11.09.2007 - 10:03am ET

(CSRwire) CHICAGO, IL - November 9, 2007 - The Green Cleaning Network and the Leonardo Academy announced the launch of the Cleaning Industry Climate Initiative (www.CleaningIndustryClimateInitiative.org).

"Climate change is going to be one of the most important issues of our time. While the cleaning industry certainly isn't the major cause of the problem, because we are such a huge industry comprised of over 70,000 companies, hundreds of thousands of vehicles and employing approximately four million people we have to do our part and we can make an important contribution to the solution" stated Stephen Ashkin, Executive Director of the Green Cleaning Network a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization which promotes Green Cleaning.

"The Cleaning Industry Climate Initiative will create awareness and help companies, especially janitorial product distributors and facility service providers to voluntarily begin measuring, reducing and offsetting their emissions. This is one of the obvious next steps for companies that promote Green Cleaning and who have begun their journey towards sustainability."

"The Cleaning Industry Climate Initiative has been specifically designed for the cleaning industry and to makes it easy for cleaning companies to take immediate positive action to offset emissions caused by their energy use and transportation," stated Michael Arny, president of the Leonardo Academy a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization focused on sustainability and energy issues and is partnering with the Green Cleaning Network to provide the technical expertise for the Climate Initiative. "The program will have several levels which will allow participants to work up the scale so they can be recognized for their emission reduction and offset achievements. This program provides a direct path for continual improvement as participants reduce and offset emissions that are bad for the climate and bad for health."

"The benefits for participating companies are multifold; they can now take a leadership position and be ready when their clients and potential customers start to ask for documentation of sustainability achievements," stated Arny. "And perhaps what may be equally appealing is that as companies begin measuring and reducing their emissions, they likely will be rewarded with real cost savings that drop right to their bottom line."

"I am very proud of the cleaning industry" Ashkin went on "and this is a way for individual companies to step up, and additionally will give us the opportunity to demonstrate our environmental leadership to other industry segments as well." Companies can join the Cleaning Industry Climate Challenge by visiting www.CleaningIndustryClimateInitiative.org.

About The Green Cleaning Network:

The Green Cleaning Network is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to sharing information and promoting Green Cleaning. Its Founding Members include the likes of the US Green Building Council, Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, Healthy Schools Campaign, Responsible Purchasing Network, International Executive Housekeepers Association and BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association). The Network hosts a series of "discussion forums" which provides information on Green Cleaning to make it easier for the marketplace to adopt greener practices. GreenCleaningNetwork.org.

About Leonardo Academy

Leonardo Academy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1997 that is dedicated to advancing sustainability and putting the competitive market to work on improving the environment. We develop and distribute strategies, guidance, metrics, standards, education, and information on how to increase sustainability. We also help companies, organizations, families, and individuals successfully promote, encourage, and implement sustainability. Our integrated approach makes sustainability very practical for our clients. We provide: Sustainability Assessments and Strategy Development for companies and organizations, Support for LEED(R) Implementation and Certification, Emissions Footprint Analysis and Development of Emission Reduction and Offset Strategies, Sustainable Land Management, Sustainability Education and Training, and Certification of Emission Reduction and Offset Achievements through our Cleaner and Greener(R) Program for events, companies and organizations..