Green Collar Cleaners

There are a number of factors which lend itself to the success of Green Collar Cleaners. Let’s look at these trends.

Factor 1 | Protecting the Environment Environmentalists have proven that the way we are living, the products and processes that industrialists have created to be more efficient, to feed the masses are not necessarily products or processes that preserve or protect the environment. Increasing profits at the earth’s expense, or at our health’s expense is not good business. One such process is dry cleaning. “Americans spend upwards of $9 billion dollars a year at the dry cleaners. Seventy percent of those cleaners still use perchloroethylene (commonly referred to as PERC), a 1940’s era cleaning solvent considered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be an air and water toxin and a likely human carcinogen. Exposure can lead to increased risk of cancer, eye, nose, throat and skin irritation, and reduced fertility. Contamination from spills and leaks can mean millions in clean up costs. Regulators and dry cleaners have worked hard, and successfully, to reduce emissions and control many of the risks associated with the use of PERC. “1 The ban of PERC creates a deadline for all dry cleaners to convert to another process, by January 1, 2030. The need to use another cleaning process is not a choice, it’s a mandate. America’ cleaning dollar will shift to the new players.

Factor 2 | The use of renewable energy Gasoline powered vehicles are a huge environmental footprint on the earth. Oil, from which gasoline is made, is a non renewable resource. The processing of oil to create the many products which our industrialized economy depends on is also a huge footprint. Our dependence on foreign oil puts the United States under the financial power of other countries. Electric powered or human powered modes of transportation are alternatives to gasoline powered vehicles. The automotive industry and the oil industries are examples of profit driven businesses, not green economy businesses.

Factor 3 | An aging population As the baby boomers grow older and older, the need for product delivery to the doorstep, whether it is laundry or prescriptions, a means of receiving goods without leaving the house is in greater demand.

Factor 4 | A population hungry for convenience The intensity and speed of life in today’s world has made convenience a factor in city living. The need to spend more time traveling to work, to spend more time at work, traveling to other cities for work, make it harder to Illinois House Bill HB6115 1. Prohibits, after January 1, 2011, the installation of dry cleaning machines that use perchloroethylene (PERC). 2. Bans, beginning January 1, 2030, the use of perchloroethylene in dry cleaning - 6 - Company Confidential Contains Proprietary Company Information Subject to Non-Disclosure Agreement. Not for Public Distribution. Copyright, 2015 Green Collar, LLC., March 16, 2015 All rights reserved. Ver. 1.0.2 take care of the necessities with go along professional appearance and even taking care of the family. Paying for services to save time rather than jumping in the car to go “take care of business” is a growing trend.

Factor 5 | Creating new ways to make a living For many people, job cuts and layoffs due to technology, downturns in the economy, lack of open positions and early retirement have changed the meaning of “going to work” . New ways towards economic empowerment are needed to sustain a population who have had their job eliminated or is over or under qualified for existing jobs. Entrepreneurship can provide an alternative to the “9 to 5 workday”, and still support a green economy.