Question
Making the World Clean and Safe
Physical Science Studies: Structure, Interactions, and Properties of Matter
It's your turn to clean the bathroom—yuck. You've got lots of stuff to help you out. There's a cleaning solution that removes the coating of old soap from the shower walls. There's something to make the sink shiny and white. There's also something in a squeeze bottle that makes the toilet bowl sparkling clean. When you're all done, the room is clean. It's free of dirt and bacteria. So what's the problem? Those cleaning solutions can be harmful to people and the environment. Many people want traditional cleaners to be replaced. They want less harmful "green" products to be used instead.
What's wrong with some cleaning products? They contain harsh chemicals. These chemicals aren't healthy. They can harm humans, animals, and the planet. Think of the smoke coming from a factory and getting into the air. The smoke creates air pollution. The pollution harms the environment. It can also make you feel ill if you breathe it in. Similarly, the chemicals in cleaning products pollute the air. They can hurt you if you breathe them in or if they get on your skin.
Not all cleaning products are harmful. Green products do not contain harsh chemicals. They are said to be good alternatives. They are good at cleaning. They are also safe for people and for the planet. Still, not all products that are labeled "green" or "all natural" are actually environmentally friendly. That is why the U.S. government's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a label that it puts on products it considers to be safe. An organization called Green Seal Inc. also tests products to determine which ones are safe. Linda Chipperfield, a vice president for Green Seal, says its approved products use less packaging and do not contain chemicals that cause disease or kill anything that lives in lakes, streams, or oceans. They also do not harm the ozone layer, which protects the earth from the sun's rays. Like the EPA, Green Seal allows companies to put its seal on the products it approves.
Concern about chemicals has led many states to require schools and government buildings to use environmentally friendly cleaning products. As of early 2010, 10 states required or encouraged the use of green products. At least 5 other states were considering laws in support of these products.
Wisconsin is one of those states. A proposed bill there would apply to bathroom and floor cleaners, hand soap, toilet paper, paper towels, vacuum cleaners, and carpet cleaners. Among its supporters is the powerful Wisconsin Education Association Council, which represents public school teachers and staff.
"The goal of the bill is to make schools and other public space less toxic and healthier for kids and the general public," said Democratic Representative Cory Mason. He supports the bill in Wisconsin.
Many green cleaning products are widely available. They cost about the same as traditional products. In some cases, manufacturers are now receiving green approvals for products they have long had on the market. The prices of these products remain low.
"There is no reason to pay a penny more to acquire green products. Plain and simple," said John Matthews. Matthews is senior vice president for JohnsonDiversey, a manufacturer of cleaning products. "And across the board, [good] companies are capable of making green products that perform well."
But some green items can cost more than traditional products. Toilet paper, trash bags, and paper towels made from recycled materials can cost up to 20 percent more, said Stephen Ashkin. Ashkin is executive director of the Green Cleaning Network. This group supports the adoption of green cleaning products.
Opponents of Wisconsin's proposed law are concerned about the potentially higher costs for some green products. These critics say that states should not determine which products schools and agencies must buy, especially if they increase costs. Many schools and agencies don't have enough money, critics point out.
Some states have made compromises to help address concerns about costs. In Wisconsin, there was an amendment to the bill. It would give schools and agencies three years instead of one to begin using green products. It would also allow them to opt out if they could show that their costs would increase.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Question 1
1 / 8
There is a box on the left that is labeled Cause. This box has a question mark in it. There are arrows pointing to two boxes on the right. The boxes are labeled Effects. The top box says Many states are working to require safer cleaning products in public buildings. The bottom box says The Environmental Protection Agency puts labels on products that are safe.
Based on the article, which best replaces the question mark in the diagram above?
Some government labels list the ingredients in environmentally friendly products.
Many states are writing new laws about protecting rivers and lakes.
Some cleaning solutions have chemicals that are bad for the environment.
Not everyone believes that the government should decide what schools use to clean.
Physical Science Studies: Structure, Interactions, and Properties of Matter
It's your turn to clean the bathroom—yuck. You've got lots of stuff to help you out. There's a cleaning solution that removes the coating of old soap from the shower walls. There's something to make the sink shiny and white. There's also something in a squeeze bottle that makes the toilet bowl sparkling clean. When you're all done, the room is clean. It's free of dirt and bacteria. So what's the problem? Those cleaning solutions can be harmful to people and the environment. Many people want traditional cleaners to be replaced. They want less harmful "green" products to be used instead.
