EarthWatch Ohio - Becoming a Local Distributor

As I am always looking for ways to spread the word about Green and Sustainable Initiatives, I have now volunteered to be a Local Distributor for the non-profit Newspaper EarthWatch Ohio. In addition I am proud to be very much apart of the article below as I work for the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

Here is an excerpt from an article published in EarthWatch Ohio's August/ September 2008 Newspaper:

Ohio’s Green Schools Initiative Creates a Healthier Atmosphere for Students, Jobs, and Environment
By: Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, Director, Ohio Department of Development


Ohio is standing on the threshold of an unprecedented opportunity. It’s an opportunity to innovatively promote job creation, educational advancement, and environmental sustainability. Governor Strickland and I are committed
to upgrading and improving our public school facilities through the increased use of green building design. In 2007, the Ohio School Facilities Commission, under the leadership of Director Michael Shoemaker, embarked upon a Green Schools Initiative to create school facilities that are healthier for students and teachers, plus cost less money to operate.

The commission elected to use the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® for Schools rating system as its roadmap for documenting and measuring the progress of our administration’s initiative. The LEED® system is the national benchmark for high performance green buildings.

LEED® for Schools Certification provides parents, teachers, and the community with a “report card” for their school buildings, verifying that the school has been built to meet a high level of energy and environmental performance. LEED® Gold or Silver Certification is proof that the project achieved its “green” goals.

You can read the remainder of the article here.