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Active and Safe Routes to Schools
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Other Environmental Health Initiatives
Active & Safe Routes to School (A&SRTS)
Description
Is your school concerned with any of the following areas:
- Enhanced safety
- Less traffic and a greater sense of community
- Reduced harmful automobile emissions
- More physical activity, better health
The benefits include:
- Increased physical activity for children and
youth.
- A healthier lifestyle for the whole family.
- Less traffic congestion around schools.
- Safer, calmer streets and neighborhoods.
- Improved air quality and a cleaner environment.
Background
More than 82 % of Canadian children under 11 live within walking
distance of their school, but only a small fraction of that percentage
get there on their own steam.
Automobiles are one of the main emitters of greenhouse gases—a
contributing factor to global climate change—and that short trips
on a cold engine are particularly notorious for causing pollution.
Therefore, by avoiding unnecessary short automobile trips to school,
you are helping the environment.
"Today’s kids are at risk of earlier onset of cardiovascular
disease, osteoporosis, type II diabetes, hypertension and a number
of chronic lifestyle diseases," says Dr. Mark Tremblay of the
University of New Brunswick. "One way to resolve this is by having
kids walk, bike, or skip to their destination. It’s not only
physiologically friendly, it’s also environmentally friendly."
Active transportation leads to a reduction of crime and fostering
of greater sense of personal and family security in a community. More
"eyes on the street" help deter crime and also provide neighbours
and citizens with the sense and assurance that they are not alone,
and that help is readily available when needed.
What You Can Do
Ways to get started on your own Active & Safe Routes to School
Program include:
- Organizing a Walking School Bus for young children
with adult supervision for safety and traffic awareness.
- Organizing a Biking or Scooter School Bus for
older children with adult supervision and a focus on bike safety.
- Organizing a Busing drop-off zones a kilometer
or so from school and safe pedestrian routes for kids to walk the
rest of the way to school.
- Organizing a Central school bus pick-up and drop-off
points to increase physical activity for students and enhance busing
efficiency.
- Registering in Go For Green’s International
Walk to School Day (IWSD) in October www.goforgreen.ca/asrts.
- Developing a No idling zone for cars around schools.
- Considering physical infrastructure changes to
increase safety for walkers, cyclists, in-line skaters, etc., to reduce
and calm traffic, and to cut pollution.
- Considering policy changes.
Links and Resources
The Active & Safe Routes to School Program is an initiative
of Go For Green. Go For Green will provide information on how parents,
caregivers, teachers, community groups, parent councils and municipal
governments can encourage children to get walking and cycling to school.
They have ideas and resources to help with everything from planning
safe routes to lobbying for infrastructure improvements.
Contact information:
Go For Green
1-888-UBACTIV (822-2848)
email: asrts@goforgreen.ca
www.goforgreen.ca.