What's wrong with some cleaning products? They contain harsh chemicals. These chemicals aren't healthy. They can harm humans, animals, and the planet. Think of the smoke coming from a factory and getting into the air. The smoke creates air pollution. The pollution harms the environment. It can also make you feel ill if you breathe it in. Similarly, the chemicals in cleaning products pollute the air. They can hurt you if you breathe them in or if they get on your skin.
Not all cleaning products are harmful. Green products do not contain harsh chemicals. They are said to be good alternatives. They are good at cleaning. They are also safe for people and for the planet. Still, not all products that are labeled "green" or "all natural" are actually environmentally friendly. That is why the U.S. government's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a label that it puts on products it considers to be safe. An organization called Green Seal Inc. also tests products to determine which ones are safe. Linda Chipperfield, a vice president for Green Seal, says its approved products use less packaging and do not contain chemicals that cause disease or kill anything that lives in lakes, streams, or oceans. They also do not harm the ozone layer, which protects the earth from the sun's rays. Like the EPA, Green Seal allows companies to put its seal on the products it approves.
Concern about chemicals has led many states to require schools and government buildings to use environmentally friendly cleaning products. As of early 2010, 10 states required or encouraged the use of green products. At least 5 other states were considering laws in support of these products.
Wisconsin is one of those states. A proposed bill there would apply to bathroom and floor cleaners, hand soap, toilet paper, paper towels, vacuum cleaners, and carpet cleaners. Among its supporters is the powerful Wisconsin Education Association Council, which represents public school teachers and staff.
"The goal of the bill is to make schools and other public space less toxic and healthier for kids and the general public," said Democratic Representative Cory Mason. He supports the bill in Wisconsin.
Many green cleaning products are widely available. They cost about the same as traditional products. In some cases, manufacturers are now receiving green approvals for products they have long had on the market. The prices of these products remain low.
"There is no reason to pay a penny more to acquire green products. Plain and simple," said John Matthews. Matthews is senior vice president for JohnsonDiversey, a manufacturer of cleaning products. "And across the board, [good] companies are capable of making green products that perform well."
But some green items can cost more than traditional products. Toilet paper, trash bags, and paper towels made from recycled materials can cost up to 20 percent more, said Stephen Ashkin. Ashkin is executive director of the Green Cleaning Network. This group supports the adoption of green cleaning products.
Opponents of Wisconsin's proposed law are concerned about the potentially higher costs for some green products. These critics say that states should not determine which products schools and agencies must buy, especially if they increase costs. Many schools and agencies don't have enough money, critics point out.
Some states have made compromises to help address concerns about costs. In Wisconsin, there was an amendment to the bill. It would give schools and agencies three years instead of one to begin using green products. It would also allow them to opt out if they could show that their costs would increase.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Question 1
1 / 8
There is a box on the left that is labeled Cause. This box has a question mark in it. There are arrows pointing to two boxes on the right. The boxes are labeled Effects. The top box says Many states are working to require safer cleaning products in public buildings. The bottom box says The Environmental Protection Agency puts labels on products that are safe.
Based on the article, which best replaces the question mark in the diagram above?
Some government labels list the ingredients in environmentally friendly products.
Many states are writing new laws about protecting rivers and lakes.
Some cleaning solutions have chemicals that are bad for the environment.
Not everyone believes that the government should decide what schools use to clean.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The best option to replace the question mark in the diagram is:
**Some cleaning solutions have chemicals that are bad for the environment.**
This choice directly relates to the cause of many states working to require safer cleaning products in public buildings and the EPA putting labels on products that are safe, as it highlights the problem that is prompting the response, which is the harmful chemicals in traditional cleaning solutions.
**Some cleaning solutions have chemicals that are bad for the environment.**
This choice directly relates to the cause of many states working to require safer cleaning products in public buildings and the EPA putting labels on products that are safe, as it highlights the problem that is prompting the response, which is the harmful chemicals in traditional cleaning solutions.