Austin School Wins $130K School Makeover Competition
Austin School Wins Global Green USA’s National Green School Makeover
Competition Presented by Pureology
Four Runner-Up Schools Receive $2,500 for Sustainability Upgrades
New York, NY (December 6, 2011) – Today Pureology and Global Green USA
announced that the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, TX. is the grand
prize winner in the Global Green USA Green School Makeover Competition,
presented by Pureology. As part of the grand prize, the Texas School for the
Deaf will receive the ultimate Green School Makeover worth $130,000.
The Texas School for the Deaf was nominated for the competition by
Francisco’s Salon in Austin, and beat out more than 220 public, private and
charter K – 12 schools for the grand prize: $65,000 for school renovations
and an additional $65,000 worth of technical assistance.
Four runner-up schools—which will each receive $2,500 to be used towards
sustainability upgrades—were also named today: Garlough Environmental School
in St. Paul, MN; Heritage Middle School in Berwyn, IL; Samuel Powel
Elementary School in Philadelphia, PA; and Zimmerman School House/Abi’s
Place in Coral Springs, FL, a school for children with disabilities.
“Global Green USA has been greening schools for more than a decade—we
believe every child deserves a healthy learning environment,” said Matt
Petersen, President and CEO of Global Green. “Green schools improve student
performance, increase average daily attendance, and reduce operating costs,
energy and water consumption. We are deeply excited to be able to bring
those benefits to the students and teachers at the extraordinary Texas
School for the Deaf.”
The Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) is the oldest continuously operating,
publicly funded school in Texas. Since 1857, over 10,000 K – 12 grade
students have graced the halls of TSD and benefitted from the school’s
diverse program levels to ensure that each student will be able to learn at
his or her most effective rate.
“We are so excited that Pureology and Global Green have given us this
opportunity,” said TSD Superintendent Claire Bugen. “Unlike other public
schools, we live on this campus 24 hours a day and we generate a lot of
waste. This prize will help us take our fledgling recycling efforts to the
next level and install some important tools, like automatic faucets, to help
us become more sustainable.”
“All great accomplishments in schools come from community partnerships and
so it was with Francisco’s Salon. After doing a few great makeovers and a
cut-a-thon in support of TSD, Francisco suggested we try to get a green
makeover for the campus and that’s how we learned about the Green School
Makeover Competition. South Congress is a great edgy, hip and eclectic
community and we are sure glad that Francisco moved into the neighborhood.
We just wish he’d gotten to Austin sooner! We’ve been here for 155 years,”
Bugen continued.
With the funds received through the Green School Makeover Competition, the
school plans to:
* Update facilities to allow for energy efficient upgrades:
** Retrofitting light fixtures to allow for energy efficient bulbs, and
motion-activated lights and conserve energy. Cost savings from the energy
efficient upgrades will be reinvested back into the education programs.
* Initiate water conservation tactics:
** Reduce water usage and consumption by installing hands-free faucets in
lavatories and collecting rainwater in barrels to be used for watering the
school grounds.
** TSD spends $20,000 in bottled water every year – switching to reusable
bottles and installing a tap filtration system allows funds saved to be put
back into education
* Initiate waste reduction tactics:
** Install hands-free hand dryers in restrooms which use less paper and save
materials from going to the landfills. It will also reduce supply costs for
the school, cut down on waste and reduce staff time replenishing paper
towels and emptying trash.
* Educate student body on recycling:
** Install recycling bins near trashcans across campus to make recycling
easier and encourage recycling campus-wide.
** Educate school community on recycling and spread habits to home life to
support a greener lifestyle.
“Our salon is so excited to congratulate the Texas School for the Deaf on
winning the grand prize for Global Green USA’s Green School Makeover
competition presented by Pureology!” says Francisco Villa, Owner of
Francisco’s Salon in Austin, TX. “When I first heard about the Green School
Makeover from Pureology I knew this school would be an ideal fit, and I am
so proud of their achievement and success for winning first place out of
more than 220 entries. I look forward to seeing the upgrades and how they
will impact the school and our shared local community – thank you Pureology
and Global Green USA for making this world a better place for us to live
in.”
“Pureology is proud to support Global Green USA and present the Green School
Makeover Competition to help improve the lives of students while educating
parents, teachers, students and the public about the importance of creating
healthy green classrooms,” states Shae Kalyani, Vice President of Marketing
for Pureology. “We are thrilled The Texas School for the Deaf won and are
looking forward to seeing the outcome for all of the winning schools!”
To follow the progress of TSD’s green makeover, please visit Pureology’s
Facebook page. Pureology will be documenting the renovation process with
photos and videos from January through June of 2012.
To view the winning entries, and to learn how you can implement green
improvements in your school, home and community, please visit please visit
http://www.globalgreen.org/greenschools
# # #
ABOUT PUREOLOGY SERIOUS COLOUR CARE®
Pureology Serious Colour Care is a professional haircare line committed to
the well-being of the environment, and since its inception in 2001,
Pureology took measures to decrease its impact on the environment by using
natural, organic botanicals and 100% Vegan ingredients. All Pureology
formulas offer an industry first: Longer Lasting Hair Colour – Guaranteed!®
For more information visit Pureology.com or like Pureology on Facebook.
Please note, Pureology products can only be guaranteed authentic when
purchased from a salon. We request that you do not credit drugstores,
“beauty websites” or other unauthorized retailers.
About Global Green USA
Global Green USA is the American affiliate of Green Cross International,
founded by President Gorbachev, to foster a global value shift toward a
sustainable and secure future. For 15 years, Global Green USA has been a
national leader in advocating for smart solutions to global warming
including green building for affordable housing, schools and communities
that save money, improve health and create green jobs. Global Green USA has
influenced more than $20 billion dollars for green building projects and
educates millions of people about climate friendly solutions through its
annual Red Carpet/Green Cars Oscars campaign. Global Green is also leading
efforts to help rebuild a green New Orleans through its sustainable green
village and green schools initiatives.