(Springfield, IL) - Is your school interested in reducing environmental impacts, improving learning conditions and lowering operating costs, all at the same time? Illinois EPA’s Green Schools Checklist offers tips and resources to help schools identify opportunities to “green” their buildings and operations, ranging from the solid waste they generate, to the indoor environment they provide, to the energy and supplies they consume.

This checklist focuses on common-sense improvements that schools can make in their daily operations that will minimize or stop potential health and environmental problems before they start. The emphasis has been placed on prevention-oriented strategies, which are preferable to dealing with wastes and pollutants after the fact. The environmental improvement strategies in this checklist have been organized into several categories, including:

• Energy use,

• Solid waste generation,

• Indoor air quality,

• Pest management,

• Mold growth,

• Water consumption,

• Laboratory waste,

• Building renovation,

• Purchasing.

The strategies, organizations and links cited in the checklist have been gathered from a variety of sources. They have been compiled to help administrators, facility staff, teachers and students raise awareness and promote environmentally sustainable practices within their schools. This checklist also contains tips on how to organize and secure support for an environmental improvement initiative.

Benefits of a Green School Program

A green schools program is good for everyone involved. In addition to protecting students from environmental health and safety risks, it can help save money and increase efficiency. Schools that make environmentally healthy practices a top priority can realize many of the following benefits:

• Save money through reduced consumption of goods and energy savings,

• Increase efficiency of operations and use of resources,

• Create favorable learning and teaching conditions,

• Generate community goodwill,

• Avoid future liability problems,

• Educate the next generation on the value of caring for the environment.

This checklist is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all of the techniques and practices that can potentially improve the way a school conducts business. Each school is unique, with its own set of environmental challenges and opportunities. Thus, the checklist has been designed to be flexible enough to conform to the specific conditions and needs of your school. The chances are you will not be able to solve all the environmental challenges facing your school at one time. Start with the easier strategies that will have the greatest impact; in other words, “think big, start small.” Once you have built momentum, you can expand your environmental program to other areas.

If you would like assistance in greening your school, please contact the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Pollution Prevention at 217-782-8700.

For more information go to http://www.epa.state.il.us/p2/green-schools/green-schools-checklist.pdf