Clean Air Schools Champions Forum

We hope you've had a great and productive Clean Commute Week!  We'd like to wrap up with some of our favorite images from our partner schools.  Enjoy, and keep on clean commuting!

Did you know...

...that school bus ridership saves as much as 3 billion gallons of car fuel every single year?
...that riding the bus reduces truancy?
...that the safety record for school bus transportation exceeds that of all other modes of travel?
(source: SchoolBusFacts.com, American School Bus Council) 

All we're saying is, buses have a lot going for them. That's why we're encouraging more and more kids to ride the bus to school every year!  More bus riders means more kids getting to school safely and on time.  Plus, taking individual cars out of the equation means less air pollution overall.  What's not to love about that?

So as Clean Commute Week pulls into the home stretch, show a little love for the bus!

For this year's Clean Commute Week, we've teamed up with Georgia Safe Routes to School to feature Georgia Walk to School Day!

Walking is a great healthy way to get from Point A to Point B--and it's absolutely free! No special equipment required. How can you get your students moving?  Try getting a crew together to form your very own walking school bus!  Maybe your kids could make up their very own song or cheer to chant along the way.  There are plenty of ways to make walking to school fun and unforgettable!

If your school would like to put together its very own Walk to School Day, check out the great free resources on the Safe Routes website.  It's a great way to get your students moving for cleaner air!

Keep up the clean commuting, everyone!

It's Clean Commute Week, and what better way to celebrate than by making it official--fill out your Clean Air Schools registration today!

It's not too late to become a Clean Air School for the 2011-2012 term. Just register on our website by March 16th, and you've got until the end of the school year to complete your Clean Air School surveys.

Brand-new participant? Click here.
Old pro?  Click here.

Our official Clean Commute Week is happening now, but there's plenty of time to throw your own clean commuting celebration before the year's out. Think of all the deep breaths your school could serve up once you start educating your school community on our No Idling, Pool to School and Ride the Bus programs!  You're welcome to download our FREE Clean Commute Week toolkit to get you started--plus, there are plenty of other great free resources on the Clean Air Campaign website under "Schools".

So, what are you waiting for?  Celebrate Clean Commute Week the right way. Register to become a Clean Air School today!

Happy Clean Commute Week, everyone! We hope you're gearing up for a great week of raising awareness about clean, green ways to get to school. And if you haven't already downloaded our free toolkit full of great resources and ideas for your Clean Commute Week celebration, just click here to get it now!

If you need help getting into the clean commuting spirit, click the image below to check out a great video produced by the White Oak Environmental Club.  It's cool to pool to school!

Enjoy clean commuting!  See you in the carpool!

Clean Air Schools that completed their baseline survey before February 3rd were entered into a drawing for a visit from BAIR, the Clean Air Campaign mascot. Congratulations to our winners below! Keep an eye out for additional chances to win prizes throughout the school-year!

Union Elementary, Paulding County Schools

Shakerag Elementary, Fulton County Schools

Shallowford Fall Elementary, Cobb County Schools

How green is your school? Do you have high standards of efficiency, student health and environmental education? If so, then you could be selected to be a National Green Ribbon School.

The Georgia Department of Education is now accepting applications for Georgia schools to participate in the National DOE Green Ribbon Schools Program.  They’re partnering with USGBC-Georgia, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, The Clean Air Campaign, Georgia EPD, and the Turner Foundation to recognize clean, green Georgia schools.

National Green Ribbon Schools are schools that excel in three areas:  1) optimal efficiency in energy, water and waste management; 2) healthy students and school environment; and 3) environmental education. Up to four Georgia K-12 schools will be nominated to the U.S. Department of Education to compete for the coveted national distinction of being an inaugural Green Ribbon School.

The Turner Foundation has generously pledged $10,000 for the school or schools who are recognized with a National DOE Green Ribbon.  (If multiple Georgia schools are selected for the National Green Ribbon Program, they will split the prize.)

Applications are due February 24, 2012.  You can download and submit the application at www.usgbcga.org or at www.gadoe.org beginning today.

The winning Georgia schools will be announced on the steps of the State Capitol Building March 15^th, 2012, to kick off Georgia’s first High Performance, Healthy Schools Day. Time is running out, so submit your school’s application today!

Nothing's cooler than kids getting creative about clean air.  Last week, the students of White Oak Elementary dove into carpooling in a big way.  Donning swimsuits, snorkels and pool floaties, this group spread the word to their classmates that it's cool to pool to school!  Check out the photos below--we think their efforts made a huge splash.

So how can you put imaginations at your school to work for better air?  Show us your ideas and we just might feature you on the Champions Forum!

BAIR wants to visit your school!  Submit your baseline survey by February 1st for a chance to have BAIR help kick off your education campaign and become a 2011-2012 Clean Air School! 

We have created lots fun dates for you to build your Clean Air Schools program around. You can use these opportunities to engage your school community. Keep an eye out for detailed emails and opportunities to win prizes! Visit the website to view the whole calendar.  

January 25^th: “Young Lungs at Work” Art Competition details released

February 13^th-17^th: “I HEART AIR”

March 5^th-9^th:  Clean Commute Week

April 22^nd: Earth Day

April 30^th-May 4^th: Air Quality Awareness Week

Need advice on how to get education campaign off the ground or how to develop your program further?  Contact us at 678-244-7726 or Schools@CleanAirCampaign.org