Schools are going green

Warwick Valley and schools expect benefits from environmentally friendly products Chester — Chester Academy and Warwick Valley school are going green — along with every other district in the state. No more harsh cleansers or sickening chemical smells radiating through the buildings. Thanks to a law that just went into effect in New York, schools are now required to use environmentally sensitive cleaning and maintenance supplies. The bill was signed into law by Gov. George Pataki in August 2005. The new law applies to buildings and grounds at all public and private elementary and secondary schools. Districts had until this school year to start getting green. As Richard Corrigan, superintendent of Buildings and Grounds in the Chester School District, noted, the change should be seamless. “It will be a gradual implementation,” said Corrigan. “Manufacturers can do their research and districts can research and use up their remaining supplies.” Steve Salvato, who heads the Buildings and Grounds department in Warwick Valley Schools, thinks that ‘going green’ is a good thing. “It’s good for the environment and not necessarily more expensive in the long run,” Salvato said. Salvato said the new products are used in measured amounts so the waste is much less than having a gallon jug of cleaning fluid on hand. “Things are concentrated,” he said. “When you get the systems set up and you are not wasting, that saves money. You are not wasting nearly as much product.” The environment is a beneficiary and so are the children and staff members in the schools. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend, on average, 90 percent of their time indoors. Children are especially susceptible to air pollution. Keeping schools safe and clean is vital. Harmful effects that chemicals can have, especially on children, was one of the issues that prompted this legislation. With more and more “green” products available, putting this into effect is that much easier. All of the products that can be used by the districts must be certified by Green Seal and Environmental Choice, independent, non-profit organizations who strive to achieve a healthier, cleaner environment. The groups research all products to make sure they meet the guidelines set forth in the legislation. But are they as effective as conventional products? The jury is out on that since the districts are not solely using the green products just yet. Corrigan said that the ones his people have used “seem to hold up well.” This legislation was passed in 2005 and took effect Sept. 1. It was sponsored by Sen. Stephen Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, and Sen. James Alesi, R-Perinton, Monroe County.