Monday, May 23, 2011

Third Annual Green School & University Conference

American School & University's Conference & Expo
including the 3rd annual Green School & University Conference
Thursday, June 23, 2011
10:30 am - 5:00 pm ET

Learn how to create or enhance your green cleaning program.
Join us for a free one-hour webinar: Achieving Healthful, Efficient, Productive Education Environments through Green Cleaning.

To register, click here.

Discover key concepts in creating and/or improving upon a green cleaning program. Learn from experts in the green cleaning field, as well as award-winning education institutions that have achieved success in building green cleaning programs that have improved health, operations and sustainability initiatives, as well as won the support of students, parents and the community.


Also, find out about trends and developments in green cleaning that will impact education institutions, and what you can do to ensure you are best prepared.
This is just one webinar within the AS&U Virtual Conference. Join us for all five sessions to learn specific strategies and tactics, hear best practices, receive practical guidance, and discover new tools and resources that will better prepare you and your institution—all for free and from the comfort of your own office!

Friday, May 13, 2011

54th Annual Vermont School Custodians and Maintenance Association Conference

54th Annual VSCMA Conference
Thursday & Friday, June 23 & 24, 2011


This year at the 54th Annual VSCMA Conference we will be featuring Coach Tom Brennan, formerly UVM basketball coach as one of our keynote speakers.

These are some of the topics we will be offering at the 2011 conference:

Get your two hour asbestos awareness class off your "to do list".

Learn about lead paint best practices and code.

Join a panel of facilities directors to discuss large capital projects and lessons learned.

Learn about large scale rainwater/stormwater harvesting projects at other schools and universities. (Jeff Kershner, Civil Engineer)

Learn the latest floorcare techniques from factory representatives.

Maybe even meet the new Governor?

Don't forget the door prizes.

Please visit with our business partners, and remember to thank our sponsors.

For general inquiries and conference registration questions, please contact Delaney Meeting & Event Management at (802) 865-5202 or conference@vscma.com.

Proposal Submission Extended - 7th International IPM Symposium

Thank you to those of you who have submitted proposals for consideration for the 7th International IPM Symposium. The submission deadline has been extended until Friday, May 20, 2011.

The Program Committee has received more than enough proposals in the major categories, but is soliciting additional proposals for sessions that deal with the following:

-Natural Resources IPM
-Urban and Community IPM, especially from Canada
-Public Health IPM
-Invasive Weed and Roadside Weed Management
-Turf and Landscape IPM
-Aquatic IPM
-Management including Policy direction, Grant Funding, etc.
-Projects from Canada, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Far East, Australia and Latin America

Session proposals must be submitted online at http://www.ipmcenters.org/ipmsymposium12/index.cfm?page=program. All that is required at this time are a contact person, title, and 250-word abstract describing the theme of the proposed session.

"IPM on the World Stage—Solutions for Global Pest Challenges" is the theme of the meeting that will be held March 27–29, 2012 in Memphis Tennessee USA at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. Symposium sessions will address Integrated Pest Management (IPM) across disciplines internationally, in the market place, agriculture, community settings, horticulture, and natural environments.

New EPA Lawn Care Videos

New EPA Lawn Care Videos Encourage Healthy and Environmentally Friendly Practices

EPA has created a series of new videos to encourage homeowners and communities to adopt healthy lawn care practices as a means of reducing pesticide risk to human health and the environment. Healthy, environmentally friendly lawn and landscape practices can reduce erosion, stream sedimentation, flooding, and runoff of pollutants into local waterways as well as risk of pesticide exposure to children, adults, pets, and wildlife.

The video series was developed to educate homeowners, garden clubs, Master Gardeners, civic associations, and others seeking a healthy, environmentally friendly lawn. In addition, the video was created as an educational tool to assist federal, state, and local government agencies and community-based groups with their existing outreach and education efforts. The series is available in a 4-minute format, an extended 11-minute format, and several short, topic-specific versions. Topics covered include soil testing, watering, mowing, weed and pest control, fertilizer use, aerating soil, and controlling runoff.

To view EPA’s new healthy lawn care practices video, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/lawncare/

Friday, May 6, 2011

Webinar: An Asthma Primer: Guidelines for Identification and Management

In recognition of National Asthma Awareness Month, the Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health will be providing a free webinar for healthcare providers and facilities that serve school age children (5-17), on asthma identification and management. Continuing education hours will be provided at 1 contact hour by the Texas Nurses Association. Come learn about how to protect children by providing an asthma friendly environment and by using strategies to keep asthma episodes under control!

Join in on the conversation on May 23rd, 2011 from 12:00pm – 1:00pm (Central) at

https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.FE99D93C80722C1C2911D1D9B8A0FB&sid=2009292

You do not need to preregister, however, you may want to do to the Elluminate website, join and then test this program on your computer. Please note this program is also being sponsored by Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health and not Texas AgriLife Extension. I'm just passing this information on, as asthma is a real issue in this country and many of you must interact with your school nurse when it comes to asthmatic children and your IPM/IAQ program.

*Those whom are new to Elluminate may want to go to this link and check their compatibility prior to the session so there aren’t any frustrations once it starts.

Everyone Breathe Asthma Education Grants

Everyone Breathe™ Asthma Education Grants The Everyone Breathe Asthma Education Grants program was created by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., in partnership with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), to help improve the quality of asthma care and educate students about asthma. Parents or guardians of children with asthma are invited to nominate their child and child's school to receive an Everyone Breathe Asthma Education savings bond and grant.

Ten applications will be selected as grand prize winners: The nominated child with asthma will be awarded a $2,500 savings bond; the school nominated in the winning application will receive a $5,000 grant to improve the quality of asthma care and asthma education in the school.
Fifty additional applications will be selected as second-place winners and those nominated schools will receive asthma nebulizer kits.

The grants and savings bonds will be awarded based on the level of commitment demonstrated by parents and school administrators to implement and sustain the proposed plan to improve the quality of asthma care and education at the schools. Applications will also be judged based on creativity and the greatest likelihood for positively impacting students with asthma.

Deadline for submission is July 29, 2011

http://www.everyonebreathe.com/asthmaGrants/asthma-education-grants.html

Position announcement: Insect Diagnostician and School IPM Coordinator

Montana State University has a position available for an insect diagnostician and school IPM coordinator. The position announcement is at http://www.montana.edu/jobs/research/11157-33

For more information, please contact Dr. Mary E. Burrows via email.

PESPWire | The New Quarterly e-Bulletin of PESP | Spring 2011

The Spring 2011 PESPWire is here! The PESPWire has undergone several changes and will now be issued quarterly. We hope you enjoy the new look. Thank you for your continual support!

Cover Story:
Using Community IPM to Prevent Tick-Borne Disease

Features:

Featured Photo of the Quarter: HOGZILLA!
Featured PESP Member: U.S. Department of Defense

EPA News and Initiatives:
EPA Hosts 3-Day International Course on Biopesticides
EPA Encourages Verifiable IPM in Every School
Benefits of Being in PESP: Partnership Opportunities
New Active Ingredients in Biopesticide Products
Congratulations to PESP's new Gold Members!
PESP Regional Grants Transition to Agricultural Grants
EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) News Briefs

EPA Events and Resources:
Upcoming Conferences, Meetings, and Events
Additional Resources On Ticks
Request for Submissions
Grant Opportunities