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Support the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act

The House of Representatives recently passed the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act with $20 billion for greening public schools across the nation. The bill now heads to the Senate

Our Nation's 60 million students spend up to 40 hours a week in facilities that are often unhealthy and a hindrance to their ability to learn. Green schools reduce sick days, significantly improve the health of students with asthma and other respiratory illnesses, and improve student morale and confidence. If this bill passes, we will be taking a huge leap forward toward our goal to make every school in America a green and healthy place to learn, while we save energy and create new green jobs!

Specifically, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act will:

Save money for communities and taxpayers
Create employment
Foster capacity for ‘greening’ the nation
Reduce pollution loads
Improve health
Improve student performance / achievement

Please contact your Senators today and urge them to vote YES on the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act.

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November 21, 2009

Subject:

Dear Senator,

I am writing to ask you to vote for the 21ST CENTURY GREEN HIGH-PERFORMING PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES ACT, which passed the House of Representatives on June 4th.  This bill will help our nation’s 60 million school children to learn and grow in a healthier environment. It will also help our nation’s school districts, which are struggling to make essential improvements during this lean economic period, to improve their school facilities while creating new jobs, saving significant amounts of energy, and improving the health and safety of our nation’s children.

Why should this be a priority for you?  As Congress moves to address climate change and energy costs, it is worth noting that thirty-nine percent of our greenhouse gas emissions comes from buildings, and each green and energy efficient school will lead to annual emission reductions of 585,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) – the principal greenhouse gas and the principal product of combustion; 150 pounds of coarse particulate matter (PM10) – a principal cause of respiratory illness and an important contributor to smog; 1,200 pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx) – a principal component of smog; and 1,300 pounds of sulfur dioxide (SO2) – a principal cause of acid rain.
 
The health benefits of green schools include reduced student sick days; lessened the incidence of diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses; significantly reduced short and long term dental problems; and improved self esteem.  In addition, the educational rewards for going green include: reduced teacher sick days and student absenteeism; increased state test scores; improved staff productivity; reduced social inequity; enhanced student motivation; and more productive graduates entering our communities. A green school costs less than 2% more than conventional schools - or about $3 per square foot – but provides financial benefits that are 20 times as large, typically utilizing 33% less energy and 32% less water than a traditionally designed school – enough savings to hire two additional full-time teachers.  In addition, these funds will put more people to work and improve local property values.  
 
I urge you to vote yes on the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act and support our children and our nation's future.

Thank you.

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Support the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act