March 2021

Issue 5

EPA Region 6—South Central

HEALTHY SCHOOLS

Special points of
interest:

•	Earth Day is April 22,

2021

•	Air Quality

Awareness Week
in May

•	National

Environmental
Education Week in
April

•	Clean Air and

Asthma

Awareness Week
in May

•	Fix a Leak Week in

March

•	Drinking Water

Week in May

•	National Ground

Water Awareness
Week in March

•	April is Food Waste

Recovery
Challenge Month

•	Spring Cleaning with

Safer Choice

•	USDA News for

Educators

Serving Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Texas, and 66 Tribes

Helping Kids Learn in a Pollution Free Environment

April 22 is Earth Day!

Earth Day, April 22, is fast
approaching. Every year,
we take this opportunity to
remember how important
the environment is to our
daily lives and pledge to do
more to protect the Earth. It
may be hard to imagine
that before 1970, a factory
could spew black clouds of
toxic smoke into the air or
dump tons of toxic waste
into a nearby stream, and
that was perfectly legal.
They could not be taken to
court to stop it. How was
that possible? Because
there was no EPA, no
Clean Air Act, no Clean
Water Act. There were no
legal or regulatory
mechanisms to protect our
environment.

Since then, the
Environmental Protection

Agency has been created,
and environmental laws
and standards have been
enacted to protect our
environment and the health
of our children and
families. Every day, we are
finding new solutions and
new partnerships
necessary to address the
challenges of this century.
For example, on February
19, 2021, the United States
rejoined the Paris
Agreement, the
international treaty on
climate change. Every
American has a
responsibility to minimize
their impact on the
environment. Earth Day is
a great time to learn more
about ways to reduce our
solid waste, air pollution,
and wasted water. Our

website, www.epa.gov/
earthdav. has some great
tools to help!

If every one of us will
adopt the simple truth
that "I can save the
earth," we will realize
how much we can
achieve together.

William D. Ruckel-
shaus, April 22, 1971, at
Ohio State University

fogrcn iw o SarcogM Men

Air Quality Awareness Week is May 3-7

WHAT IS THE AIR QUALITY INDEX? The AQI is a guide for reporting daily air quality. It
indicates how clean or polluted the air is and identifies health effects. EPA uses the AQI for
five common air pollutants: ground level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur
dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. For each pollutant. EPA has established national air quality
standards to protect against harmful health effects.

WHAT DO THE COLORS MEAN? The Flag Program uses green, yellow, orange red, and
purple flags that correspond to the AQI.

WHAT IS THE SCHOOL FLAG PROGRAM? The Flag Program uses colored flags based on
the AQI to notify teachers, coaches, students and others about outdoor air quality conditions.
Schools raise a colored flag each day that corresponds to their local air quality forecast.

HOW WILL I KNOW WHAT COLOR FLAG TO USE? Check the AQI to know what color flag
to use at www.epa.gov/airnow or subscribing to www.enviroflash.info.

Mark your calendars!
The next Air Quality
Awareness Week

(#AQAW) will be held
May 3-7, 2021. More
to come on topics and
theme for 2021 soon!
In the meantime, check

out the #AQAW2020

website: https://

www.airnow.gov/

aqaw/


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Page 2

Healthy Schools March 2021

Issue 5

Learning Links- April 19-23 is National Environmental Education Week

Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem
solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of
environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.

The components of environmental education are:

•Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges
•Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges
•Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain environmental quality
•Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges
•Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges

Environmental education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. Rather, environmental
education teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking and it enhances their
own problem-solving and decision-making skills. Additional information can be found at https://www.epa.gov/
education/what-environmental-education

Notes for Nurses—May 3-9 is Clean Air and Asthma

Awareness Week

The Asthma and Allergy
Foundation of America
(AAFA) and the
MedicAlert Foundation
have teamed up to raise
awareness about
asthma and

anaphylaxis. The goal of
this partnership is to
help you manage your
conditions and prevent
life-threatening medical
emergencies.

