home. For a free estimate visit www.HomeGreenHomeSF.com and click on the free estimate button.
Who'd have thought that the road to economic recovery and a more sustainable future can begin with a clean and healthy home?
