Press Release - Wednesday, July 13, 2005
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Governor Blagojevich awards grants to help make schools healthier and environmentally responsible
SPRINGFIELD - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency today awarded School Greening grants to 10 more Illinois schools for projects to promote water and energy conservation, waste reduction and use of nontoxic materials. With today's announcement, 50 schools around the state have received grants of up to $2,500, for a total of $109,282.
"These grants are relatively small investments that can result in a big payoff by creating healthier indoor and outdoor environments for our students," said Governor Blagojevich.
"These projects not only provide a healthier and environmentally responsible school environment but set good examples that can be shared throughout the education community," said Illinois EPA Director Doug Scott.
The new group of projects funded by the grants range from purchase of environmentally preferable cleaners and other products and microfiber mops and cloths to improve indoor air quality, to purchase of drought resistant plants and occupancy sensors for water and energy conservation.
The grants are part of the Governor's Safe and Healthy Schools Initiative. Other elements of the program include numerous workshops for school personnel on environmentally-safe maintenance and "green chemistry" techniques; pickups to provide safe removal of potentially hazardous chemicals from schools; a "Green Schools" instructional video; pilot "indoor environmental coordinator" grants; and the Governor's Clean School Bus program that provides grants and technical assistance for equipment and fuels and instructional workshops to reduce potentially hazardous diesel bus fumes.
The new School Greening Grants announced today are:
Chicago: Alexander Graham Bell School/Richard T. Crane Prep Common School/Roswell B. Mason Elementary School --- $2,500 grant for each school
Purchase environmentally preferable products that have lower amounts of potentially toxic ingredients, including glass cleaners and restroom cleaners, and purchase microfiber mopping system and high efficiency vacuum cleaner.
Delavan: Delavan Community Unit School District #703--- $2,500
Purchase sand, gravel, manure, landscape cloth, trees, and native perennials as part of a water conservation effort, utilizing drought tolerant vegetation.
Dolton: Berger Vandenberg Elementary School/Dolton --- $1,666
Purchase environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.
Machesney Park: Olson Park School --- $2,203
Purchase a rain barrel, watering cones, drought resistant shrubs, drought resistant plants, weed barrier, and GrowLab lamp for a water conservation project.
Maple Park: Kaneland Community High School --- $2,100
Purchase microscale and green chemistry books and supplies to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals used in lab classes.
Mundelein: Sally Potter School --- $2,500
Purchase occupancy sensors and materials to make posters, signs and brochures to encourage energy efficiency activities within the school.
Ottawa: Ottawa Elementary School District #141---$2,500
Purchase energy efficient upright vacuums with on board tools, and backpack vacuums with dual HEPA filters to improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency.
Streamwood: Streamwood High School --- $2,090
Purchase dual technology occupancy sensors, infrared technology occupancy sensors and wiring to improve energy efficiency in classrooms.
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