Since 1984, the Asthma
and Allergy Foundation of
America (AAFA) has
declared May to be
"National Asthma and
Allergy Awareness Month."
It's a peak season for
people with asthma and
allergies, and a perfect
time to educate patients,
family, friends, co-workers
and others about these
diseases.

More than 60 million
Americans overall have
asthma and allergies.

•	About 25 million
Americans have
asthma (19 million
adults and 6.2 million
children)

•	About 32 million
Americans have food
allergies (26 million
adults and 6 million
children)

• About 21 million
Americans have hay
fever, rhinitis or nasal
allergies (20 million
adults and 5.6 million
children)

These numbers paint a
picture of how many
people in the U.S. are
managing asthma and
allergies. But they don't
paint a picture of the
overall impact these
diseases have on people
and communities.

Custodian's Closet—March 15-21 is Fix A Leak Week

Approximately six percent
of total water use in
commercial and
institutional facilities in the
U.S. takes place in
educational facilities, such
as schools, universities,
museums and libraries.
The largest uses of water
in educational facilities are
restrooms, landscaping,
heating and cooling, and
cafeteria kitchens.

End Uses of Water in Schools

3%

Kitchen/Oithwashing

Landscapiitg

Cooling ami Heating

Domestk/Restrooftt

Pools

Laundry

Other


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Healthy Schools March 2021

Issue 5

Page 3

National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 7-13

National Groundwater
Awareness Week is aimed
at raising consciousness of
the importance of
groundwater in society.

This year's theme is
"Groundwater awareness
is important to you!" Today,
groundwater is more
important than ever.
According to the National
Groundwater Association,
it is estimated that 85% of
the world's population live
in the driest half of the
planet, one in nine people
do not have access to
clean water, and 840,000
people die each year from
water, sanitation, and
hygiene-related issues.

There is also one thousand
times more water
underneath the Earth's
surface than is present in
all the world's rivers and
lakes (USGS).

It is a common myth that
contaminating one source
of water will not affect other
sources, but this is not the
case, due to the hydrologic
cycle. Water is always on
the move! It evaporates,
condenses, and
precipitates back to the
Earth. If one body of water
gets polluted, this can lead
to other bodies being
contaminated due to this
cycle. There are many
different possible changes

Spring Cleaning with Safer Choice

With spring comes Earth
Day, flowers blooming,
and, of course, spring
cleaning. This year, EPA
Region 6 is asking that
your school make the
swap from one traditional
cleaning product to a Safer
Choice labeled alternative.
You may have heard that
Safer Choice labeled
products are safer for
human health and the
environment, but did you
know that they clean just

as well as traditional
products? Safer Choice
labeled products meet the
Safer Choice Standard for
performance and
ingredient safety, so you
won't be sacrificing quality
for peace of mind. There
are many types of products
that carry the Safer Choice
label, so there are tons of
opportunities to swap! To
search all of the products
that meet the Safer Choice
Standard, and find where
to purchase them, visit

that water can go through
during this continuous
cycle, and it is our
responsibility to ensure
water does not get
contaminated whenever
possible.

Protecting groundwater
sources is up to you! There
are three steps to follow
when considering
protecting sources of
groundwater:

Be Aware. Do you know
where the tap water in your
house comes from? Is it
groundwater or surface
water? What body of water
does it come from? Are
there potential sources of
contamination located
nearby?

https://www.epa.gov/
saferchoice/products.

By making the switch to a
Safer Choice labeled
product, your school is
making a commitment to
a healthier environment,
inside and out, for your
students. If your school
chooses to participate in
this challenge, please let
our Safer Choice program
coordinator Whitney
Lehrer know, so she can
recognize your efforts!

Be Mindful. Household
pollutants can lead to
groundwater
contamination. Consider
using less of these
chemicals.

Use Less. Track what the
main sources of water are
in your household. How
can water usage be
limited?

https://

www.twdb.texas.gov/
conservation/index.asp

https://www.epa.gov/sites/
production/files/2015-08/
documents/mgwc-
gwal .pdf

0

1	SAFER |
I CHOICE I

She is also available to
answer any questions you
may have.

As you tackle your spring-
cleaning list, make sure to
look for the Safer Choice
label on your products!

