A Great Day For HSC & Green Clean Partners: The 3rd Annual Green Clean Schools National Summit in Washington, DC

By Alex Schaible, HSC Writer & Policy Analyst

Left to right: Clive Davies, Chief of Design for the Environment; HSC Founding Executive Director Rochelle Davis; Arthur B. Weissman, PhD, President and CEO of Green Seal; HSC Deputy Director Mark Bishop
 
Last week, HSC brought together more than 40 advocates, cleaning manufacturers, distributors and national partners in Washington, D.C. for our third Green Clean Schools National Summit.  The day gave participants a chance to network, share updates and stories, and plan for future efforts to promote green cleaning policy in schools around the country.

Participants had the opportunity to hear Dr. Peter Grevatt, Director of the EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection and Environmental Education, speak about the connection between children’s health and the health of our environment.  Dr. Grevatt emphasized the important role schools play in the present and future health of the nation’s children and discussed how children’s health is currently a major priority within the EPA.  By supporting the Green, Clean, Healthy Schools Initiative in the 2011 EPA Budget and promoting a healthy school environment in the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, advocates can support the EPA’s efforts to promote children’s health.

Highlights from the day also included:

• A panel with representatives from Green Seal, EcoLogo, Design for the Environment, and the Carpet and Rug Institute.  The panel did a wonderful job discussing recent changes in green cleaning and the impact these changes can have in the school environment.
• An update on state legislative efforts surrounding green cleaning.  The stories of states that have successfully and unsuccessfully passed green cleaning legislation were shared offering valuable insight into strategies for moving legislation forward.  Nine states currently have green clean schools legislation and nearly 20 states have some type of policy -– either a legislative intiative of an administrative rule –- encouraging environmentally preferable purchasing or green cleaning.
• The release of the updated, expanded and re-designed third edition of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools. The guide includes updated information and resources on infection control, sustainability, green cleaning for food service, laundry care, new technologies and more.

HSC will continue following green cleaning legislation being introduced in states around the country.  We look forward to working with our partners from the summit to support states in their efforts to move green cleaning legislation forward.  

Thank you to all of our speakers and participants for making the summit a successful, informative day!