Home     News     Services     Online Services     Forms     Departments     Links     Search     Contacts

For Immediate Release 10/01/08

Lane County and City of Eugene Team Up to Reward Schools That Become Green

Contacts: Anne Donahue, City of Eugene, 682-5542; Sarah Grimm, Lane County waste reduction specialist, 682-4339

Lane County Waste Management and the City of Eugene are streamlining their annual grant program to encourage more schools to become Oregon Green Schools. The two agencies collaborate to provide a total of $5,000 toward incentives for school recycling and waste prevention efforts.

The K-12 Green School Incentive Grant program assists schools in the purchase of equipment and services that will lead to success in reducing waste and creating more sustainable schools. Last year, ten schools throughout the county used the grants to fund projects such as providing durable lunch kits for students and families; starting or improving cafeteria composting systems; switching from disposable to durable lunch ware; and conducting education campaigns and programs designed to increase student participation in recycling.

"These programs not only benefit the schools’ budgetary needs by reducing garbage bills or purchase costs of disposable products, but more importantly, these actions will safeguard our healthy air and water now and in the future," said Sarah Grimm, Lane County waste reduction specialist.

Coordinators for the Lane County chapter of Oregon Green Schools say that this year the grants will be automatically disbursed once a school becomes certified as an Oregon Green School. Local schools will no longer need to fill out a separate grant application. Once the application is received and approved, a check for $500 will be sent to the first ten qualifying schools.

Schools interested in the incentive grant should go to www.oregongreenschool.org to review the certification requirements. The first ten schools certified at basic, merit or premier level of the Oregon Green School program will receive the $500 incentive. Schools can only receive the grant once in six years unless they are moving up to merit or premier levels and schools must use the incentive grant monies for waste prevention and recycling activities or infrastructure.

The Oregon Green School Association is a statewide program with 200 member schools, 14 in Lane County. Green Schools receive technical assistance and guidance for waste prevention and recycling programs; certification decals, plaques and public recognition; and free attendance to the statewide Oregon Green School Summit for students and teachers.

For more information about the K-12 Green School Incentive Grant contact:

Applications may be found at www.eugenerecycles.orgor by email: sarah.grimm@co.lane.or.us

###

Amber Fossen
Public Information Officer
Lane County Government
125 E. Eighth Ave.
Eugene, Oregon 97401
(541) 682.3718
(541) 359.9143 (cell)

lane county:
working
^{for you}

^{Lane County Government provides for the safety and security of Lane County’s 343,000 citizens through public safety, public works, human services, elections, vital records and other systems}