What’s your position at Ecolink? Marketing Coordinator
How long have you worked here? I started last May, so just shy of 1 year!
How long have you been doing what you’re doing (before Ecolink!)? Before Ecolink I was at Georgia College & State University (yes, it’s a mouthful—I bet you can’t say it 5 times fast!) where I was studying marketing and management and graduated in May with my BBA!
How did you get involved in this industry? I found Ecolink at the AMA Atlanta Collegiate Conference and was chosen to be one of the social media marketing interns! And I guess you could say the rest is history.
You just accepted an award on behalf of Ecolink. Tell us about it! We just won an AMY Award in the SEO (search engine optimization) category in March! It was an amazing experience and even more rewarding to have been a part of what got us the award in the first place!
Has Georgia always been home for you? Basically! I’ve lived here for over a decade although I’ve been to Florida enough visiting family that I might as well call it a second residence.
When you aren’t at work, what are you doing? What every normal, rational girl does—shop. Kidding (not really). I’m usually at the park with my dog, trying a new restaurant with my friends, or going to see a movie that has just been released (I’m a HUGE movie person).
What would be the first thing you’d do (or buy) if you won the lottery? Pay off my student loans! (Kidding…but not really)
Are you a cat person or a dog person? Dog person, most definitely. Cat people are a completely different breed of humans.
Do you have any pets? Tell us about them! I have a Cocker Spaniel-Poodle mix (or Cockapoo) who is pretty much the cutest thing on Earth. No joke. He’s basically my first child.
What’s your favorite time of year? Fall! October is my favorite month for a few reasons—there’s always a lot of fun stuff going on (festivals, College football, etc) and the weather is perfect!
Favorite iPhone/Driod app? I’m not sure I can limit it to just one app…but I guess I’d have to say Pinterest (my virtual closet at my finger tips, duh!) or Instagram (it makes anyone, including me, look like an awesome photographer).
What super hero power would you want to have and why? Teleportation, hands down. Sit in Atlanta traffic ONCE and you’ll wish it was your super power too.
What TV shows do you watch religiously? Glee (I’m a newly pronounced “Gleek”), New Girl, Vampire Diaries, and How I Met Your Mother just to name a few!
What was your first car? What happened to it? A 2002 Honda Accord coupe…and I totaled it when I was a freshman in college. Oops.
If you could travel in a time machine, would you go to the past or the future? The future!
Best piece of advice you were ever given? Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
Favorite holiday? Christmas (so cliché, I know) but there’s something about making a fire, decorating the tree and the house, and smelling the delicious pies/cookies that are baking (or in my case, just lighting a candle that smells like said pies/cookies) that make you feel so cozy!
College football or pro? College, for sure. Even though I didn’t go to UGA, if you aren’t rooting for them on game day, we’re going to have a problem–I bleed black and red. GO DAWGS!
Favorite food? I love spicy food—so anything from Mexican to Thai is right up my alley.
What really gives you the creeps? Little kids in horror movies, especially when they do that head tilt to the side and have their hair all in their faces. Ah, I have goose bumps already.
Playlist of your current top 5 favorite songs?
- Anything from the movie Pitch Perfect
- Muse—”Madness”
- Fall Out Boy—”Light Em Up”
- JT—”Mirrors”
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis—”Can’t Hold Us”
Most importantly: what’s your favorite part of your job? I’m a problem solver, so I love helping customers find a solution for their problems. Also I love all aspects of marketing so I’m incredibly thankful to be able to dabble in all of them with my job!
Are There Safety & Disposal Concerns with Commercial Degreasers & Industrial Solvents?
/in Industrial Degreasers/by Industrial DegreasersThe products used to remove oil, dirt, grease, or alternative types of contaminants from a surface during refinishing, cleaning or manufacturing processes create several concerns. Commercial degreasers can consist of a number of organic or non-organic volatile components and the choices a company makes in this area are important. A volatile organic compound or VOC is capable of experiencing a significant amount of pressure under normal temperature conditions and is easily released into the surrounding atmosphere. This extensive amount of pressure is a result of the low boiling point properties of a chosen solvent or degreaser. Cleaners with this property easily move from solid to gas form without requiring a change in their surrounding environment. Industrial solvents are able to be inhaled by individuals or released as harmful pollutants into the atmosphere and this makes them extremely dangerous. Recent product innovations greatly reduce the amount of risk and are becoming a better choice for companies who must regularly remove contaminants from surfaces.
What Are the Risks?
Cleaners with high VOC counts generate numerous health concerns when handled or disposed of inappropriately. They have been linked to respiratory and immune system complications as well as found to be a contributor to smog. Prolonged exposure to these compounds can lead to:
Improper handling or disposal also causes VOCs to enter the air and affect the environment. The penetration of water sources, soil, or air by hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) can result in consumption by humans, animals, or plant life. These are the reasons for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommending that companies purchase and use products with minimal to low VOC counts.
What Characteristics Should Be Pursued In a Cleaner?
