 According to HealthySchools.org, 55 million children attend public and private K-12 schools in the U.S. where poor air quality, hazardous chemicals and other unhealthy conditions can make students (and their teachers) sick and handicap their ability to learn. But the flip side is that healthy school buildings contribute to student learning, reduce health and operating costs, and ultimately, increase school quality and competitiveness.
The bottom line is that the payback for investments in green cleaning, insect pest management systems (IPM), and other green building measures is nearly 25 to 1 when all the financial benefits are taken into account. Better Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), for example, reduces asthma-absenteeism. Energy efficiencies save money and reduce contributions to climate change. (See chart.)
Learn More:
America’s Continuing Environmental Health Crisis for Children
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