The recipients of this year’s Green Cleaning Award for Schools and Universities share many traits, among them vision; passion; innovation; communication skills; expertise; and exceptional leadership ability.
But perhaps the biggest aspect they share is an overall commitment to providing healthful learning environments for students and staff.
The Green Cleaning Award for Schools and Universities was created by American School & University 10 years ago. Done in conjunction with the Green Cleaning Network and the Healthy Schools Campaign, the program recognizes education institutions that have established exemplary green cleaning programs.
Education institutions have been at the forefront of the green movement in the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of their facilities. A green cleaning program expands on this commitment to sustainability. It includes policies, practices, training and a shared responsibility to minimize the impact of cleaning on the health and wellness of facility occupants, and to protect the environment as a whole.
This year’s program presented a Grand Award to one K-12 and one higher-education institution. Lake Washington School District in Redmond, Wash., received the Grand Award, K-12, and Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo was awarded the Grand Award, Higher Education.
In addition, two Silver awards and two Honorable Mentions were presented. The Elk Grove (Calif.) Unified School District was awarded the Silver Citation, K-12, and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, received the Silver Citation, Higher Education. The Baldwin (N.Y.) Union Free School District and Folsom Lake College, Folsom, Calif., received Honorable Mentions for their exceptional programs.
The programs honored with a Green Cleaning Award offer exceptional insight into green cleaning programs that can be emulated by other education institutions and serve as a springboard for schools and universities looking to start or improve their green cleaning programs.
For more in-depth coverage of the Green Cleaning Award winners and their programs, visit http://asumag.com/green/green-cleaning-award-schools-universities. You also can peruse 10 years of winning school and university green cleaning programs at the special Green Cleaning Award channel listed above, as well as find information and guidelines for upcoming green cleaning award programs.