It is important to evaluate the purpose behind a commercial degreaser or industrial solvent and the usage period before making a selection. Companies who consistently use these products must be careful during the selection process as an increased amount of VOCs will naturally be emitted based on the chosen degreaser or solvent. Specific characteristics are essential before buying a product for long term use to ensure a safer working atmosphere and reduce environmental impact. The chosen solution should be an organic alternative designed to remove the desired type of contaminant. Despite popular belief, organic solutions are just as capable of supplying the same results as more toxic choices.
The selected product must have the lowest VOC count possible to limit the amount of vapors released into the atmosphere. Companies unable to use an organic alternative will be served best to seek a solution that is as safe as possible for the atmosphere. A higher flash point poses fewer dangers during storage and use when a flammable solution is necessary. Companies requiring a degreaser or solvent must take time to evaluate these properties to prevent future harm to their workers or the environment.
Industrial cleaners are necessary in a number of industries and play a pivotal safety role. For more information about environmentally friendly, low VOC products, please call (800) 886-8240 or email info@ecolink.com.
AQMD: Using Low VOC Products to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution
/in AQMD/by Industrial DegreasersThe Air Quality Management District (AQMD) defines volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as the emission of harmful and destructive gases emanating from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, most of which could have short-term, or even more serious long-term adverse health effects. VOC’s are a direct effect to the spike in air pollution, and they are even more harmful indoors. Concentrations of most VOCs are consistently higher indoors—sometimes up to ten times higher than the concentrated count outdoors.
The AQMD warns that several organic chemicals that cause harmful pollutants are widely used in the ingredients of household products. Paints, varnishes, and wax all contain organic solvents, as do numerous cleaning, disinfecting, and degreasing products. Most fuels consist of organic chemicals. All of the previously mentioned cleaning solvents and products release harmful organic compounds while you are using them, meaning you are likely oblivious to the fact that you are potentially hurting yourself by breathing in the chemicals and getting them on your skin.
The Environmental Protections Agency’s Office of Research and Development’s “Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) Study” have discovered air pollutant levels of more than a dozen common organic pollutants to be two to five times greater inside a home than outside, regardless of the location of the area, or if it was in a rural, suburban, or urban locale. TEAM studies indicate that while people are using solvents and cleaning products containing organic chemicals, they are exposing themselves and anyone around them to inordinately high pollutant levels. In addition, elevated concentrations of these harmful chemicals will sustain in the air at least a day—often longer—after cleaning has been completed.
This is why the AQMD stresses individuals and companies that use degreasers, solvents, or any type of cleaning product to make sure low VOC products are being used, whether it is outdoors or indoors. Low VOC products are ecofriendly, and significantly reduce the harmful emission of chemicals in gas or liquid form that hurt and endanger every person, as well as our beloved planet. The AQMD insists that, if you do frequently use harmful solvents and cleaning products indoors, that you immediately consider a switch to low VOC products to significantly reduce the threat of danger to yourself and to the environment.
Ecolink offers a variety of air friendly cleaning products. Browse our products here.
Get to Know…Jackie Hooper!
/in Our Team/by Industrial DegreasersWhat’s your position at Ecolink? Marketing Coordinator
How long have you worked here? I started last May, so just shy of 1 year!
How long have you been doing what you’re doing (before Ecolink!)? Before Ecolink I was at Georgia College & State University (yes, it’s a mouthful—I bet you can’t say it 5 times fast!) where I was studying marketing and management and graduated in May with my BBA!
How did you get involved in this industry? I found Ecolink at the AMA Atlanta Collegiate Conference and was chosen to be one of the social media marketing interns! And I guess you could say the rest is history.
You just accepted an award on behalf of Ecolink. Tell us about it! We just won an AMY Award in the SEO (search engine optimization) category in March! It was an amazing experience and even more rewarding to have been a part of what got us the award in the first place!
Has Georgia always been home for you? Basically! I’ve lived here for over a decade although I’ve been to Florida enough visiting family that I might as well call it a second residence.
When you aren’t at work, what are you doing? What every normal, rational girl does—shop. Kidding (not really). I’m usually at the park with my dog, trying a new restaurant with my friends, or going to see a movie that has just been released (I’m a HUGE movie person).
What would be the first thing you’d do (or buy) if you won the lottery? Pay off my student loans! (Kidding…but not really)
Are you a cat person or a dog person? Dog person, most definitely. Cat people are a completely different breed of humans.
Do you have any pets? Tell us about them! I have a Cocker Spaniel-Poodle mix (or Cockapoo) who is pretty much the cutest thing on Earth. No joke. He’s basically my first child.
What’s your favorite time of year? Fall! October is my favorite month for a few reasons—there’s always a lot of fun stuff going on (festivals, College football, etc) and the weather is perfect!
Favorite iPhone/Driod app? I’m not sure I can limit it to just one app…but I guess I’d have to say Pinterest (my virtual closet at my finger tips, duh!) or Instagram (it makes anyone, including me, look like an awesome photographer).
