Healthy Schools Campaign

Healthy, Efficient and Innovative: Green Schools Legislation Draws Broad Support

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Founding Executive Director

Thanks to all the legislators who made big strides this month toward creating a high-quality learning environment for America’s public schools, reducing schools' negative impact on our environment, and keeping cash in our schools’ coffers to use for education rather than high utility bills.

The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, just passed by the House of Representatives, would provide school districts nationwide with $6.4 billion to modernize and renovate school buildings -- improving schools’ energy efficiency, bringing schools closer to green building standards, and promoting a healthier environment for students and teachers.

This act marks the first time since 2001 that schools would receive meaningful funding to upgrade facilities, and the first time ever that lawmakers have put green facilities front-and-center, a move that will save significant cash over time. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, energy-efficient schools can reduce their energy usage by 25 percent, creating a nationwide savings of $1.25 billion and 23 million fewer tons of carbon emissions.

By 2013, 90 percent of this act’s funding would be put toward green projects, ensuring that benefits will keep rippling through school districts as they improve indoor air quality and use greener construction methods.

HSC works to promote healthy, energy efficient schools through resources such as our Guide to Healthy, High Performing Schools and events such as our recent breakfast briefing on schools and climate change. HSC also successfully advocated for legislation requiring that all new schools built in Illinois meet energy-efficient green design standards.

We applaud the lawmakers who supported this important federal legislation, and look forward to continuing the work of helping schools protect our environment while providing the best possible learning experiences for children.

School Nurses Making a Difference through Advocacy

Today we have a guest blog from Linda Gibbons, Director of the School Nurse Certification Program National-Louis University and Illinois Director to the National Association of School Nurses

WOW!

Thanks to the sponsorship and support of the Healthy Schools Campaign, 40 Illinois school nurses traveled to Springfield and spent the day making a difference and advocating for our students and the need for professional school nursing support. 

 
We were able to present our petition for a State School Nurse Consultant at the Illinois State Board of Education meeting with more than 20 nurses present.  Mark Bishop (of Healthy Schools Campaign), Linda Gibbons (of the Illinois Association of School Nurses) and Vyki Jackson (the Illinois School Nurse consultant) presented compelling testimony about the need for coordination at the state level within the Board of Education. The Board members were very supportive of our position, but cited the need for funds and the ability to add positions within the agency.

It was a real "high" for all of us!

Then, we convened with the entire group of school nurse advocates at IEA headquarters for some briefing and to receive materials to bring to the Capitol.  At the Capitol, we were generally well received by both our representatives and senators, and we took commitments that they would vote to support school health and school nursing on a number of specific bills. 

When we reconvened, it was with a group of school nurses who were feeling very empowered to make a difference and to continue the contact with our legislators next week when they are back in their home districts.

It was an exciting day that we hope to make an annual event.

Many thanks to Healthy Schools Campaign for the organization, lunch and support of this important endeavor.

School Nurses left excited about what we can do and energized to really make a difference through legislative advocacy.

Soaring Foods Costs and School Food

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Founding Executive Director

As most of us have noticed in our weekly trip to the grocery store, food prices have been increasing.  While economists debate the reasons for these increases (rising transportation and energy costs, increased demand to use corn for fuel), a recent article in the Washington Post discussed the impact of higher food prices on schools’ ability to offer healthy lunches. 

Schools receive $2.47 per lunch served - this must cover food, labor and other related costs – which is only a 3 percent increase over last year’s funding, although prices have increased much, much more than three percent. (Milk prices went up 17 percent, bread prices went up 12 percent). 

Next year, Congress will be considering the Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which includes the school food program.  It will be important for them to make sure that schools have the appropriate resources to offer students a healthy meal.

Cleaning up Dirty Diesel School Buses

by Mark Bishop, HSC Deputy Director

Cleaning up dirty diesels may have just gotten a step easier in Illinois.

In Illinois, there are more than 18,000 buses that transport over 2 million school children to and from school every day.  While riding on a school bus is generally a safe way for a student to travel to school, diesel exhaust from school buses can pose a significant health threat to school children, drivers and school staff. 

As a recent news report shows, exposure to diesel exhaust outside and inside a school bus poses serious risks to both children and adults.   

Two months ago, a group lead by the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, including HSC, Citizen Action Illinois, Illinois Environmental Council, and the Illinois School Nurse Association met with the Illinois EPA to discuss their funding of the Illinois Clean School Bus Program. Their response was to apply for a $1 million grant to retrofit Chicago area diesel buses.