Contact: Whitney Lehrer,
214-665-6553 or
lehrer.whitnev@epa.gov

CONSIDER THE

31% of fresh tomatoes
bought by U.S.
households are thrown
out—that's 21 tomatoes
a year per person!

Throwing out that many
tomatoes costs us a
bundle— over $2.3 billion
a year. If only it was just
tomatoes... the cost of all
U.S. household food
waste = $166 BILLION!

TOMATO...

By making small shifts in
how we shop, store, and
prepare food, we can
keep the valuable
resources used to
produce and distribute
food from going to
waste, https://
www.epa.gov/sustainable-
management-food/ioining-
food-recoverv-challenge-
and-awards-process

April 2021 is Food Waste
Recovery Challenge Month

WASTED FOOD = WASTED RESOURCES

U.S. FOOD WASTE ACCOUNTS FOR:



Enough
land to feed
the world's
hungry.




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May 2-8 is Drinking Water Week

In 1988, American Water Works Association brought Drinking Water Week to the attention of our government and
formed a coalition along with the League of Women Voters, the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators and
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Rep. Robert Roe and Sen. Dennis DeConcini subsequently sponsored a
resolution to name the first week of May as Drinking Water Week, and the week-long observance was declared in a joint
congressional resolution signed by then President Ronald Reagan. So, for more than 40 years the American Water
Works Association and its members have used Drinking Water Week as a unique opportunity for both water
professionals and the communities they serve to recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives.

Here are some links to help students in different grades understand where our drinking water comes from.

For K-3 Students	For 4-8 Students	For 9-12 Students

Thirstin's water cycle adventure
Thirstin's water cycle
Thirstin's wacky water adventure

u -

ml



.M

Matching water terms

Non-point source pollution

Water purification by evaporation
and condensation

The role of plants in water filtration

Build your own watershed (PDFH2 pp.
28K About PDF

Question & answer game

All information can be found at https://
www.epa.gov/oround-water-and-
drinking-water/drinking-water-
activities-students-and-teachers

Notes from the Southwest Center for Pediatric Health in El Paso, Texas

Lead exposure in children is still a big problem in the United
States. Indoor lead hazard sources are the most dangerous for
children. Sadly, the risk of child lead exposure is ongoing
and there are many possible ongoing sources of environmental
lead. Check the school for peeling paint, especially on surfaces
close to where children eat, play, and walk. Check the lower
parts of school walls, corners, windowsills, window frames, and
door frames. Check the outside walls too, especially those that
are near playground areas and student pickup areas. Even
when the topcoat of paint is lead-free, when paint peels, the
peeling can expose underlying surfaces of lead-based
paint. And did you know, paint chips taste sweet. When a child
eats one paint chip, they often go back for more. As lead-
contaminated paint deteriorates, children can breathe in the
particles. If you find peeling paint in your school, report it to
your school administrator.

Lead in indoor dust is one of the most dangerous sources of
child lead exposure. Lead gets into indoor dust in many
ways. Lead from truck exhaust fumes and air pollution collects
in dust. Lead from deteriorating lead paint ends up in
dust. Lead contaminated objects can also "shed" lead into
indoor dust. That lead-contaminated dust ends up on children's
hands, and those hands usually end up in children's
mouths. So, get rid of that dust! It's not that hard to do. Wet
wiping and wet mopping is very effective. Every week be sure
to wet wipe and wet mop all those areas where dust collects,
surfaces, floors, corners, window sills, bookshelves, and
books. It's a simple way to help keep our children healthy, safe,
and lead-free!

Lead can be found throughout a child's environment.

Homes built before 1978
(when lead-based paints
were banned) probably
contain lead-based paint

When the paint peels and
cracks, it makes lead dust.
Children can be poisoned
when they swallow or
breathe in lead dust

Certain water pipes may
contain lead.

©

Lead can be found in
some products such as
toys and toy jewelry.

Lead is sometimes in
candies imported from
other countries or
traditional home
remedies.

Certain jobs and hobbies
involve working with
lead-based products, like
stain glass work, and may
cause parents to bring
lead into the home.


