The Cobb County School District is ‘thinking green’ by expanding efforts to conserve resources and partnering with the Clean Air Campaign to build a community of Clean Air Schools. During its April 15 work session, the Board of Education enthusiastically supported the new partnership with Clean Air Campaign, a non-profit organization that works with Georgia businesses, schools and individuals to promote clean air policy and commute options for employees. The District’s maintenance and transportation departments also presented detailed plans to improve recycling programs, conserve energy resources in schools and facilities and overhaul school buses to reduce emissions.

The Clean Air Campaign’s Clean Air Schools program is already in place in nine Cobb schools and will be expanded throughout the district. The program is anchored in education, teaching students how they can contribute to a healthier environment. Students will be encouraged to ride school buses or walk to school, both of which can reduce traffic congestion. Cobb teachers will be provided with lesson plans related to air quality that are aligned to Georgia Performance Standards, supplementing the curriculum already in place. The campaign will assist the District in implementing No-Idling Zones, helping reduce unnecessary vehicle idling on school grounds. Signage and materials for the No-Idling Zones will be provided to schools and the Clean Air Campaign will collect data to demonstrate how the effort results in cleaner air for Cobb County.

For Cobb County School District employees, the Clean Air Campaign will work with schools and offices to create rideshare programs with ‘commuter rewards’ incentives and explore alternative work arrangements that help conserve resources and maximize productivity. District employees already voluntarily carpooling have received more than $5,000 in incentives to date and removed 63,000 tons of pollution from the air! The Clean Air Campaign will work with District administrators in the coming months to help develop and implement these programs for the 2009-2010 school year.

Meanwhile, the school district’s Operations divisions are expanding conservation efforts by targeting utility costs, the District’s carbon footprint, and the generation and management and waste. The Board previously approved a pilot program for recycling in schools that will reduce trash pick-up costs and potentially help schools raise funds through recycling. The District’s Maintenance department is already a leader in the use of ‘green’ cleaning supplies and will continue to expand the use of environmentally sound products. Maintenance will use SPLOST III funds to retrofit lighting in 20 schools for greater efficiency, convert exit signs to LED lights and replace faucets and toilets with low-flow versions. The department also will review HVAC, lighting and irrigation systems for maximum energy and cost savings.

Conserving energy and resources in transportation also will be a major focus for the District. The department will test a program to retrofit school buses with emissions-reducing exhaust devices and will review policies on bus idling to conserve fuel. Transportation will recycle available vehicle materials and resources whenever possible.

The Clean Air Campaign will work with the District to have a conservation-focused section of the District Web site to document progress and provide tips for students, parents and employees. The Web site,  www.cobbk12.org, is also a major part of the District’s conservation efforts, saving thousands of dollars in paper and printing costs annually by providing important information and documents online. These ‘green-minded’ changes all add up to a cleaner environment in Cobb County and savings for Cobb taxpayers.