By Caitlin Rose
Special Correspondent to TNAZ
Heavily trafficked surfaces get just as clean with non-toxic tech and applications.
When David Saggio developed allergies to the chemicals he was using in his pest control job, he knew he needed to shift gears -- and products.
In 2006 he founded Organic Environmental Services, joining a growing movement of cleaning services going green. He uses corn-based products for tile, carpet, air duct, and pest control services.
"I see it as a life or death issue," he said.
Beyond his Scottsdale business venture, Saggio also wanted to create something to help his daughter Isabella. Now 10, she was born lacking the enzymes that break down processed food. She was put on an all-organic diet.
"We really pride ourselves in taking care of a home or business naturally," Saggio said.
His service uses Green Seal certified products.
"To me there is nothing more important than providing natural services in and around the home or business, since that is where we spend the most of our time," Saggio said.
Angela Thornton's Earth Maids – serving the Valley and Tucson – also works to be environmentally friendly
Earth Maids, started in 2006, uses all-natural, plant-based products that are biodegradable to help preserve the planet and protect the health of people inside their homes, Thornton said.
The business uses hybrid vehicles to drive to job locations, and offers a discount to clients demonstrating environmentally friendly behavior. Thornton said customers can qualify if they drive a hybrid, have neighbors who use the service on the same day to cut down on gas mileage, own Energy Star appliances and/or practice recycling, among other things.
Thornton said she is the final stages of developing her own line of natural cleaning products called Planet Hugger Products, which will include hand soap, laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner and toilet bowl cleanser.
"I always had a passion for being in control of your environment," Thornton said.
Harvey Bryan, professor of architecture and landscape architecture and affiliated faculty at the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University, said the sustainability movement is spreading to various industries, including cleaning services.
"I think we realize that we put a lot of chemicals into our environment," he said. "And those chemicals are not good for us."
Bryan pointed out that such companies as Johnson & Johnson have lines of products approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. These products, he said, have gone through certification processes set up by third-party testing laboratories to confirm that the products are green and not harmful to people.
There are still unknowns about these products, so such testing companies as Green Seal and Green Guard are ironing out testing protocols through scientific evaluation, he said. Labs test toxicity levels and try to come up with standards to determine the impacts of products.
"We do not know a lot about the chemicals in the products and the impacts of some of the chemicals. We are shooting in the dark still," Bryan said.
While Bryan said green products probably can be beneficial to health, it is still early in the testing process to make any cause and effect claims. In the meantime, the marketplace is working to take out products with toxic chemicals, he said.
"There are probably a lot more out there we don't know about and we are just beginning to discover," Bryan said.
In his own home, Bryan said he practices an avoidance policy when it comes to buying cleaning products with chemicals and ingredients people may not know much about.
"If you cannot pronounce it, don't get it," he said.
Kathryn Ward, owner of MaidPro of Central Phoenix, said her service uses high-efficiency washers and dryers, practices carpooling and uses microfiber cloths as opposed to paper towels.
"Our fundamental philosophy is to maximize our resources and tools we've been given," she said.
Ward's service uses all Green Seal certified products with the exception of Comet, a disinfectant used to clean bathrooms.
"To my knowledge there is no green product that is a disinfectant," Ward said.
Saggio, of Scottsdale, said his goal is to show consumers that using organic products can be a way of life. His online store, due to activate by the end of the year, will offer the same products he uses in his business, although in smaller quantities.
"Going organic is not a fad or something that just sounds cool – for us it is a necessity of life," Saggio said.
Caitlin Rose is a student at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.