FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Green Schools, Healthy Schools Community Forum

[Paul n Shelley]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 8, 2000

Contact: Carol Churchill, League of Women Voters
	 (562) 596-1403

                                       Green Schools, Healthy Schools Community Forum

     As part of its "Education" and "Sustainable Communities" Issues for Emphasis, the League of Women Voters is proud
to announce the Green Schools, Healthy Schools Community Forum. The forum, to be held on Saturday, May 13 from 8:30am to
2:00pm, will be hosted by Birney Elementary School, which is located at 710 W. Spring Street in Long Beach (please note
that early editions of some brochures & flyers had the incorrect address of 1710 Spring St. on them). Admission is free.

      The League's goal is to provide educational materials and speakers who will demonstrate that Green Schools result
in higher student achievement and healthier learning environments; save schools money; improve recreational
opportunities for the city; and raise property values.

     Green schools are neighborhood schools with healthy learning environments, green playgrounds, and shade trees. They
are built with environmentally sound materials, have low energy costs, and conserve water. At this exciting forum,
parents, students, teachers, School Board members, architects, environmentalists, neighborhood leaders, planners and
elected officials can learn how these intelligently designed schools can be cost efficient and improve the environment
at the same time.

     Co-sponsored by The Sierra Club, The Gray Panthers, Long Beach Organic, TreePeople, DESIGN, NorthEast Trees, and
The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation, & Marine, this forum will host a number of expert speakers who
will explain the benefits and concepts of "green" design:

§ Rob Peña, Director of Ecological Design Consulting for Van der Ryn Architects and the Ecological Design Institute in
Sausalito, CA. A specialist in climate responsive, energy efficient design, Mr. Peña will explain what green schools are
and how they have resulted in improved student achievement.

§ Dr. Bill Roley, President of Applied Ecological Systems and Director of the Permaculture Institute of Southern
California. Dr. Roley will present a slide show that outlines what goes into building a green school and the process
involved in creating the Center for Regenerative Studies at Cal Poly Pomona.

§ TreePeople will present their TREES computer program which calculates the short and long term costs and benefits of
incorporating green technologies into the built environment.

§ Scott Wilson of NorthEast Trees will talk about the successful school projects his group has been involved with and
will explore the "Cool Schools" program which is dramatically transforming hot asphalt playgrounds to lush, green
landscaping which helps to offset heating and cooling costs. 

§ Haydee Vicedo of 'Food from the Hood' will describe Crenshaw High's nationally-recognized program that has taught
children entrepreneurial skills through gardening and marketing of school garden-based products.

§ Phil Hester, Director of the City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, will examine how
neighborhood recreational opportunities can be expanded by working with local schools.

Why now?  The League was an advocate and partner in the Long Beach Unified School District's drive to obtain voter
approval for $300,000,000 in property tax generated school bonds. The bond money is matched by State funds, giving the
LBUSD money to remodel and construct 13 new schools. By exploring the benefits of Green Schools now, the League hopes
that parents and elected officials will work to assure that our schools of the future will improve our children's
education by incorporating unique learning opportunities with clean, ecologically sound class rooms for generations to
come.

For more information, please contact the Long Beach Area League of Women Voters at (562) 596-1403.

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