Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th April 2024 Issue no. 1111
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It’s easy to forget from where I’m sitting, that the British Institute of Cleaning Science isn’t just ‘British’ but has members all over the world, and thus the news of Professor David Bellamy OBE’s passing yesterday will be of greater interest to our industry than I had first thought, (David was President of BICSc for more than a decade until he relinquished the role in 2012). I had the pleasure of chatting to him on several occasions and managed to secure an interview with him to support the launch of a new magazine into the industry, through which I was hoping to promote the need to clean in a sustainable way. His passion was infectious and his ideas inspirational.
One of the things David showed passion for back then was the use of an abrasive ball in the washing machine to improve washing results by increasing agitation and thus reducing the need for washing powder. I’d never come across the concept but thanks to his enthusiasm I gave it a go and as a result have been able to help the environment in a way I’d never have thought to do myself. Nowadays these devices are fairly common. Do you use one at home? If not, do try!
David worked with BICSc and JohnsonDiversey to educate young people about the need to protect the environment, launching the David Bellamy Awards Programme - a competition designed to encourage schools to be aware of, and act positively towards, environmental cleanliness. It was conceived during one of the many BICSc Annual Awards Dinners David attended, where his enthusiastic presentations prompted lively debate and changing attitudes. I know that lending his name and energy to the Awards did a great deal to promote environmental awareness and cleanliness in our nation's schools and helped instil some important – and hopefully lifelong - lessons to everyone involved.
Many felt that David’s controversial attitudes to climate change led to his ‘shunning’ by the BBC and a number of charities and environmental bodies that had enjoyed his input and support over many years. I’d love to ask him what he thought of young Greta Thunberg and the way climate change has climbed to the top of the global agenda this year…
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Yours,
12th December 2019