What super hero power would you want to have and why? Teleportation, hands down. Sit in Atlanta traffic ONCE and you’ll wish it was your super power too.
What TV shows do you watch religiously? Glee (I’m a newly pronounced “Gleek”), New Girl, Vampire Diaries, and How I Met Your Mother just to name a few!
What was your first car? What happened to it? A 2002 Honda Accord coupe…and I totaled it when I was a freshman in college. Oops.
If you could travel in a time machine, would you go to the past or the future? The future!
Best piece of advice you were ever given? Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
Favorite holiday? Christmas (so cliché, I know) but there’s something about making a fire, decorating the tree and the house, and smelling the delicious pies/cookies that are baking (or in my case, just lighting a candle that smells like said pies/cookies) that make you feel so cozy!
College football or pro? College, for sure. Even though I didn’t go to UGA, if you aren’t rooting for them on game day, we’re going to have a problem–I bleed black and red. GO DAWGS!
Favorite food? I love spicy food—so anything from Mexican to Thai is right up my alley.
What really gives you the creeps? Little kids in horror movies, especially when they do that head tilt to the side and have their hair all in their faces. Ah, I have goose bumps already.
Playlist of your current top 5 favorite songs?
Most importantly: what’s your favorite part of your job? I’m a problem solver, so I love helping customers find a solution for their problems. Also I love all aspects of marketing so I’m incredibly thankful to be able to dabble in all of them with my job!
Ecolink Presented the Atlanta Marketer of the Year “Amy” Award for 2012 SEO Marketing
/in Ecolink News/by Industrial DegreasersBecause there are so many unbelievable and accomplished marketing firms throughout the greater Atlanta area, Ecolink is appreciative of such a prestigious bestowment, and we are committed to continuing our endeavors that brought us such esteemed recognition. Each member of the Ecolink team played an integral role in making our firm one of the best companies in Atlanta that use SEO Marketing as a tool to produce significant results. We invest in our marketing, and we believe in our concepts and production, coupled with a dedicated and professional team that puts all of these terrific elements in motion.
Ecolink would like to thank AMA Atlanta for this incredible recognition, as there were many other companies nominated who are quite successful with their craft. We would also like to thank the judging panel. Most importantly, Ecolink thanks its wonderful and talented team—the whole is only as strong as the sum of its parts. Luckily, Ecolink has an awesome foundation that allows us to continue to build on our current success.
Industrial Degreasers – Getting Eco-Friendly Cleaning Solutions
/in Industrial Degreasers/by Industrial DegreasersSeveral common cleaning products that can be found in homes and are purchased by unsuspecting people contain hazardous chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that emit smog-forming chemicals and can be harmful to anyone who comes in contact with the noxious gas. All-purpose cleaners and industrial degreasers, as well as specialty products can pollute indoor air quality and might cause respiratory illness, along with eye and skin irritation to those who are around it frequently, particularly janitorial and other cleaning staffs. Substituting traditional, yet harmful cleaning products for ecofriendly cleaning solutions and safer industrial degreasers improves air quality and protects the health and safety of individuals exposed to the chemicals they emit, as well as the environment.
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions from cleaning products occur when propellant and organic solvents evaporate. Released chemicals remain in the air for an entire day, and often times longer. For example, in the greater Chicago area, twenty tons of VOCs are released into the air from the use of cleaning products each day. It is estimated that for every one hundred janitors who switch to more environmentally friendly (green) cleaning products, VOC emissions will drop by one ton per year. Studies have also shown that the use of “green” cleaning products reduces the incidents of health problems among janitorial staffs. It has also been proven that green alternative cleaning solutions are less expensive.
Who should get ecofriendly cleaning solutions and safer industrial degreasers? Any person who uses cleaning products at home or work (industrial degreasers) should replace hazardous, VOC emitting degreasers and cleaning products with green alternatives and safer products, such as ecofriendly cleaning solutions. In addition, those who truly care about making a difference with safer degreasers and solvents should join Clean Air Counts—a Chicago region clean air initiative.
The benefits of using low VOC cleaning products include significantly lower emissions of smog-forming chemicals into the air from VOCs, much improved health safety for individuals using these industrial degreasers and solvent products. To those who might still be on the fence regarding these green alternatives or are concerned that these ecofriendly cleaning solutions are more expensive, explain that Low VOC cleaning products have been proven to cost less. Though saving money is quite important, the main reason for switching to ecofriendly cleaning solutions should be to protect people and the environment.
Call 800 886-8240 or email info@ecolink.com to discuss your current use of industrial degreasers or cleaning solvents. With over 200 products to choose from, including several new formulations not yet listed on the website, we feel certain we can expand upon the savings and safety improvements enjoyed for nearly 20 years. Chemist owned and operated, we offer guaranteed FREE samples, including FREE freight, to evaluate for a RISK-FREE evaluation.