KEY POINTS:
Whitianga resident Geoff Clarke has a dream - a dream to see the whole of New Zealand using eco-friendly cleaning products.
The 51-year-old is co-director of Kiwi Green, a company which initiates projects such as tree-planting.
It's latest is a certification programme endorsing businesses that use environmentally friendly cleaning products.
"We are certifying businesses, also bed-and-breakfasts and people in the hospitality industry as being Kiwi Green certified.
"We've kept it pretty simple. All that we've said is that we need them to use eco-friendly cleaning products in the cleaning of their establishments."
The project, launched in November, already has several companies signed up.
"In order to get it up and running the first 12 months will be free," said Mr Clarke, "then they will have to pay a small amount within the region of $50."
He said Kiwi Green had sourced a New Zealand company called Earthwise for the eco-friendly cleaning products. "They've been in business for 35 years.
"What we say to people who want to be certified is they can get Earthwise products through us on our website or ... they can get their own eco-friendly products.
"But when they do that, we will have to do audits on them to make sure they are using proper eco-friendly products," said Mr Clarke, who comes from South Africa, but has lived in New Zealand for six years.
He believes the certification programme will be a good way to help improve the environment because environmentally unfriendly cleaning products are a huge cause of pollution.
"We thought what is the best way of improving the environment and what do people do that causes a lot of pollution to the environment?
"And one of the things is in their cleaning.
"Cleaning is an area where a lot of chemicals are washing down into our waterways."
Getting certified would help establishments attract tourists.
Mr Clarke said demand from tourists to use eco-friendly cleaning products was increasing.
The hope was that all New Zealand businesses and homes would one day use eco-friendly cleaning products, and for all businesses to be Kiwi Green certified. "It really is a good thing at the right time."