We applaud the Agency’s commitment to finding funding for this important health issue. At the same time, we realize that even if this grant is approved, this will only provide funds to retrofit 350, or less than 2 percent, of the school buses currently in use in Illinois.

Cleaning up diesel school buses is a matter of health.

Creating a stable and consistent fund for schools to retrofit their diesel bus fleets will go a long way to improving student health. One such initiative is going on through the Respiratory Health Association’s Clean Diesel Campaign. There are also two current Illinois state bills that would create a dedicated funding source to clean up diesel engines; check out the Senate Bill or House Bill.

As a proud member of the Clean Diesel Campaign, we urge you to learn about the dangers involved in diesel exhaust and to speak up for clean air in and around our school buses.

Common-Sense Green Cleaning Guidelines Need Final Stamp of Approval

by Mark Bishop, HSC Deputy Director

Last year HSC brought together a broad, diverse coalition to successfully advocate for a law requiring green cleaning in Illinois schools.

To create the guidelines for green cleaning, the law created a taskforce that brought in a broad range of experts – those representing public health, education, environmental, government and corporate interests – and invited the public to share input.

The result of this broad public input is a set of guidelines that are comprehensive, health-based and cost-effective for schools to implement.

Now, these guidelines are going through the legislature for a final review.  We believe that the guidelines will sail through the committee because they were developed with an open process and practical, common-sense approach.

However, we need to make sure that our legislators hear from supporters of green cleaning to ensure that the guidelines get this necessary final stamp of approval.

Please take a moment to send a letter of support to the Lt. Governor's office to voice you support green cleaning in Illinois schools.

Together, we can make Illinois the second state in the nation to protect students from exposures to toxic cleaning chemicals in schools.

Fresh Fruit, Nutrition Ed, Local Purchasing: Senate Farm Bill Includes Some Good News for School Food

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Founding Executive Director

After much debate, the Senate has voted on a farm bill that includes some good news for school food and nutrition education.

The bill expands the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to all 50 states and increases funding from $9 million to $225 million per year. This will expand the number of schools that are able to offer and promote free fresh fruits and vegetables and dried fruit throughout the school day.

As a pilot, this program has been successful in increasing student exposure to fresh produce and increasing student consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. It also introduces children to a variety of fruits and vegetables that they may otherwise not have the opportunity to try, an important part of establishing lifelong healthy eating habits.

This simple step is especially important in a climate where children have easy access to so much unhealthy food and often have limited access to good, fresh produce.

The farm bill also includes a clarification of language that now specifically allows schools to designate a geographic preference in purchasing food. This means that schools can now specifically request locally-grown ingredients in their food purchasing plans.

An important complement to providing fresh, healthy food is offering students the nutrition education that helps them make smart food choices. The farm bill includes funding to encourage the expansion of nutrition education by providing grants to projects that can be replicated in schools. 

The School Nutrition Amendment that I discussed in a previous blog did not come up for a vote, so it will not be part of this year’s farm bill. The activity surrounding the amendment built a strong coalition in support of school nutrition standards and the amendment’s main sponsor, Sen. Harkin, has announced his intention to bring up school nutrition legislation when the Senate re-convenes in January 2008.

Now, the Senate version and House version of the farm bill will go to a committee that will work out differences in the two bills. 

School Nutrition Amendment to Farm Bill Represents a Step in the Right Direction

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Founding Executive Director

The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote on the farm bill.  While the debate about farm subsidies dominates the headlines, it is important to realize that the provisions of the farm bill address many aspects of U.S. food policy, including school food.  (Federal school food programs are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.) 

One of the amendments that senators will soon vote on would establish national standards for food available in schools.  There has been much public attention to the problem of childhood obesity, and the prevalence of junk food in schools has been well documented.   

The common-sense notion that it is important to offer students nutrition education reinforced by the availability of healthy food and the opportunity for physical activity is well supported by research. 

The School Nutrition Amendment to the farm bill, offered by Sens. Harkin and Murkowski, provides a national standard for food available in schools.  This standard, which is far better than the federal government’s outdated definition of foods with minimum nutritional value,  offers food manufacturers one standard to create products that are healthier for our children, rather than having to negotiate many state standards that have minor differences.

While this amendment has attracted the support of a diverse coalition of public health advocates and industry leaders, it has also generated controversy from critics who worry that it oversteps the appropriate role for the federal government and, on the other hand, those who worry that the standards it sets are not strict enough.

