Sustainability 101: Schools Go Green
It’s back to school once again – but parents, teachers and students may be in for a new lesson: Within classrooms, cafeterias, hallways and restrooms, schools across the country are beginning to calculate “green,” thanks to groups like the Healthy School Campaign, who show how environmental planning + green action = a more productive learning environment. 365: Living Green Everyday sat down with Rochelle Davis of the Healthy Schools Campaign to learn the philosophy behind the math.
365: Rochelle, as the founding executive director, what led you to start the Healthy Schools Campaign?
RD: Six years ago I was running a home business, Generation Green, and raising two middle school-aged kids. My work with Generation Green led me to understand that there was a need for schools to cultivate more environmentally healthy settings. To gauge support for the campaign in the State of Illinois, we held an initial meeting in Chicago with more than 200 attendees. A second meeting in Springfield attracted more than 100 participants. Based on the tremendous grassroots excitement, the next steps were to take a closer look at individual components to help schools promote a healthy environment for kids to learn and teachers to teach.
365: What are the components of a healthy school, and how do environmentally-friendly paper products play a role?
RD: While each school has varying needs to become a healthy school, we’ve identified three key areas for administrators, facility managers, teachers, parents and other stakeholders to focus efforts.
The first is the structural building itself. Whether new or old, the way a school is built can support a healthy environment. Does it have good ventilation, lighting, acoustics, a properly working heating and cooling system, and is it built and maintained to provide barriers for vapor, moisture or pest infestations? The second area is the products used in a school. These include chemicals used in cleaning and maintenance, or the educational process. The use of products such as cleaning solutions or science lab solvents and art materials can expose students and faculty to harmful chemicals. Third, we must take a closer look at general policies and practices. Something as simple as making sure buses are not left idling can make a significant impact on the health of students and staff. Implementing guidelines for recycling, reusing and reducing materials is also important, as well as setting purchasing policies that specify requirements or qualities to ensure products are truly green.
Paper products, such as those that are EcoLogCM certified from SCA, play an important role in demonstrating environmental responsibility – from the recycled materials the products are made, to the energy and waste-reducing manufacturing and delivery process.
With more than 20 percent of the population in an education environment on any given day, schools need to take steps to be better environmental stewards, setting strong examples for students and the greater community. Students can then learn the importance of lessening their environmental footprints, which will ultimately pave the way for their brighter futures.
365: How are school facility managers taking green to the next level?
RD: There is strong – and quickly growing – interest among facility managers and decision makers in schools to become more environmental. The Healthy Schools Campaign, with support from companies like SCA, recently distributed our new “Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning” to more than 60,000 stakeholders and schools to inform them of the heath benefits of, and step-by-step instructions for, green cleaning. We are also conducting green cleaning webinars with school facility managers. We’ve received wonderful feedback, and managers are embracing green products, tools and the overall idea of making their schools more environmentally healthy.
To further support healthy schools, generate excitement, and share green ideas, the Healthy Schools Campaign, American Schools & Universities and the Green Cleaning Network are sponsoring an annual Green Cleaning in Schools Award, recognizing schools and their teams who have done an exceptional job implementing green cleaning programs.
365: What are the criteria that facility managers use to qualify a product for procurement? How can suppliers stay on top of this?
RD: It’s important for facility mangers to rely on third-party certification programs like EcoLogo, Green Seal or EPA’s Design for the Environment when choosing products – they should not have to be scientists or green experts in order make environmentally-friendly decisions. Certifications will help explain the product attributes so they can purchase with confidence.
Manufacturers should be aware of the green certifications available in the marketplace, as these are product attributes that purchasers are requesting. What’s more, manufacturers should align their products with these certifications in order to effectively educate their customers about what they are offering in terms of health and environment.
365: The Green Clean Schools Act was enacted May 9, 2008. How has that changed the procurement process, and what future trends do you anticipate?
RD: We’re very pleased that the Illinois legislature passed this act. While it is too early for the empirical evidence to show impact, all of the anecdotal evidence reveals extensive knowledge and support of this initiative among suppliers and administrators. Schools are taking aggressive steps to be in compliance.
Other states are also beginning to show interest. Missouri just passed a law that will establish guidelines on green cleaning, an important first step in the education process. I’ve also been contacted by interested parties across the country, looking to initiate state legislation, which we’ll also be discussing at the Green Clean Schools National Summit on November 12 in a few months.
For more information about the Healthy Schools Campaign initiatives, visit www.healthyschoolscampagin.org.
