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Wenger Corporation Provides GREENGUARD Solutions
10.1.09 | Atlanta, GA | The Wenger Corporation is leading the way as the first manufacturer to offer GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified musical instrument storage solutions. "We strive to do more than provide exceptional storage options for music programs, we understand the important role indoor air quality plays in a child's education," said Stacy Hanson, Marketing Manager with the Wenger Corporation of Owatonna, Minnesota. 'And we want to ensure our products help promote the best learning environment possible."
Indoor levels of air pollutants can be 2-5 times higher, and in cases of newly constructed or recently furnished schools, 100 times higher than outdoor levels. Approximately 55 million people, or 20 percent of the U.S. population, spend their days inside elementary and secondary schools.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), indoor air quality is important for health, economic and legal reasons. Indoor air pollutants can cause discomfort, and they are directly linked to children's health and academic performance. Independent studies show student test scores increase by an average of 14% in classrooms with improved indoor air quality. Wenger's GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified products now enable creative as well as healthy environments for students and teachers. Children exposed to music and cultural arts programs also tend to perform better on standardized tests. In 2006, according to the College Board, Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) takers with coursework / experience in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 43 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework or experience in the arts.
"A recent government report estimates that 50 percent of the nation's schools have problems linked to poor indoor air quality, and studies have found an association between high levels of volatile organic compounds and asthma," commented Henning Bloech, Executive Director, GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). "Wenger products achieving GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification harmonize effective music education and healthy indoor environments."
The GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification is among the most stringent in the world and takes into account the special sensitivities of children. It requires all products be tested annually for more than 10,000 different chemicals and meet rigorous health-based criteria for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including phthalates and formaldehyde. This stringent certification provides the educational community and parents with low-emitting products that have passed rigorous and frequent test requirements. Current high-performance school programs including LEED for Schools and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) recognize the importance of good indoor air quality and support using low-emitting GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified products. For a complete listing of all certified products visit the free online product guide at www.greenguard.org.
About GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI)
Founded in 2001, GEI is a third-party, non-profit organization that oversees the GREENGUARD Certification Program including GREENGUARD Children & Schools. The Institute's mission is to improve human health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air. GREENGUARD Certified products must meet stringent standards for low chemical emissions based on established health criteria from key public health agencies. Products also undergo rigorous testing and verification processes on a regular basis. More than 80,000 products produced by over 100 manufacturers are represented under the GREENGUARD Children & Schools Program. For more information and a complete listing of certified products, visit www.greenguard.org.
About Wenger Corporation
The Wenger Corporation, founded in 1946, is recognized as the world's leading manufacturer of specialized equipment and furniture for music education and the performing arts. Please visit www.wengercorp.com for more information and a complete list of GREENGUARD Certified products.
Indoor levels of air pollutants can be 2-5 times higher, and in cases of newly constructed or recently furnished schools, 100 times higher than outdoor levels. Approximately 55 million people, or 20 percent of the U.S. population, spend their days inside elementary and secondary schools.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), indoor air quality is important for health, economic and legal reasons. Indoor air pollutants can cause discomfort, and they are directly linked to children's health and academic performance. Independent studies show student test scores increase by an average of 14% in classrooms with improved indoor air quality. Wenger's GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified products now enable creative as well as healthy environments for students and teachers. Children exposed to music and cultural arts programs also tend to perform better on standardized tests. In 2006, according to the College Board, Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) takers with coursework / experience in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 43 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework or experience in the arts.
"A recent government report estimates that 50 percent of the nation's schools have problems linked to poor indoor air quality, and studies have found an association between high levels of volatile organic compounds and asthma," commented Henning Bloech, Executive Director, GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). "Wenger products achieving GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification harmonize effective music education and healthy indoor environments."
The GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification is among the most stringent in the world and takes into account the special sensitivities of children. It requires all products be tested annually for more than 10,000 different chemicals and meet rigorous health-based criteria for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including phthalates and formaldehyde. This stringent certification provides the educational community and parents with low-emitting products that have passed rigorous and frequent test requirements. Current high-performance school programs including LEED for Schools and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) recognize the importance of good indoor air quality and support using low-emitting GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified products. For a complete listing of all certified products visit the free online product guide at www.greenguard.org.
About GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI)
Founded in 2001, GEI is a third-party, non-profit organization that oversees the GREENGUARD Certification Program including GREENGUARD Children & Schools. The Institute's mission is to improve human health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air. GREENGUARD Certified products must meet stringent standards for low chemical emissions based on established health criteria from key public health agencies. Products also undergo rigorous testing and verification processes on a regular basis. More than 80,000 products produced by over 100 manufacturers are represented under the GREENGUARD Children & Schools Program. For more information and a complete listing of certified products, visit www.greenguard.org.
About Wenger Corporation
The Wenger Corporation, founded in 1946, is recognized as the world's leading manufacturer of specialized equipment and furniture for music education and the performing arts. Please visit www.wengercorp.com for more information and a complete list of GREENGUARD Certified products.
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