Healthy Schools Campaign supports the amendment because it represents a strong and much-needed step in the right direction.

Like all legislation, it required compromise and is not a perfect solution: but it is an important step forward and sends a clear message that school wellness and children’s health are significant issues worth addressing on a large scale. In fact, federal requirements already exist for school food but were written before vending machines and junk food had such a huge presence is schools. This amendment would bring a critical update to these important but obsolete standards.

The national standards would supersede standards set by states, but allow school districts to set their own standards that are stronger than the national ones. Close analysis of state standards and the proposed national standards shows strengths and weaknesses of each, but that the national standards would be at least as valuable overall as state standards. And, national standards offer the additional benefit of providing a set structure within which companies can develop affordable healthy products for schools.

FIT Kids: Supporting Physical Education and Activity as Part of NCLB

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Executive Director

Student wellness and physical activity are powerful contributors to children's academic achievement and social development.

That's why HSC is joining the American Heart Association in championing the federal FIT Kids Act, which will amend the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act to support quality physical education and physical activity for school children.

To help improve children's health through school-based activity and education, we're encouraging our congressional leaders to sponsor this legislation, which will:

Hold schools accountable for offering regular physical education so that schools are able to make physical activity and education a priority.

Provide information to parents and the community about students' access to physical education and activity at school, including the amount of time available for physical education, the amount of space available for activity, and the percentage of teachers who are licensed or certified.

Ensure that children get the support they need to make healthy choices, by providing nutrition education and structured physical activity in communities as well as schools.

Support professional development for educators to promote children's healthy lifestyles and physical activity so they provide up-to-date information in a way that boosts students’ ability to learn.

Fund research on effective ways to combat childhood obesity and encourage healthy living for all children.

School leaders will have difficulty devoting resources to physical education and activity as long as they are not addressed in NCLB, and as long as NCLB remains the focus of attention for school districts throughout the nation.

FIT Kids holds promise in combating obesity and making children’s health a true priority at school.

Healthy Harvest: Reforming the Farm Bill to Promote Child Nutrition

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Executive Director

The debate in Congress is heating up around the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, which not only addresses agriculture policy but also covers many important nutrition issues.

This New York Times article and this San Francisco Chronicle article illustrate the unique buzz surrounding this year's Farm Bill reauthorization (which occurs every five years) and its connection to health and obesity issues.

As I mentioned in HSC's blog earlier this year, HSC supports reforming the Farm Bill because we understand that an agriculture policy that stresses healthy sustainably grown food is important for children's nutrition both in and out of school. We've joined hundreds of other organizations in signing on to a report titled "Seeking Balance in U.S. Farm and Food Policy" (PDF), which calls for a more balanced Farm Bill.

Specifically, we'd like to see changes that will have an impact on what children eat at school, where they consume many of their daily calories. HSC is encouraging our congressional leaders to authorize a Farm Bill that will:

Establish Appropriate Standards for Food Offered in Schools. The Farm Bill should authorize the USDA to develop standards for all food offered in schools, not only those foods available from school lunch in the cafeteria. Food sold in vending machines, school stores, and cafeteria a la carte lines are currently not subject to any minimum nutrition standards.

Promote Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Intake. Programs that have been successful in increasing children's fruit and vegetable consumption – thereby reducing their risk of disease and providing the nutrition they need to learn – need funding to reach students in need.

Support Healthy School Food Programs. The Farm Bill has the opportunity to support fresh, healthy food for children's lunch while also supporting healthy local agriculture systems. Initiatives to do this include farm to school grant programs and clarification of language that will allow school districts to specify local or regional foods in their bidding process.

The Farm Bill is one of the largest and most complex pieces of federal legislation in place today, making it a powerful force in shaping our food and nutrition practices. It's exciting to consider the tremendous potential for change in these sensible yet innovative reforms.

Support for America’s Better Classrooms Act

by Claris Olson, HSC Environmental Health Specialist

After years of dwindling school budgets for building maintenance, renovation, and improvements, the importance of America’s Better Classroom Act (H.R. 2470 in the House and S. 912 in the Senate) has never been greater.

According to government estimates,  43 percent of America’s public schools have at least one unsatisfactory environmental building condition. 

Mold, leaking ceilings, pest infestations, hazardous chemicals, and overcrowded classrooms are just a few of the unsafe conditions that create health risks to students and staff in tens of thousands of old and new schools across the nation.

America’s Better Classroom Act would address these unhealthy conditions. The bill allocates $25 billion in bond authority for special local school construction bonds that could be used for public school construction, rehabilitation, building repair, or the purchase of land on which to build a new public school. 

