EMERY
UNIFIED
EMERYVILLE , CALIFORNIA 94608
RESOLUTION NO. 12-2004-2005
RESOLUTION FOR HEALTHY,
ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND SCHOOLS
WHEREAS
schools
have the potential to make positive, tangible environmental change in the world
while teaching students to be stewards of their communities, the earth and its
resources;
WHEREAS our
current school systems often suffer from inadequate facilities that frequently
use energy, water and other resources unsustainably; use pesticides, cleaning
agents and other chemicals that pose health risks; and can result in “sick
building syndrome” from indoor air pollution and poor ventilation;
WHEREAS many schools across the
nation are sited on or near toxic waste dumps, environmentally hazardous
facilities, and other sources of pollution;
WHEREAS schools are important
consumers of natural resources, including energy, water, food, and paper, and
generators of waste materials, including garbage, runoff, and air emissions,
which contribute to the world’s larger environmental problems like global
warming, water and air pollution, and habitat destruction;
WHEREAS children, teachers, and
staff are regularly exposed to toxic chemicals at school, are offered poor and
unhealthy food choices, and use and manage resources unsustainably resulting in
negative impacts on their health and their ability to teach and learn;
WHEREAS this district expends
considerable financial resources on chemical pest control, cleaning supplies,
energy, water, office and school supplies, and educational activities
(resolution could include specific statistics from the district on funds spent
on specific resources);
WHEREAS this district has a
considerable opportunity through its purchasing power to improve both the
environment and its financial bottom line;
WHEREAS many options and choices
exist for schools to use natural resources more efficiently; to reduce, reuse,
and recycle; to follow “Healthy, High Performance School Guidelines” for
construction; to ban junk food and soda and produce healthy lunches through
local farm–to–school partnerships; to eliminate toxic chemicals; and to
purchase (or produce) clean energy and recycled paper to protect our global
environment;
WHEREAS there is a tremendous
opportunity to teach children about ecological sustainability, environmental
health and nutrition; meet math, science and social studies standards;
integrate environmental education into curricula; and support students to
become leaders in making their own school a healthier and more ecologically friendly
place;
WHEREAS the Precautionary
Principle has been adopted by a growing number of cities, as well as the Los
Angeles Unified School District as a proactive approach to promote the safest,
lowest risk way to protect people’s health, the environment, and property;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
that the Governing Authority of the
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED to
promote healthier, more environmentally sustainable schools and teach
environmental leadership, the School Board hereby:
. Adopts the
Precautionary Principle as the foundation for its environmental policy. The
Precautionary Principle includes the following elements:
·
ANTICIPATORY ACTION: There is a duty to take anticipatory action
to prevent harm. Government, business, and community groups, as well as the
general public, share this responsibility.
·
RIGHT
TO KNOW: The community has a right to know complete and accurate information on
potential human health and environmental impacts associated with the selection
of products, services, operations or plans. The burden to supply this
information lies with the proponent, not with the general public.
·
ALTERNATIVES
ASSESSMENT: An obligation exists to examine a full range of alternatives and
select the alternative with the least potential impact on human health and the
environment, including the alternative of doing nothing.
·
FULL
COST ACCOUNTING: When evaluating potential alternatives, there is a duty to
consider all the reasonably foreseeable costs, including raw materials,
manufacturing, transportation, use, cleanup, eventual disposal, and health
costs even if such costs are not reflected in the initial price. Short and
long–term benefits and time thresholds should be considered when making
decisions.
·
PARTICIPATORY
DECISION PROCESS: Decisions applying the Precautionary Principle must be
transparent, participatory, and informed by the best available information.
2. Calls on the district to develop an action
plan to implement a proactive environmental policy based on the Precautionary
Principle that includes the following to be prioritized and implemented step by
step:
2.1 The development and adoption of an
Integrated Pest Management program and other policies to minimize or eliminate
the use of hazardous pesticides and herbicides in schools.
2.2 An audit of cleaning materials used in
district schools and the development of a plan to use the least toxic substances.
2.3 Mechanisms to ensure that new schools are
not sited near or on environmental health hazards.
2.4 A program to ensure that new schools are
built and existing schools refurbished following Healthy, High Performance
school building criteria that mandate the use of environmentally sound building
material, efficient use of energy, water and other resources, and the creation
of a healthy learning environment for children.
2.5 A district–wide plan to improve the energy
efficiency of schools, to increasingly rely on clean, renewable energy sources
to power the district’s facilities, and to ultimately transform schools into
independent power producers by investing in clean renewable technologies such
as solar and wind.
2.6 The creation of district–wide recycling and
composting programs, along with the procurement of recycled office, cafeteria
and classroom supplies.
2.7 Follow and build upon the examples of New
York City, Chicago, Nashville, San Francisco and others and ban soda, candy,
junk food and fast food from all school grounds.
2.8 Evaluate the district’s school lunch program
to ensure good nutrition and consider developing a farm–to–school program.
2.9 Encourage the development of school gardens
and green schoolyards as hands–on learning tools that promote good nutrition,
stewardship of the land, and that teach to standards.
2.10 Adopt frameworks that meet state standards and
integrate environmental education and student participation into school–wide
environmental initiatives, using partnerships with environmental education
providers (non–profit and public agencies)
APPROVED,
PASSED, AND ADOPTED by the Governing Board of the
Cheryl Webb
Board Clerk
Emery Unified