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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

yy OFFICE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

WWW.EPA.GOV

The Environmental Protection Agency extends nominations deadline for
the 2021 President's Environmental Student and Teacher Awards

WASHINGTON (February 19, 2021) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it's
extending the nominations deadline for their Environmental Education Presidential awards program. EPAs Office of
Environmental Education will now accept applications for the 2021 President's Environmental Youth Awards (PEYA) and
Presidential Innovation Awards for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) through April 30, 2021.

"Investing in our nation's students and teachers by creating opportunities to engage in real world issues will help build the
next generation of environmental leaders," said Rosemary Enobakhare, Associate Administrator, Office of Public
Engagement and Environmental Education. "Providing an extension will allow additional time for all students and
teachers to submit applications for this invaluable awards program."

Since the establishment of the original Environmental Education Act of 1970, The President's Environmental Youth
Award (PEYA) Program has recognized outstanding community-level environmental projects by K-12 youth for over 50
years. Today, as part of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990, PEYA continues to promote awareness of
natural resources and encourages positive community involvement.

PIAEE recognizes outstanding K-12 grade educators who integrate environmental, place-based experiential learning into
their classrooms.

Additional Information on the Awards

EPA is seeking PEYA and PIAEE award applications for projects on a variety of environmental topics, including (but not
limited to), projects on:

•	Climate Change

•	Making a visible difference in Environmental Justice communities

•	Reducing food waste and loss and excess food recovery efforts

•	Reducing contributions to ocean and marine litter

•	Solutions in recycling

•	Using science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to teach environmental education

•	Environmental sustainability

•	Sustainable agricultural practices

•	Healthy school environments

The President's Environmental Youth Awards (PEYA) recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship projects
from grades K-12 by promoting environmental awareness and encouraging community involvement. EPA will select up to
two winners in each of EPA's 10 Regions - one regional winner for grades K-5, and one regional winner for grades 6-
12. The winning projects will be highlighted on EPA's website. All student projects must be sponsored by at least one
adult over the age of 21. And, if the sponsor is not a teacher, the project must have a teacher as a co-sponsor. The
application and eligibility information are available on EPA's PEYA page.

The Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) recognizes outstanding K-12 teachers who
employ innovative approaches to environmental education. Up to two teachers from each of EPA's 10 regions, from
different states, will be selected to receive this award. Teachers will receive a Presidential plaque and an award of up to
$2,500 cash to be used to further professional development in environmental education. Winning teachers' local
education agencies will also receive awards of up to $2,500 cash to fund environmental educational activities and
programs. Next years' winners will be highlighted on EPA's website.


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^ U.S. FOOD & DRUG	ft

¦WM administration	-zSffi

FOOD SAFETY • NUTRITION • COSMETICS

NEWS for EDUCATORS

January 2021

Welcome to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition's (CFSAN) News for Educators! Check out our latest information and materials for
educating your consumer groups. We also encourage you to share this update and invite your
colleagues to sign up for future issues!

The New

Nutrition
Facts Label

What 's in it for you?

Food Safety

Food Waste

At the start of each new year, many people make food-related resolutions like eating healthier or
dropping a few pounds. This year, consider helping your audiences make a different kind of
food resolution that will encourage them to waste less of the food they purchase, stretch their
food dollars, and help protect the environment. By some estimates, a typical family of four will
waste as much as $1,500 of their food dollars each year. Wasted food is also the single largest
category of waste going into the typical municipal landfill, which contributes to excess methane
production. Share these new videos from FDA with your audiences to help them learn how to
take action to reduce food waste:

•	Tips for Reducing Food Waste

•	Understanding Date Labels on Food Packages

•	Imperfect Produce

Food Waste Facts

Nutrition

Committing to a healthier lifestyle often begins with making healthier food choices. One way for
people to make decisions that have a lasting impact on their health is by using the Nutrition
Facts label on packaged foods and beverages. Use the following FDA resources to teach your
audiences about the Nutrition Facts label and how to use it to make more informed food
choices.

•	The "What's New" page highlights the changes to the Nutrition Facts label.

