Green Team Newsletter

• Green Clean Schools News: HSC Brings Green Clean Schools Message to ISSA Convention
• Legislative Updates: Illinois Becomes Second State to Require Green Cleaning in Schools
• School Success: Preventing Cross Contamination with Towel Dispensers
• Expert Perspective: Q&A with AASA's Erika Platter-Turner
• Ask Steve: Green Cleaning in Early Care & Education Programs
• Submit Your Story: Why is Green Cleaning Important to You?

Green Clean Schools News

HSC Brings Green Clean Schools Message to ISSA Convention

Healthy Schools Campaign and many of our Green Team sponsors brought the Green Clean Schools message to the ISSA/INTERCLEAN Convention last week, raising awareness of green cleaning in schools among the 17,000 conference attendees from around the world.

HSC founding executive director Rochelle Davis delivered a presentation on the current status and future prospects for green cleaning in schools, and shared her vision for an updated, expanded second version of The Quick & Easy Guide.

Since launching The Quick & Easy Guide last year at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN Convention, we have distributed more than 51,000 copies of the guide, launched www.greencleanschools.org, co-sponsored a national green cleaning contest for schools and spearheaded the effort for green cleaning legislation in Illinois.

It is with great excitement that we look to the opportunities ahead this year to bring the green clean schools message to even more cleaning industry and education leaders.

New Sponsors Join Green Team

HSC is pleased to welcome six new Affiliate-level sponsors to the Green Team!

Betco Corporation
CleanCraft Products, Inc.
Degussa
Enviro-Solutions Ltd.
Simple Green
State Industrial Products

Thanks to our all our Green Team sponsors for supporting The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools!

Green Cleaning Award Program Honors Schools

The entries are in, and the judges are working hard to determine the winners of the first annual Green Cleaning Award, presented by American School & University magazine, Healthy Schools Campaign and the Green Cleaning Network.

The award program honors schools and their partners that embrace green principles and practices in their maintenance operations, and the judging criteria for the contest are based on The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools.

Awards will be presented to multiple exemplary programs, and winners will be profiled in a special supplement of American School & University magazine in Dec. 2007. Stay tuned for details about the winning programs!

Plus: Discuss the Green Cleaning Award at HSC's blog »

Governor Signs Bill Making Illinois Second State to Require Green Cleaning in Schools

Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich signed the Green Clean Schools Act on Aug. 13, making Illinois the second state in the nation, along with New York, to require green cleaning in schools.

The law, which defines green cleaning as cleaning to protect health without harming the environment, requires schools to purchase environmentally sensitive cleaning products. It does not require schools to throw away existing supplies, and allows time for schools to order less toxic supplies in the next normal procurement cycle.

The law’s passage represents a victory not only for Illinois children, teachers, school nurses and community leaders, but also for children’s health advocates around the U.S. who are working to make green cleaning the norm in schools.

"People from all different aspects of the school world – from nursing to the cleaning industry – are realizing how important green cleaning is and are really speaking up to advocate for it," said Mark Bishop, deputy director of the Healthy Schools Campaign, an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to healthy school environments. "This simple step protects the health of everyone in the school building."

. . . More »

New Report Details State and District Policies for Green Cleaning in Schools

The Environmental Law Institute released a report this month that offers an overview of policies related to green cleaning in schools. The report summarizes state policies and proposed state legislation as well as school district policies.

Click here to download the report »

Lancaster Schools Battle Cross Contamination with Touch-free Towel Dispensers

It’s a scenario that is repeated thousands of times every day in schools across the country: germs are transferred from one student to another when they touch a common surface such as a door handle, desktop or the hand towel dispenser in the washroom.

At Lancaster Central School District in Lancaster, New York, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Dennis Weist, has found an effective tool in the battle to keep his 6,000 students from sharing germs. Three years ago, Weist replaced his district’s crank-style hand towel dispensers with the Tork® Matic, SCA Tissue’s touch-free towel dispensing system. Designed for high-traffic restrooms where hygiene and efficiency are important, the Tork Matic delivers one towel at a time so users do not touch anything but their own towel. As a result, cross contamination is virtually eliminated.

. . More »

Erika Platter-Turner

Q&A with Erika Platter-Turner, American Association of School Administrators

How do you spread the word about green cleaning?

"We have an urban schools coalition and a rural schools coalition as well. These coalitions have been key, because they allow us to provide networking opportunities for our members, opportunities for members to help each other and share their experiences with issues such as green cleaning. We include green cleaning presentations at our forums, and we find that our members gain a lot from the experience of learning from each other. They appreciate having a forum that facilitates this type of exchange. It’s better for members to hear the green cleaning message from each other – they have more buy-in that way." . . . . More »

Steve Ashkin

Q: Early care and education programs in CT are required to regularly disinfect children's toys and classroom surfaces (diaper changing tables, tables, countertops, etc) with a bleach and water spray solution and then allow these to air dry. Might we be generating health problems in very young children (birth to 6 years) as a result of these practices? If so, what product(s) and practices would you recommend to caregivers of very young children to use in group care and/or at home?

Q: I have to use the Environmental Rating Scales (ECERS) as an assessment tool for Early Childhood programs. The scales, which are nationally used, ask teachers to use bleach and water solution as a disinfectant. What is the alternative?

View Steve's response »

Why Is Green Cleaning Important to You?

Why are you committed to green cleaning? What benefits does green cleaning have for you and for the people you work with? Tell us your story, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Fresh Choices by HSC founding executive director Rochelle Davis! Share your story »

Numer of guides distributed: 51,011

Number of speaking engagements: 17

Number of visitors to greencleanschools.org: 5,500+

Lunch & Learn: Green Cleaning in Schools - From Policy to Reality
Nov. 7
Come learn about the challenges and opportunities in making green cleaning a reality for all schools | More

IASB/ IASA/ ISBE Joint Conference for School Officials
November 17
HSC will present on two panels at this conference:
“It’s Easy Being Green and It Helps Students Learn” at 10:30 and
“Clean, Green and Lean: The Benefits of Cleaning for Health and Energy Conservation” at 1:30. We will also host a booth (#411) with resources for school leaders | More

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Symposium
Dec. 6-8
HSC friend and green cleaning advocate Bill Thompson is speaking at this national event, where attendees learn about resources to support and implement good Indoor Air Quality practices in schools. | More

View all events »

Housekeeping Solutions
Cleaning for Health | More

Cleaning & Maintenance Management
Getting from Here to Green | More

Contracting Profits
Schools Ripe for Green Cleaning | More

CleanLink
New of Interest: Green Cleaning Awards | More

View all coverage »

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