SCR 2 – VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
03/10/10 0773s
2010 SESSION
04/03
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 2
A RESOLUTION encouraging New Hampshire schools to adopt environmentally sound practices.
SPONSORS: Sen. Reynolds, Dist 2; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 24; Rep. S. Smith, Graf 7
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This concurrent resolution urges school districts in New Hampshire to adopt environmentally sound practices.
03/10/10 0773s
10-2930
04/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Ten
A RESOLUTION encouraging New Hampshire schools to adopt environmentally sound practices in their school cafeterias and school lunch programs.
Whereas, schools have the potential to make positive, tangible environmental change in the world while teaching students to be stewards of their communities, the earth, and its resources; and
Whereas, our current school cafeterias often suffer from inadequate facilities and inefficient practices that frequently use energy, water, and other resources unsustainably; and use pesticides, cleaning agents, and other chemicals that pose health risks; and
Whereas, schools are important consumers of natural resources, including energy, water, food, and paper, and whereas schools are generators of waste materials, including garbage, runoff, and air emissions, which contribute to the world’s larger environmental problems like global warming, water and air pollution, and habitat destruction; and
Whereas, children, teachers, and staff are regularly exposed to toxic chemicals at school and use and manage resources unsustainably resulting in negative effects on their health and their ability to teach and learn; and
Whereas, school districts expend considerable financial resources on chemical pest control, cleaning supplies, energy, water, and office and school supplies; and
Whereas, school districts have a considerable opportunity through their purchasing power to improve both the environment and its financial bottom line; and
Whereas, many choices exist for school cafeterias to use natural resources more efficiently; to reduce, reuse, and recycle; to follow environmentally-friendly practices for building construction, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; to eliminate use of toxic chemicals in school cafeterias; to encourage recycling of all recyclable cafeteria waste; to institute a composting program for cafeteria waste; to use biodegradable food trays instead of plastic trays and washing dishes; to encourage conservation of electricity by installing automatic light timer systems that turn off lights if no sound or movement occurs in a room for 10 minutes and by posting “lights out” reminder signs; and
Whereas, there is a tremendous opportunity to teach children about ecological sustainability, environmental health, and nutrition and support students to become leaders in making their own school a healthier and more ecologically friendly place; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the general court urges school districts in New Hampshire to develop an environmental policy for school cafeterias to include:
I. The development and adoption of an integrated pest management program and other policies to minimize or eliminate the use of hazardous pesticides and herbicides in schools;
II. An audit of cleaning materials and procedures used in school cafeterias and the development of a plan to use the least toxic substances and least wasteful procedures;
III. A program to ensure that new school cafeterias are built and existing school cafeterias refurbished following criteria that mandate the use of environmentally sound building material, the efficient use of energy, water, and other resources, and the creation of a healthy learning environment for children;
IV. A plan to improve the energy efficiency of school cafeterias and to increasingly rely on clean, renewable energy sources to power the cafeteria’s facilities; and
V. The creation of recycling and composting programs for cafeteria waste, along with the procurement of recycled office and classroom supplies; and
That the senate clerk send copies of this resolution to the superintendents of each school administrative unit in New Hampshire.