The federal government will pay the entire interest on these bonds, a subsidy worth up to 40 percent of the cost of the bond.  The decision about the use of the bond is up to the local authorities.

We support this effort but would love to see a requirement or some type of incentive for building schools which are energy efficient and promote a healthy environment.  Healthy, energy-efficient schools are better for the students and teachers, protect the environment and have lower operational costs. 

Ask your senators and representative to support America’s Better Classroom Act to help make our schools healthier and safer places to learn and work.

Schools Going Green Across the Country

by Mark Bishop, HSC Deputy Director

More school districts are recognizing that building green, energy-efficient schools leads to a number of benefits, from improving test scores to saving on rising energy costs. And Illinois will now become one of the leaders in promoting healthy school construction.

Yesterday afternoon, the Energy Efficient School Construction Grant Act, SB505,  passed the Illinois Senate on a 50-9 vote and will now be sent to the governor’s desk. This bill will require all schools receiving state funds for construction to build to green/sustainable standards. We worked hard with our partner, AIA-Illinois, to pass this bill. We're incredibly excited to see Illinois taking a leadership role on sustainable and healthy design.

Nationwide, schools are the single largest sector of public spending on construction. This means that building green schools will have a huge impact on the green construction marketplace, driving awareness among builders and designers and increasing demand for better alternatives for materials.

According to this AP story about the "green school" movement, the U.S. Green Building Council, which sets nationally recognized standards for environmentally friendly buildings, recently released guidelines specifically for schools. (It previously certified schools based on commercial-building guidelines). So far, 27 schools have received the "green" certification and close to 300 schools are on a waiting list. And we can expect that list to grow:

The Council of Educational Facility Planners International estimates that schools will spend $53 billion this year on construction alone and that green building will comprise as much as 10 percent of the school construction market by 2010, a rapid growth from almost nonexistence a few years ago.

How are school buildings around the country going green?

In Colorado, ice made during off-peak hours at Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins helps cool the building during the day.

On the roof of the gym at Tarkington Elementary School in Chicago is a flower garden that helps insulate the building during the city's cold winters. Such wildflower gardens and solar panel arrays make perfect hands-on learning labs for students, and the sunlight-lit classrooms create happier, healthier children, educators said.

A study by school officials in Washington state found green schools have better student performance and fewer absences. In 2005, Washington state lawmakers used the study to require new schools receiving state money to meet green standards.

The U.S. Green Building Council section on green schools features news reports and school case studies, along with resources for educators, administrators, parents and students.

Call for Action: Healthy Schools & NCLB

How does No Child Left Behind affect healthy schools? How can a conference call be interesting and concise?

Communities for Quality Education, in partnership with Healthy Schools Campaign and the Illinois Education Association, connected over a hundred education advocates with Rep. Phil Hare on Monday to discuss education and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law in a virtual town hall telephone forum.

This was a great opportunity to hear from and speak to one of our leaders who is making important education decisions in Washington.

When we think of NCLB, we don't always immediately think of healthy schools issues – but the two are linked very closely. Today, NCLB affects nearly every aspect of the school experience  – from funding to recess to food education – and we absolutely need to help our legislators understand this connection.

And to be honest, when I think of telephone forums, I don't always immediately think of organized, engaging discussions – but this call changed my mind. The "virtual town hall" was substantive, concise, well-organized, and a great opportunity to bring healthy schools issues to the NCLB agenda.

We're hosting another of these calls – this time with Rep. Peter Roskam – this Mon., May 21 from 7:30-8:00 p.m. Click here to learn more or sign up for the call.

Why is this event so deserving of our time and attention?

Substance: HSC and many individual callers were able to speak with Rep. Hare about the importance of physical education, physical activity, nutrition and better facilities in achieving academic success. We also were able to introduce Rep. Hare to the importance of including a “learning environment index” in NCLB to make sure schools have the resources to make improvements in their facilities.

Technology: The technology that connects hundreds of individuals on telephone forums is, in a word, great. It’s easy, it includes numerous interactive polls where individuals vote with their keypads so we know what others are thinking, and it’s an effective way to interact with people who are often far away. Callers can ask questions through a moderator, and background noise is automatically muted so we didn't all listen to each other's colleagues chatting in the background.

Organization: This call was moderated by Communities for Quality Education and they did a great job of maintaining the flow of the call. This was no “go through all your old emails” type of conference call:  it was participatory, engaging, and very interesting.

