MT. PLEASANT, Iowa — The Green Cleaners Council (GCC) has named Iris City Cleaners & Laundering Co. in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, the state’s first fully Certified Green Cleaner, awarding it four leaves.
“This certification is not only an important step for Iris City Cleaners, but for our entire industry,” says Ed Longanecker, Iris City’s owner. “We’re proud to be the first cleaner in Iowa to win this prestigious award. Many other cleaners claim to be ‘green,’ but our approach is comprehensive and involves all of our practices. Our ‘Zero-Carbon Offset’ wedding-gown cleaning and preservation is just another example of how serious we are about protecting our planet and our environment.”
To award one to four leaves, GCC performs an in-depth analysis of cleaner’s operating practices. Applicants are rated on their commitment to environmental sustainability, responsible solvent use, recycling efforts, and energy and water conservation.
“We’ve been concerned about the lack of government oversight in environmental claims regarding drycleaning, and the resulting ‘greenwashing’ by many cleaners,” says Ann Hargrove, director of special projects at the National Cleaners Association (NCA) and GCC board member. “We knew it was time to focus on all areas of environmental sustainability and to give consumers a way to judge how genuine and wide-reaching their cleaner’s commitment [is] to creating a greener world. We weren’t in the least bit surprised to find that Iris City Cleaners was among the most proactive and responsible cleaners in this regard.”
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