The U.S. Environmental Protectional Agency’s Clean, Green and Healthy Tribal Schools Initiative is sponsoring a series of six webinars each Wednesday beginning January 18, 2012 at 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. MST. The programs address issues and opportunities in educational and other settings for cleaning and greening schools to assure the health and safety of children, staff and community.

Speakers include, among others, Native American professionals such as Deenise Becenti of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, Mike Daniels, Native IPM affiliated with the North Central IPM Center, Diane Jourdan, the Recycling Coordinator for the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin for 15 years, Mansel A. Nelson, Tribal Education Outreach Program, and Graylynn Jaysue Hudson, Navajo, who has worked with the Yavapai Apache Nation Tribal Utility Office and with Tribal schools and communities. Other speakers include EPA’s Matthew Langenfeld, Chris Maksimuk, Marie Zanowick and Virginia Till. The Clean, Green and Healthy Tribal Schools Initiative contractor, Orion Environmental, specializes in construction safety for schools, such as asbestos removal. His project coordinator and facilitator for the project is Dr. Carolyna Smiley-Marquez, of the Pueblo people of New Mexico.

Topics for the Webinars range from elimination to management of dangerous chemicals, building materials, pests to conservation. Three webinars will encourage schools to reduce, reuse and recycle -- with a special focus on composting and gardening.

Find links to registration for the webinars. Once registered, participants will receive instructions on how to participate in the webinars by combining telephone or headset and computer screen. In addition to a question and answer opportunity that follows each presentation, participants will be encouraged to participate in polls and surveys during the webinar.