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A Step Toward a Healthier School Environment

A Step Toward a Healthier School Environment. What is Green Cleaning?. Cleaning to protect health without harming the environment. What is Cleaning for Health?. Removing contaminants Particulates (dirt) Bacteria & viruses Control moisture that cause mold

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A Step Toward a Healthier School Environment

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  1. A Step Toward a Healthier School Environment

  2. What is Green Cleaning? Cleaning to protect health without harming theenvironment.

  3. What is Cleaning for Health? Removing contaminants • Particulates (dirt) • Bacteria & viruses • Control moisture that cause mold • Reduce the need for products containing harmful chemicals • Safe pest control

  4. Why not use Traditional Cleaners? Many Traditional Cleaners contain toxic chemicals that can cause • Respiratory problems • Reproductive health problems • Cancer • Skin and eye irritation • Harm to the environment

  5. Why is Green Cleaning Important? • Helps students stay healthy and learn • Protects the health of custodial staff • Increases thelifespan of facilities • Preserves theenvironment

  6. Healthy Environment Healthy Children Quality Education Why Green Cleaning?Helps Students Stay Healthy & Learn Children’s Learning Environment Healthy environments boost staff and student performance—teachers teach well and students learn well.

  7. Why Green Cleaning?Helps Students Stay Healthy & Learn • Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) • Indoor air is typically 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air and can be up to 100 times more polluted. • Many traditional cleaning products contain harmful chemicals that contribute to poor IAQ. • 50% of schools have an IAQ problem.

  8. Why Green Cleaning?Helps Students Stay Healthy & Learn Children’s Health • In proportion to their body size children breathe, drink and eat more than adults • Children’s behavior increases their potential exposure (i.e. closer to the ground & more hand to mouth contact). • Their bodies are still developing

  9. Why Green Cleaning?Helps Students Stay Healthy & Learn • Asthma • Leading cause of student absenteeism due to a chronic disease • 14 million school days are lost annually • Green Cleaning has shown to reduce the number of times asthma medication was needed. • If kids are not in school, they can’t learn

  10. Why Green Cleaning? Protects the Health of Custodial Staff Custodial staff using traditional cleaning products may be exposed to chemicals that can cause: • skin and eye irritation • respiratory problems • Cancer • reproductive disorders* *Women in their child bearing years are especially at risk.

  11. Why Green Cleaning? Protects the Health of Custodial Staff Low-income and Minority Worker Health Research shows that people from low-income and minority communities have more exposure to environmental hazards than the general population.

  12. Why Green Cleaning? Increases the Lifespan of Facilities Proper maintenance expands the longevity of the building

  13. Why Green Cleaning? Preserves the Environment Green cleaning products preserve the environment through: • Production cycle that is less harmful • Cleaning industry uses 6 billion pounds of chemicals • Packaging that reduces waste • 4.5 billion pounds of paper, 35 million trees • Products and waste streams are not hazardous to water supplies

  14. Green Clean is Quick and Easy • Not an all or nothing proposition • Marketplace changes are making it easier • GC regulation already has begun

  15. 5 Simple Steps toGreen Cleaning in Schools

  16. Step 1: Develop Your Green Cleaning Program An effective green cleaning program takes a team, it takes knowledge and it takes thought. Some questions to answer: • Who is on your team? • What are the current cleaning needs of your school? • What’s your staffing and training plan? • How do you evaluate your progress?

  17. Step 2: Use Green Cleaning Products Use Green Seal (GS) EcoLogo (EL) or US EPA Design for the Environment (DfE) products to ensure your products do NOT contain: • Toxic compounds • Carcinogens • Reproductive toxins • Combustible ingredients • Skin or eye irritants

  18. Step 3: Introduce Green Equipment & Supplies • “Think beyond chemicals” • High filtration vacuum cleaners • Floor burnishers with vacuum attachments • High pressure washers and vapor machines • Microfiber cloths and mops • High quality entryway mats • Look for the Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label Certification.

  19. Step 3: Introduce Green Equipment & Supplies • Recycled Content • Post consumer • Pre consumer • Processed Chlorine Free • Paper certifications • EPA Procurement Guidelines • Green Seal • Environmental Choice • Chlorine Free Products Association • Cost Offsets • Large rolls • Hands-free dispensers that limit paper

  20. Step 3: Introduce Green Equipment & Supplies • Recycled trash can liners(10-100% LLDPE) • Appropriate size and strength • Separate wet and dry garbage • Few certification programs – not widespread yet…

  21. Step 4: Adopt Green Cleaning Procedures Changes in the frequency, technique or time cleaning is performed can be as important as the products and equipment used. Proper staff training is critical to implementing green cleaning procedures

  22. Step 5: Share the Responsibility Key to green cleaning success: • Promote Stewardship – involves administrators, teachers, students, vendors • Increase Institutional Commitment - green cleaning teams, plans, policies, and evaluating results

  23. Institutionalizing your Green Cleaning Program • Create a Green Team • Develop a Green Cleaning Plan • Adopt a Green Cleaning Policy • Implement the Green Cleaning Plan • Evaluate Progress • Communicating About Green Cleaning

  24. 1. Create a Green Team • Broad stakeholder involvement is critical for the program’s success. Should include: administrators, teachers, administrative staff, facility operators, custodians, health officials, school board representatives, students, parents, contractors • Can work within existing structures (i.e. Health and Safety Committee)

  25. 2. Develop a Green Cleaning Plan • Gather baseline data • Establish goals and strategies • Develop a timetable and staff responsibilities • Conduct periodic evaluations

  26. 3. Adopt a Green Cleaning Policy • Formalizes the commitment of time and resources for implementing the Green Cleaning Plan. • Can be used to build broader support • Go through approval process

  27. 4. Implementation • Set Priorities- The Green Team should decide which items to tackle first. Could start with task that will be easiest to demonstrate and measure or address the greatest health benefit. • Pilot Projects minimize risks and will help gain approval to make greater changes based on earlier success.

  28. 5. Evaluate Progress Objective Measures • trees saved due to recycled paper • toxic chemicals no longer used • recycled materials diverted from landfill Subjective Measures • Surveys and interviews,and comment books • Town hall meetings

  29. 6. Communication • Goal to build support and engage building occupants • Communication Media • Flyers • Newsletters • Staff e-mail • Health & Safety Committee Reports • Earth Day Celebrations!!!

  30. What About Bottom-line Cost? • Green cleaners are competitively priced • Equipment can be more expensive but can save time and labor costs • Recycled paper & plastic tend to be more expensive but can be offset by changed useage • The benefits are great: • Improved student health • Increased worker safety • Increased worker morale and productivity • Improved indoor air quality

  31. How can Healthy Schools Campaign help? The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools • Guide Structure • Why Green Cleaning • Five Easy Steps • Institutionalize Your Program • Products • Other Features • FAQ • Real Life Examples • Tools

  32. Advocating for policies and model programs that allow students and teachers to learn and work in a healthy school environment. 175 N. Franklin, Suite 300 Chicago, IL 60606 www.healthyschoolscampaign.org T: 312.419.1810 F: 312.419.1806

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