Environmental

When Elite first switched to environmentally sustainable cleaning, we articulated a new vision:

"Elite Earth-friendly Cleaners will lead change to transform a toxic industry"

Within our sphere of influence, we want to change the world!

We were awarded the 2005 Ethics in Action Award for Environmental Excellence (Small Business)
Read about it here / Learn more visit www.ethicsinaction.com

We were also awarded the CRD 2005 Ecostar Award for Sustainability.
Read about it here / Learn more visit www.crd.bc.ca

Here's what some environmental leaders have to say about us:

Environmental Leadership
“Rick and Laurel Nathorst have gone to incredible lengths to research, develop, and implement a safe, healthy alternative system of dry cleaning, based on citrus and banana juice. It is as a direct result of their work that Holland America and the Carnival cruise line chain are now shifting to the same technology. This a small company with a big dream of a clean, healthy Earth . . .”

- Guy Dauncy, President of the BC Sustainable Energy Association, www.bcsea.org, Author of Stormy Weather: 101 Solutions to Global Climate Change (New Society Publishers, 2001), author, speaker, environmental consultant. Visit his website to learn more about environmental issues: www.earthfuture.com

Community Involvement to benefit local environmental organizations:
"Elite Earth-friendly Drycleaners have proved to be a great supporter of both TLC and the community at large . . . they exemplify what a small organization should be doing to be a larger part of the community . . . Their interest, enthusiasm and intelligence to be a community leader are most impressive."
- Kathleen Gibbard, Director of Development, The Land Conservancy

Elite Earth-friendly Cleaners is Influencing Change
"Last year, while I was sailing on one of our Holland America Line ships we arrived in Victoria. We visited the Elite store on Cook Street, unannounced, and explained to the clerk our interest in finding out more about the process . . . As a result of our visit to Elite and the openness of the Elite family, we are now in the process of converting our ships to the [Elite] system. To date we have converted three ships."
- Hart Sugarman, Corporate Executive Housekeeper, Holland America Line.

Is PERC really all that bad?
Here’s are some links to learn more about how PERC affects the environment:

Coalition for Clean Air: Hung Out to Dry - How the Use of Perchloroethylene in Drycleaning Endangers You and Your Family's Health
Read Article Here

Greenpeace: Out of Fashion: Moving Beyond Toxic Cleaners in the Fabric Care Industry.
Read Article Here

Environmental Media Services: Consumer Tips: Dry Cleaning and Wet Cleaning
Read Article Here

ACHIEVING ECO-NOMIC SECURITY ON SPACESHIP EARTH by Jim Bell, Ecological Designer - see chapter 3, Eco-nomics: Exposing the Myth of Economy vs Ecology
Read Article Here

To learn more about Environmental Issues, a great local resource is available at Guy Dauncy's website.
View Web Site

To learn more about how perc exposure affects your health, click here.

What environmental leaders are saying

"a small company with a big dream of a clean, healthy Earth" (read more)

"A great supporter of both TLC and the community at large. They exemplify what a small organization should be doing to be a larger part of the community." (read more)

"As a result of our visit to Elite and the openness of the Elite family, we are now in the process of converting our ships to the [Elite] system. To date we have converted three ships." (read more)

Helpful Links

Our role in the community.
Elite Earth-friendly Cleaners supports a number of Vancouver Island-based organizations, focusing on Environmental, Social Justice and Healthy Communities.

Downloads & Articles

Elite Cleaners Brochure