Children spend a significant amount of time in school buildings. Through the Green Steps for Schools Program, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) provides educational materials school administrators can use to reduce environmental health hazards such as pesticides, mercury, renovation pollutants, and diesel exhaust (from school bus idling).
The GreenSteps Program is an environmental program that can help your school become greener and healthier at little or no cost. The goal is to encourage all Indiana schools to become "green" schools, and in turn:
- increase the quality of students' learning environment;
- avoid serious and potentially life threatening health concerns;
- ensure compliance with environmental regulations; and,
- save money by minimizing waste and increasing efficiency.