Help Us Grow Green Schools

Dear Friends,

I want to tell you a story about Ray, a California 4th grader who has just been diagnosed with asthma, and how you can help Green Schools Initiative make all California schools healthy and sustainable. Every day, Ray is exposed to toxic chemicals linked to asthma and cancer from his school's cleaning products, building materials, and even other plastic school supplies. He has already been absent many times this fall.

Now Ray's grades are beginning to slip as a result of his asthma absences. But his parents are not yet aware of the impact the school environment is having on their son's health and academic achievement.

Unfortunately, Ray's story is increasingly typical. In California, asthma is the single biggest cause of school absenteeism from a chronic illness, afflicting more than 1 million children and resulting in more than $40 million in lost revenues annually for California schools.

The good news is that Green Schools Initiative is succeeding in improving the environmental health and sustainability of K-12 schools in California! With a gift to Green Schools Initiative, you can make sure that Ray - and your own child - has a positive, healthy future.

Green Schools Initiative has:

• Trained 900 educators and parents in over 375 schools about how to make their schools healthier in cost-effective, sustainable ways,

• Launched four Cleaning for Asthma Safe Schools (CLASS) Pilot Projects, and

• Promoted green cleaning in school policies statewide, through the pending Clean and Healthy Schools Act (AB821).

But California educates more than 6 million school children - 1 of every 8 American students - in more than 12,000 public, charter, and independent schools.

We need your help to increase our impact. Please make a tax-deductible donation to the Green Schools Initiative today, and you can increase the chances for kids like Ray to succeed.

Your gift at any level will help California schools become greener, and help your child improve their health and academic achievement.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to working with you in the New Year to green your school...

With appreciation,

Deborah Moore
Executive Director, Green Schools Initiative

If you would prefer to make your donation by check, please make payable to our 501c3 non-profit fiscal sponsor Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, with Green Schools Initiative in the memo line, and mail to: Green Schools Initiative, 2150 Allston Way, Suite 460, Berkeley, CA 94704.

P.S. Did you know that a new study of air pollution by the Environmental Working Group reveals that cleaning supplies commonly used in many California school districts could be clouding classroom air with more than 450 distinct toxic contaminants, including chemical agents linked to asthma and cancer? Read “The Toxic Truth about School Cleaning Supplies” and then follow our steps for getting your school to switch to less-toxic, green cleaners.

P.P.S. Got inspiration? Read inspiring stories of schools just like yours that are successfully engaging students in reducing their school’s carbon emissions and garbage, and teaching critical thinking schools through school audits, gardens, and recycling programs. Visit our Green School Profiles to learn more, or share you own success story!