Rep. Hare was articulate and well-versed in the subject of No Child Left Behind. I was impressed not only by his knowledge of the issues but also by his willingness to listen, engage, and bring community concerns to the discussion.

I hope others will join us when we host our second call with Rep. Roskam on May 21 at 7:30 pm Central Time.

Visit www.call4action.net to sign up now.

Green Clean Victory in Illinois!

by Mark Bishop, HSC Deputy Director

Wow!

After years of implementing pilot programs, developing recommendations, and creating networks of supporters from health, education and industry, we've gotten the State of Illinois to adopt green cleaning requirements for Illinois schools! 

This afternoon, the Illinois Senate voted 52-5 to pass the Green Clean Schools Act. (Check out our press release for details.)

Illinois will now become the second state to have a green cleaning requirement for schools, after New York. Thank you to everyone who has helped us pass this important health-promoting legislation.

So what’s going to happen next?

Well, the bill will be sent to the Governor to sign. The state will then have 180 days to develop green cleaning standards and schools will then have an additional 90 days before they are required to comply with the standards.

It's important to note that schools will be allowed to use their existing stock of cleaning chemicals – they won’t need to throw away or waste any usable products – but will only be able to purchase new products that comply with the standards when they replenish their supplies.

With the 900 school districts in Illinois purchasing green cleaning products, we are driving the market to a greener and healthier place!

Momentum in Springfield for Healthy Schools

by Mark Bishop, HSC Deputy Director

So much activity related to school health is going on in Springfield this year that it’s hard to keep it all straight.

HSC’s Green Clean Schools Act (HB895) sailed through the Senate Education Committee with comments from senators such as, “This is a great bill” and “I’m proud to put my name on this piece of legislation.” Sen. Iris Martinez is our Senate sponsor.

Now it seems as if we have the momentum to get this bill passed, but we can’t let up yet –- we still have our work ahead of us to let other senators know about the importance of green cleaning before the bill is brought to a vote before the full Senate.

If the Senate approves the Green Clean Schools Act, Illinois will become only the second state to require green cleaning in schools. (Right now, New York is the only state with this requirement.)

Check out a few of the other bills related to healthy schools that are really moving in Springfield:

Energy Efficient School Construction Grants (SB505) 
This bill from HSC and our allies would provide schools with additional funding through the school construction grant program to build to sustainable and energy efficient standards. After an overwhelmingly positive 48-8 vote in the Senate, the bill has moved to the House. On May 8, the House Education Committee will hold a hearing on the bill. 

School Recess Bill (HB1335)
This bill would require CPS to offer at least 10 minutes of recess to students in grades K-6. On April 24, Parents United for Healthy Schools brought more than 40 parent leaders and 15 students to Springfield to lobby for this bill. The very next day we had nine more co-sponsors (up from just one sponsor) and this week the House approved the bill! On Tuesday, Parents United is holding a press conference at Mitchell School to announce this victory and keep the momentum going as the bill moves to the Senate.

School Health Center Act (SB715)
This bill requires IDHS to open twenty new school heath centers over 5 years and build capacity at existing centers. On May 2, the Senate passed this bill. The bill, championed by Sen. Donne Trotter, will now head to the House with the support of the lead sponsor, Rep. Sara Feigenholtz. Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers is leading the efforts on this bill.

School Renewable Energy Grants (HB0285)
This bill will establish a renewable energy grant program at ISBE to assist school districts with building renewable energy sources in the public schools. This bill was approved by the House and is on final reading in the Senate.

We'll keep you posted as these bills progress!

Green Clean Schools Act Sails Through Illinois House

by Mark Bishop, HSC Deputy Director

The Illinois House Wednesday passed the Green Clean Schools Act (HB0895), bringing it closer to becoming state law. The act is a major part of HSC's legislative agenda this year, and it's good to see it move ahead. Check out our press release for more information.

School nurses, educators, and cleaning professionals across the state contacted their representatives to ask them to support this bill. We know of a number of personal phone calls that directly led to a representative signing on in support of the act. Our voices are being heard. Many thanks to the individuals who made phone calls and to the diverse coalition of allies that truly drove the support on this issue.

The act also benefited from the support of Rep. Karen May (D-Highwood), who we thank for her strong leadership on green cleaning.

We're working with Senate leaders to introduce the bill, and it will be exciting to continue working with our allies to let our state senators know about the benefits of green cleaning in schools and the importance of this legislation.

