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Can a Clean House Create Jobs?

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By Christopher Miller - February 3, 2009

Home Green Home
At Seventh Generation, we try to infuse sustainability across our business. Whether it's through incentives we provide our employees to reduce their carbon footprints, our LEED certified office space, or work we do throughout our supply chain, we strive every day to consider the results of our every action on the next seven generations.

We have also committed ourselves to help create a world of enlightened equity and justice. You might ask, how does an environmentally friendly consumer products company do that? Well, frankly, we continually challenge ourselves with that question and the truth is it's not always easy to find a good answer. With the global economy spinning out of control and an unending stream of corporate layoffs, bailouts, and downsizing, we think it's more important than ever that we seek to answer that question.

I am pleased to tell you about an exciting new partnership between Seventh Generation and Women's Action to Gain Economic Security, or WAGES. WAGES is a non-profit organization based in San Francisco's Bay Area that for the last 14 years has been helping Latina women start and run their own cooperatively-owned green residential cleaning businesses. The coops serve clients in the Bay area with eco-friendly home cleaning services that help to protect the health of their clients' homes and families The coops also protect the health of the women who use these cleaning products 8 hours a day.

WAGES and the coops they have incubated over the last 14 years have helped raise dozens and dozens of women and their families from poverty. It is an incredibly powerful story, one that involves not simply offering a handout, but instead extending a hand up. The coop members earn a sustainable living while enjoying benefits like healthcare and paid vacations, benefits that are virtually non-existent in their industry. They are trained in the skills necessary to run and own their own businesses, skills that motivate and empower.

That's why we are so happy to be partnered with WAGES to launch a brand new residential cleaning cooperative in San Francisco. The new business, Home Green Home, opens for business on February 16th and we couldn't be prouder to be a part of it. Home Green Home will use all of the Seventh Generation products you have come to know and love to help keep your home sparkling clean while helping to protect both the health of your home and the health of our planet. It's a business that you can not only feel good about supporting, it's one we hope you will be proud to be a part of.

We expect this to be the first step in a long and growing partnership with WAGES, and we would like to encourage you to join us in making it happen. If you live in San Francisco, consider becoming a Home Green Home client. We think it is the best way to keep your home sparkling clean, free up more of your time to spend with family and friends, and support healthy and dignified jobs. If you don't live in the Bay Area, but know someone that does, help us spread the word. The more clients Home Green Home serves, the bigger the business grows, the more lives it will change.

Comments
Can we extend this project?
Posted by modhipo | Thu, Feb. 12, 2009

I love this story. Just an all around great idea that completes a circle from earning a living to a healthier environment. So as a resident here in Burlington, I ask you, may we extend this idea into our own town? Is there a group we can support to use only green products or start one? I know you are very busy, but you always seem to find time to support the right causes. Thanks!

Yes..can we extend this project?
Posted by buddyboy | Thu, Feb. 12, 2009

Great news! I also am wondering if this will soon spread to other towns? I live in Burlington Iowa. This would be a wonderful way to reach and teach more people in my area. Being in the midwest, people seem set in their ways.

New Cleaning Company
Posted by Betty Salmon | Sat, Feb. 14, 2009

BJ Salmon
Iam starting a new company. And I plan on using Seventh Generation products as an alterative for clients that want to have safe cleaning products used and also I plan on using all natural products.Does your company allow links to your site? I want to educate my clients on the economical as well as the ecological benefits of having their homes cleaned in this fashion. I do have many questions like: How do I sanitize vaccume cleaner brushes after doing a clients home, so another client who may have allergies doesn't have issues. So many questions still but I really feel they are important.

Plans to extend this project to Portland, OR
Posted by marylounoble | Sun, Feb. 22, 2009

The new cleaning company sounds fantastic. I live in Portland, OR and use cleaning services on a regular basis. The products that I provide for them are generally yours, but always environmentally friendly. If your project to assist Latino women is ever established in Portland, I would be most interested in hiring these women. As I'm sure you are aware, Portland is a most environmentally aware city.

Marylou Noble

Extending project/ start in a new location Edmond, Oklahoma
Posted by gramabink | Thu, Jun. 4, 2009

I am very interested in Home Green Home, I would like to have a cleaning product of my own, only using your products. Do you have any educational materials I can use to set up and start my operation, I am a hispanic 58yr old woman. I have been an homemaker for 11 years, prior to that I was an Instructor for the Federal Government. I have looked at your lesson plans and would like to know. How do I introduce myself to schools to teach these programs? I feel very strong about these products, as well as organic food products. I make my own bath and personal cleaning products from natural organic products to avoid toxic chemicals. Bless you for your products. I look forward to hearing from and working with your organization. Victoria Gonzalez DePoalo

Green Cleaning
Posted by house cleaning atlanta | Thu, Oct. 1, 2009

Great article. I love green cleaning and I definitely see a growing trend in customers requesting green cleaning. I use Seventh Generation products in my green cleaning for my business and I love them. A green cleaning tutorial would be great.

mightycleanhome.com

Amazon Cleaning goes green in Atlanta
Posted by AmazonCleaning | Tue, Oct. 27, 2009

Our Atlanta Maid Service just went green about 6 months ago. The only products we use are 7th generation and things are going extremely well. Our employees are even calling in sick less because the chemicals are healthier for them to use.