National Healthy Schools Day: Why it is so important

April 28, 2008 is “National Healthy Schools Day.”

When we hear “Healthy Schools Day,” the natural assumption is that “Healthy” refers to student wellness, eliminating junk food in the school cafeteria, and encouraging kids to exercise more. However, there is another purpose for celebrating National Healthy Schools Day.

“National Healthy Schools Day” comes during “School Building Week,” which is April 28 - May 2, 2008. The purpose is to celebrate the "health" of our school buildings. The health or "sickness" of the “School Facilities / Buildings,” can directly affect the health of our most precious commodities, our children and grandchildren. The goal is to make sure our school buildings are clean and healthy, not “sick.”

QUICK FACTS:

• According to the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] “nearly one in 13 children now have asthma and the numbers of students using inhalers in schools is rising at an epidemic proportion.”
• According to the Center for Disease Control [CDC], “Asthma is the third ranking cause of hospitalization of children ages 15 and under.”
• According to the EPA, CDC, and the National Academy of Science [NAS], “Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors [this includes children in school] exposed to indoor allergens and irritants which play a significant role in triggering asthma episodes. Asthma “triggers” include: dust, mold, mildew, strong fumes from cleaning products, paints, construction dust and fumes, diesel exhaust, and toxic pesticides.”
• Children and staff with asthma, allergies, or chemical sensitivities are going to experience health problems unless strict precautions are taken.

One piece of the IAQ Tools for Schools is a "Walk Through." Two short video segments can be seen below.

#2. December 19, 2007, the president signed into law the President Signs Energy Bill Enacting Healthy High Performance Schools . Write to your legislators, get them involved in putting this new law into action NOW.

#3. Encourage your school district to work toward one of the EPA's awards for good indoor air quality in schools. How exciting it would be for our children to attend a "Healthy" High Performance School! Awards: US EPA National Special Achievement Award for School Indoor Air Quality, Collaborative for High Performance Schools Award for IAQ in School Design

#4. Finally, encourage your school to "Get Clean by Going Green!" Changing to biodegradable, environmentally safe cleaning products will reduce the toxin and off gasses in school buildings. Green Cleaning will improve air qualtiy and keep our children and staff healthier and safer. See side bar to links of Eco-friendly cleaning products.

For more information and suggestions on how to celebrate "National Healthy Schools Day", please visit the National Healthy Schools Day website.