Category: Sustainable/Green Schools

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Illinois EPA Offering Safe Chemicals in Education Workshops

The Illinois EPA Office of Pollution Prevention is once again holding Safe Chemicals in Education workshops this fall. The workshops are geared for science teachers who are interested in learning ways to teach using less hazardous and non-toxic materials, and safely storing and disposing hazardous materials.

The dates and locations are:

Schools that send a teacher to a workshop are eligible for a free pickup of hazardous educational wastes through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. See http://www.epa.state.il.us/p2/calendar.html for details and registration information. Contact Becky Lockart at IEPA, 217-524-9642 for more information.

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NWF Documents on EPP, Mercury Thermostat Recycling, & Mercury Switches in Vehicles

Thanks to Michael Murray, Ph.D., National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Staff Scientist for the Great Lakes Natural Resource Center, for providing three new NWF documents for access on the GLRPPR web site:

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing in the Great Lakes Region: A Survey of State, Municipal and Institutional Programs assesses EPP programs in the eight Great Lakes states, eight municipalities and three universities, with an emphasis on policies addressing PBT chemicals. Researched and written by Cameron S. Lory and Amy E. Scott-Runnels of INFORM, Inc., and Michael W. Murray, Ph.D. of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

Recycling Mercury Thermostats in Ohio outlines the problem of mercury in the environment, and provides information on mercury in thermostats and alternatives and recycling mercury containing thermostats in Ohio. It also includes a comparison of collection of mercury containing thermostats via the Thermostat Recycling Corporation voluntary program for both the U.S. as a whole and Ohio.

Putting the Brakes on Quicksilver: Removing Mercury From Vehicles in Ohio addresses the removal of mercury switches from automobiles in Ohio. This report was written by Michael W. Murray, Ph.D. with research assistance by Knoll Larkin and Liz Szaluta of the University of Michigan.

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Green Cleaning Schools Act Introduced to IL Legislature

The Healthy Schools Campaign has introduced House Bill 895 (Green Cleaning Schools Act) to the Illinois legislature. This bill would require the creation and regular ammendment of guidelines and specifications for environmentally friendly cleaning and maintenance products for school facilities, and would also require the establishment of green cleaning policies at both public and private schools in Illinois following implementation of the guidelines. See the Healthy Schools Campaign Blog entry related to this action, and continue to monitor their blog for updates.

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Healthy Schools Campaign Launches Blog, Website

The Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) recently launched a new blog to help disseminate information on its activities, as well as regional and national stories related to its initiatives. The blog will feature posts from HSC staff members and invited guest bloggers.

HSC has also launched a new website, GreenCleanSchools.org, which features online access to portions of the free HSC publication, The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools. The site also features related news, events and educational opportunities; success stories; regulatory and market updates; featured green cleaning products and equipment; and a question-and-answer style column called Ask Steve, written by Steve Ashkin, president of the Ashkin Group, nationally renowned green cleaning expert and author of The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools.

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New Green Cleaning Guide for Schools Released

The Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) has released The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools. The Guide highlights five simple steps for establishing a green cleaning program in your school. It comes with an easy-to-use CD-Rom filled with practical advice, information, resources and tools. It also provides information about dozens of products consistent with HSC Green Clean recommendations. Visit the HSC web site to reserve a copy of the guide (up to 15 copies per order). Corporations and professional associations interested in partnership opportunities to promote green cleaning in schools should click here.

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October is Also Children’s Health Month

In addition to Energy Awareness Month, Children’s Health Month is observed each October. This year’s theme is “Promoting Healthy School Environments.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering webcasts throughout October to raise awareness of protecting children from environmental risks, such as poor indoor air quality, while they are at school. These webcasts begin tomorrow (October 5) with an overview of safe and healthy school environments. Topics of subsequent webcasts include high performance schools, chemical management in schools, and Healthy SEAT, an EPA software tool to help school districts evaluate and manage their facilities for key environmental, safety and health issues.

GLRPPR currently maintains three Topic Hubs related to pollution prevention for schools: Pollution Prevention for Arts Education, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Schools, and Mercury–Schools. “P2 for Arts Education” describes the health and environmental hazards found in art education, including the theatrical arts. Ideas for pollution prevention in the art classroom, including suggestions for alternative, more environmentally-friendly materials and products, are provided. The contents of this Topic Hub are applicable to all educational institutions, including K-12, colleges and universities, and informal education programs. Theater groups may also benefit from the information provided in the Topic Hub. “IPM for Schools” describes the hazards and disadvantages associated with traditional pest management practices, and introduces the concept of IPM as a means to improve the health and safety of all school facilities while preventing waste and pollution. The IPM for Schools Topic Hub is useful for K-12 schools, colleges, universities and day-care facilities. “Mercury–Schools” provides information about the key locations in school facilities where mercury may be found, health hazards associated with mercury exposure, and opportunities to reduce or eliminate mercury in school facilities.

There are several green/sustainable school programs at the state level in our region. In Illinois, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Waste Management and Research Center collaborate on the Greening Schools project, and the project’s web site is a rich resource for those interested in more environmentally-friendly school buildings as well as incorporating pollution prevention concepts into curricula. Wisconsin has a Green and Healthy Schools Program that includes a recognition program. Michigan Healthy Schools, the Pennsylvania Green Government Council’s Green Schools program, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Green Schools! program are other examples. Resources for green school buildings are available in Minnesota and Ohio. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management educates teachers about environmental issues and potential hazards in school buildings through its e-newsletter, The Notepad.

For our colleagues north of the border, the Canadian Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (CPPIC) provides pollution prevention lesson plans, tools and pollution prevention plan for the classroom. Look under “Education Programs” on the CPPIC web page for information on other Canadian green/sustainable school programs, including Ontario EcoSchools and the SEEDS Green Schools program.

Continue monitoring this blog for information on other programs and links related to green schools in the U.S. and Canada.