Step back in time to 1970
Americans adored the Beatles last album. Citizens proudly drove around town in their large sedans. Factories and booming industries puffed smoke into the skies. Young adults and students openly opposed the war in Vietnam. But the publication of one book changed the country’s oblivious mindset about the environment.
Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, a New York Times bestseller that sold more than 500,000 copies across 24 countries. Simply yet boldly stated, her book raised concerns for how we respect living organisms. Her powerful words raised the public’s awareness about the environment as well as the connection between public health and various types of pollution.
The first Earth Day
A group of U.S. Senators, Congressman, and local leaders crafted Earth Day as a means to rally Americans to demonstrate a healthy compassion for our environment. On April 22, 1970, universities, schools, families, neighborhoods, and organizations joined together to sustain our Earth.
In response, the United States formed the Environmental Protection Agency and created the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. By the 1990s, 141 countries and over 200 million people passionately took action for Earth Day, making it the largest secular observance celebrated across the globe. Recycling projects, cleaning up oil spills, boycotting pesticides, beautifying freeways, and reducing pollution from power plants are just a few of the ways Earth Day has positively affected our world.
Earth Day, 2017
2020 will mark the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day. The next few years will have intentional calls-to-action to mold the 21st century towards a more sustainable world, and 2017 is dedicated to Environmental and Climate Literacy.
According to the Earth Day Network, “We must build a global citizenry knowledgeable in environmental science and fluent in local and global ecological issues. Education is the key to advocacy and advocacy is the key to change.”
We also have the desire to continually change our world into a better, healthier, more sustainable environment for all.
High Country Linen is Environmentally Responsible
We live, work and play in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. As a key service provider in the southern gateway to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, we embrace the challenge to continually reduce the impacts of our footprint on our environment while providing high-quality dependability through environmentally responsible laundry, uniforms, and linen supply services and systems. Learn more about our Environment-Friendly policy and products.
We talk the talk and walk the walk
We don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk, too! Our goal is to help you confidently clean your home or business with safe products that get the job done well. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), only 7% of cleaning products list all ingredients on their label. (No worries, our products include a detailed list on each product!) As an advocate for public health, EWG wrote up the Hall of Shame as an “initiative to uncover the truth about toxic chemicals in common household products.”
Replace your chemicals with our all-natural products
Safely dispose of your products and replace them with a safer and all-natural alternative. We offer a full line of over 3 dozen all-natural, biodegradable, environmentally friendly, non-hazardous, and non-toxic cleaning products.
- Ditch the bright blue Windex for our glass and window cleaner (non-toxic, biodegradable).
- Swap out your Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner (which is banned in other countries) for our tile and tub cleaner (acid-free, doesn’t create noxious/toxic fumes, biodegradable).
- Walmart’s Great Value hand soap may be inexpensive, but it’s not worth the risk of exposure to unknown ingredients. Opt for our hand soap instead (naturally derived, made from replenishable natural resource).
- Formaldehyde, a known cause of asthma and allergies, is found in Ajax, Dynamo, and Fab Ultra laundry detergents. Instead of wearing clothes covered in carcinogens, wash your fabrics with one of our non-hazardous laundry detergents (biodegradable, non-toxic, non-irritating to the skin).
- Many common mildew cleaners are composed of 6-10% 2-butoxethanol or nonylphenol ethoxylate, hazardous chemicals not allowed in cleaners sold within Canada or Europe. Use a natural alternative such as our mold and mildew remover (naturally derived, chlorine bleach free).
- Old English furniture polish has a warning on its label that reads, “inhaling the contents can be harmful or fatal.” Completely avoids those unnecessary risks and make your home shine with our non-toxic furniture polish and protector.
- Easy-Off, CVS, and Walmart brand oven cleaners contain aggressive chemicals that are known to harm the lungs or burn skin and eyes. Although ovens are tricky to clean, there is no need to be aggressive. Try our oven Cleaner for a safer path to a cleaner oven (non-fuming, non-toxic, does not contain butyl).
Play your role for Earth Day 2017
Join us as we educate our community about environmental science and global ecological issues. Take the step to rid your home and business of harmful, aggressive, hazardous cleaners and replace them with all-natural, environmentally friendly substances. Be an advocate for Earth Day on April 22.
Need help revamping your cleaning supplies? We’ve got you covered! Give us a call so we can support you as you take a positive stand to improve our world.
Resources:
- EWG Cleaners Hall of Shame
- The History of Earth Day, The Earth Day Network
- 2017 Environmental Climate Literacy Campaign, The Earth Day Network