Want more information on the Green Clean Schools Act? Visit our website for legislative updates along with facts on why green cleaning matters and what you can do to support green cleaning in schools.

Encouraging Schools to Make Green Building Choices

by Mark Bishop, HSC Deputy Director

A major part of HSC's 2007 environmental health legislative agenda is Illinois' Energy Efficient School Construction Act (SB505), which gives schools incentives to make green building choices.

It allows the state to allocate an additional 5 percent to a school's construction grant index if the school meets specific green certifications. This would encourage schools that receive state funding to build healthier and more energy-efficient facilities.

And why does that matter? State and national models of schools built with healthier, energy-efficient standards show multiple benefits, including higher student test scores, increased average daily attendance, reduced operation and maintenance costs, lower utility bills, increased teacher satisfaction and retention, and less negative environmental impact.

HSC's healthy, high-performance schools website and free guide also show the benefits of these building decisions and the how-to of implementing them in schools.

Last week, by a vote of 8-2, the Illinois Senate Education Committee approved SB 505 (read our press release). Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago) had introduced the bill with the support of HSC and a coalition of allies.

Seeing the bill move forward is exciting –- and it means that we have work ahead to continue building the coalition of organizations and elected officials who can bring the bill to a successful vote in the Senate and introduce it in the House. Stay updated with our efforts at a website section we created to track this bill and related issues.

And if you're interested in learning how you can make your school building healthy and efficient, sign up for our Lunch & Learn event in Chicago on March 29. Speakers include Tracee Binion, health and safety director for the Jefferson County (Ala.) American Federation of Teachers; Stuart Brodsky, architect at OWP/P Architects in Chicago; and Janice Spears, school planning consultant.

Imagine Fresh, Locally Grown Food Served in Schools

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Executive Director

We are realists, and we know a multitude of barriers must be dealt with before we can reasonably expect that school lunches will include locally grown fruits and vegetables. For starters, the reimbursement rate from the federal government is too low, school kitchen facilities are inadequate, and government regulations are unclear and inconsistent.

However, if our vision for healthy food is to ever to become a reality, we need to start transforming the food system, the federal school food programs and the school environment now. 

That's why Healthy Schools Campaign has signed on to support the Illinois Food, Farms and Jobs Act (HB 1300). We are committed to providing Illinois school children with the healthiest and tastiest food available -- and what can be healthier or better tasting than an apple or tomato just days after it has been picked? We need to re-think food distribution for that to happen, and this bill provides the necessary framework for supporting a vibrant local food system.

The Illinois Food, Farms and Jobs Act, introduced by Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), authorizes the creation of an Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force that would be charged with developing a plan to support an Illinois local food system. The House Agriculture and Conversation Committee voted unanimously in February to send the bill to the full House, where it now awaits action. A companion bill is expected to be introduced soon in the Illinois Senate.

Thanks to Rep. Hamos, as well as groups like Sustain and the Evanston Food Policy Council, for leading the way.

Healthy Schools Campaign Introduces Green Cleaning Bill

by Mark Bishop, HSC Deputy Director

Healthy Schools Campaign has introduced a bill in the state legislature to require green cleaning in schools (House Bill 895).

Known as the Green Cleaning Schools Act, the legislation "requires the Illinois Green Government Coordinating Council (IGGCC), in consultation with other agencies, to establish and amend on an annual basis guidelines and specifications for environmentally-sensitive cleaning and maintenance products for use in school facilities." It also establishes that after the implementation of the guidelines, public and non-public schools will establish a green cleaning policy.

Take a look at our website for information about the Green Cleaning Schools Act, including why green cleaning is important and suggestions for what you can do to help promote this bill.

The bill was assigned to the Environmental Health Committee and is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday, Feb. 21. We'll keep you posted on any developments.

The New York Times this week covered the trends in New York around green cleaning. The story makes the connection between the state's green clean schools law and parental education:

Felicia Busto Fraim always kept her Flushing, N.Y., home clean with traditional brand-name cleaning products like Windex and Fantastik. But her attitude changed the day her daughters' school switched to environmentally friendly cleaning products […]

Ms. Busto-Fraim embarked on "a total house makeover" after she saw that there was "no discernable difference" in cleanliness at the Waldorf School of Garden City, a private school on Long Island that her two older daughters, Isabella, 11, and Alessandra, 6, attend.

So not only is New York's nine-month-old green clean law getting schools to make positive changes, but it is also prompting parents to make changes in their homes. It seems to me that this demonstrates how effective state health policy can be.