HOW GREEN ARE OUR SCHOOLS?
INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND PESTICIDE USE TOP THE LIST OF CONCERNS
by Sarah Morgan

As teachers and students head back to the classroom this month, some environmental groups are turning their attention to environmental health in our local schools, looking at everything from pesticide use to indoor air quality.

Children and teachers spend more than forty hours a week in school, the majority of which is indoors, and though schools take many safety measures, such as installing cameras in hallways or making children carry see-through backpacks, environmental groups are pointing out that sometimes it is the invisible dangers that we should be most worried about.

According to a joint press release from Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides and Mothers for Clean Air, fifty-three million students and five million teachers and other staffers attend our nation’s schools, where each day they are at risk of exposure to lead, asbestos, chemical fumes, pesticides, molds, and a variety of other toxins.

Playgrounds and classrooms are often coated in pesticides containing chemicals that can cause many health problems, including respiratory difficulties, nausea, headaches, and eye irritation, according to a New York attorney general’s report on pesticides in schools. But, according to Beyond Pesticides, a nonprofit anti-pesticide group, these health problems are the least worrisome, as twenty-two of the forty-eight chemicals commonly used in schools can cause cancer and sixteen can cause birth defects. Among other possible consequences of using poisons to keep down insects and vermin are nervous system damage and adverse effects on human reproduction, according to Beyond Pesticides.

Indoor air quality is another concern. The air inside school facilities may include toxic chemicals and allergens, which can lead to hyperactivity, asthma, and learning disabilities, according to Mothers for Clean Air. In an effort to keep this air clean, MFCA will be assisting Spring Branch ISD this fall in implementing an indoor air quality program in forty-six schools.

Although the program, called Tools for Schools, is a step in the right direction, many groups are asking the Bush administration to do more, including allocating federal funds for states to conduct school health and safety repairs and renovations. Specifically, some groups are asking for funding for a program that will help states show schools how to design and engineer healthier and more energy efficient facilities.

With or without government programs, TAP and MfCA stress that there are simple measures that can be taken now to reduce exposure. These measures include assuring that trucks and buses load and idle well away from the school, that cleaning products and art and science products are non-toxic, that classroom windows can be opened, and that ventilation systems are working properly.

For a complete checklist for environmental safety in schools, visit http://www.besafenet.com/checklist.pdf.

A more in-depth look at Houston’s schools and environmental safety will appear in an upcoming issue of CEC’s printed monthly newsletter, Environmental Exchange, which will contain updates on Tools for Schools initiatives as well as a look at many other issues affecting schools and children’s health, including what schools are doing to protect children from ozone.

HOUSTON FARMERS MARKET NOW TWICE A WEEK

The Houston Farmers Market, located behind Onion Creek Coffee House on White Oak Blvd., now has a second location at 2353 Rice Blvd., behind Christ the King Lutheran Church. The White Oak location will continue to be open every Saturday from 8 am until noon, and the Rice location will be open every Tuesday from 6 pm to 8 pm. The same fresh locally grown produce will be available at both markets, but each location will have different vendors, so patrons are encouraged to visit both. This week, local honey will be available at both locations; fresh-roasted whole-bean coffee will be available at the Rice location only. For more information, contact julie@houstonfarmersmarket.org.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WITH MOTHERS FOR CLEAN AIR

Mothers for Clean Air, a nonprofit group concerned with air pollution in the Houston-Galveston area and its effects on children’s health, is currently seeking volunteers for several upcoming events in September. Volunteers are needed for a variety of duties, from performing demonstrations and setting up tables to conducting children’s activities and distributing literature. The first event is an environmental health presentation at the Museum of Health and Medical Science on September 9. For more information, please contact Jane Laping at (713) 526-0110 or mfca@mothersforcleanair.org.

AIA HOUSTON GREEN TOOL BOX SERIES

The Houston chapter of the American Institute of Architects, through its Committee on the Environment, works to sustain and improve the environment by advancing environmental knowledge and values, and by advocating best design practices for integrating built and natural systems, to the profession, industry, and public. As part of this mission, the committee is holding a Green Tool Box series focusing on environmental architecture. Upcoming events include a discussion on being a green architect by Laverne Williams, an AIA environmental associate. Williams has more than 25 years of experience in green building design in and around Houston. Williams will discuss green techniques that work for southern climates on Tuesday, August 31, from 4 pm to 6 pm at 3000 Richmond, suite 500. For more information or to register, visit http://aiahouston.org/cote/aiacote-calendar.htm.

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CONSUMER GUIDE DETAILS ILLS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR COMMON PRODUCTS

A free online consumer guide published in March by the Worldwatch Institute describes the environmental, social, and health harms associated with a wide range of products, including appliances, baby products, DVDs, clothing, cell phones, and food. The guide takes a behind the scenes look at how products are made, and offers simple advice and alternatives that enable people to reduce some of the ills associated with the things they buy.
For each product, the guide also describes successful efforts by governments, businesses, and nonprofit groups around the world to reduce negative impacts associated with common products.
http://www.worldwatch.org/pubs/goodstuff

NEW REPORT IN PARKS FOR PEOPLE SERIES

The Trust For Public Land’s Parks for People initiative works in cities across America to ensure that everyone--in particular every child--enjoys access to a park, playground, or open space. A new Parks for People report by Peter Harnik, director of TPL's Center for City Park Excellence, highlights the need for parks in Newark, New Jersey. The report's release follows by several months the publication of TPL's Parks for People white paper, which makes the case for new city parks nationwide. Upcoming Parks for People publications will focus on other US cities.
http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=13843&folder_id=175

A HANDBOOK FOR ACTIVISTS

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, Wilderness Forever has created a handy-dandy guide to taking action. Learn how to draft your own action letters, organize enjoyable activism events, and get in touch with local media.
To obtain your own tree-free version of the guide:
http://www.wildernessforever.org/action/index.html
Learn more about the Wilderness Act:
http://www.wilderness.org/OurIssues/Wilderness/act.cfm

EPA SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

The EPA Summer Opportunities for Students website is now up and running. The site provides a web portal through which students may enter to learn about EPA programs, offices, and summer employment opportunities. They also will be able to submit a job application directly to the EPA location where there is a vacancy.
http://www.epa.gov/ohros/student