•	These fact sheets and videos make it easy to learn about the Nutrition Facts label, including
serving size, added sugars, and calories.

• The Interactive Nutrition Facts Label allows you to explore the updated label online in
greater detail.


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EPA Region 6-
South Central

1201 Elm Street
Suite 500

Dallas, Texas 75270

EPA Region 6 Children's Health Team

Congratulations to Paula Selzer, EPA Region 6
Children's Health Coordinator on her retirement
from the EPA!

Cathy Gilmore, SEE for Healthy Schools
Newsletter

Gilmore.cathv@epa.qov
214 665-6574

Protecting human health and the
environment.

5k-)

eSarenjaftAM

The EPA has many opportunities to increase the safety and sustainability of
your school. Please contact us to schedule a live webinar on any of the
subjects below:

Sustainable Management of Food: It's important now more than ever for
all of us to not waste food. Learn how our food choices impact the
environment and how we can reduce food waste and save money.

Stephen Sturdivant, Sturdivant.stephen@epa.gov, 214 665-6673

Recycling: Recycling, along with reduction and reuse, is a great way for
your students to participate in your sustainability goals. By providing
increased access to recycling receptacles and awareness of recycling best
practices, you can reduce your waste and your carbon footprint.

Deanna Debose, debose.deanna@epa.aov. 214 665-6461

Safer Choice: Developed to give consumers an easy way to choose
products with safer chemical ingredients, the Safer Choice label indicates
that a chemical product has met the EPA's rigorous standards for safety,
which means the products are better both for the environment and human
health. Whitney Lehrer, lehrer.whitnev@.epa.qov, 214 665-6553

Lead Based Paint: The Renovation, Repair, and & Painting (RRP) Rule
helps protect children from exposure to lead based paint dust caused by
renovation and repairs conducted in a building built prior to 1978. Our lead-
based paint program is here to help answer questions and to provide
guidance on the regulation and removal. Mikeal Adams,
adams.mikeal@epa.gov. 214 665-6711

Integrated Pest Management: The Region 6 Contact for the Integrated
Pest Management Program under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is Ken McPherson, mcpherson.kenneth
@epa.aov. 214 665-6754

Pollution Prevention and Source Reduction Assistance Grant
Programs: Provide financial assistance to States, Universities/Colleges
and Tribes on Source Reduction and P2 Best Management Practices
through technical assistance training and workshops. Annette Smith,
smith.annette@epa.gov. 214 665-2127.

ODDS AND ENDS

Upcoming
Newsletters

Contacts

Disclaimer

Feedback





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In our next issue, the
Region 6 Healthy Schools
Newsletter in June 2021
will highlight the following

•	Home Safety Month

•	Smart Irrigation Month

•	WaterSense Challenge
Month

Other topics will include
National Oceans Week,
Sunwise and Extreme Heat
Week, and Research for a
Healthy Environment
Month, in addition to the
quarterly columns on Notes
for Nurses, Custodian's
Closet, and Learning Links.
Healthy Schools is
published by the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency Region 6 - South

Central in Dallas, Texas.
Region 6 includes the
states of Arkansas,
Louisiana, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, and Texas as
well as 66 Tribes. For
general information about
Healthy Schools, to provide
feedback on this
newsletter, or to be added
or removed from the
distribution list, please
contact Cathy Gilmore,
Senior Environmental
Employee (SEE) for
Healthy Schools at
Gilmore. cathv@epa. gov

We would love your
Feedback on this
newsletter or suggestions
for future topics. Please
email EPA at
Gilmore.cathv@epa.gov.

This page may provide links
to non-EPA web sites that
provide additional
information about topics that
may be of interest to schools
and school districts. EPA
cannot attest to the accuracy
of information on any non-
EPA page. Providing links to
a non-EPA web site is not an
endorsement of any non-
government website,
company or application; nor
does EPA recommend
membership in, donations to
or commercial sales from
non-government
organizations. Also, be
aware that the privacy
protection provided on the
EPA.gov domain (see
Privacy and Security
Notice) may not be
available at the external link


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