How do you go to school?
Categorie(s): Cases, City life
Too many cars and motorbikes, traffic jams and air pollution, also caused by parents bringing their children to school.
“Elisa lives opposite her school. She does not need a car to come there, but she has to cross the street, not easy because there is much traffic, especially just before 8.30 when school starts. So many cars bringing children to school. Her friend Anny came by car when they were smaller, when Elisa’s mother was also always bringing her across the street. Now they are old enough to come by themselves – and now they realise how much traffic there is around the school and how dangerous it is sometimes. But many children of their age are still transported by their parents adding to the traffic jam…. They decide to start an action to make more students travel more environmentally.”
When you live nextdoor to your school it is easy, you walk. But most students live a bit – or a lot – farther from school. How to come there? Many parents bring their children to school everyday, result: too much traffic, bad air, even dangerous situations near the schools. Much of this can be solved if children come to school walking or biking, and if students who live too far for that use public transportation, or if parents take not only their own children but also others living nearby. This can be a little more trouble, but it is cheaper, better for the environment and saver.
How can you organise students and teachers to come walking, biking or by bus. Maybe it is also necessary to start action to make the side walks for pedestrians! It is best to work in groups, each maybe 3 or 4 students. Agree who is doing what. Make notes and report to each other.
This could be the beginning of your action::
1. Do research on the stituation at your school: count during a week how many cars stop in front of the school bringing children, how many bring more than one child? How many students come walking, how many biking, how many by bus (is there a bus stop nearby?)
2. Interview people about questions like : how old are the children walking, biking or being delivered? Why do they use that method of traveling? Would it not be better to do it otherwise, etc. From which age can students travel by themselves? Formulate your questions together. Do not forget the teachers!
3. After collecting all this information discuss about what can be done to improve the situation. Find out how things are organised around other schools!
4. If you decide that things can be done better, start action, talk with the school administration, maybe local politicians, maybe you can write in the local newspaper, etc. Find ways of getting attention in a playfull way, people must LIKE to change their habits. After some time (half a year or so) repete the activity of point 1: is the situation better now? If so publish the good results!
It is helpful to work with the workingplan
If you use internet it is good to use internetlog