How to Make the School Trip More Eco-Friendly
Traveling to and from school can be resource-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. There are ways to make the trip to and from school more eco-friendly. Here are some suggestions.
1. The Walking School Bus
It’s not exactly the Flintstones, but it does use your feet. A Walking School Bus is basically a group of adult-supervised children walking in a group toward a destination – in this case, to school. They stop and “pick up” other kids along the way.
The Walking School Bus gives kids much-needed exercise, it doesn’t use any fuel except kid-power, and it is safer than walking alone. Parents can volunteer to take turns supervising as well. Children who have had a chance to exercise on their way to school may have an easier time sitting still in class, too. The Walking School Bus is a good option for those who live close to their school.
2. Bikes
The same principle of traveling in groups can be invoked here. Supervised children can form a “bike train,” picking up kids along the route to school. A child who is younger or who will be biking alone can still bike to school accompanied by a parent. Biking to school also gives kids exercise and, like the Walking School Bus, provides some social time before and after the school day.
3. The Big Yellow Bus
The school bus is still a safe way to get to school and, since it’s mass transit, it is more eco-friendly than each child being driven in a car. Of course, school buses do consume fuel and expel emissions. Various groups around the country are working with bus drivers to reduce “idle time” during transit. And for safety, school buses are still at the top of the list.
4. Carpools
Consolidating drivers is a time-tested way to transport children to school. If one or more of the participants has a fuel-efficient vehicle, that’s even better. Just be sure that each child is strapped in correctly and in the proper booster seat (if necessary) for his or her size. This may mean you can’t cram extra kids in your car, but it is never wise to try to save fuel at the expense of safety.
5. Walking to school
Even if your neighborhood does not have a Walking School Bus, the old-fashioned practice of walking to school is practical and healthy. If this is an option for your children, be sure they are supervised and, if possible, in a group with others. Once again, it provides social time and exercise.
Getting to school isn’t the same as it was when many of us were kids. Educators, parents, and school children are all becoming more eco-conscious. As they do so, they will continue to make use of energy-efficient ways to get to school. And who knows – some children may come up with a new idea altogether.
Tags:Emissions,exercise,fuel efficient vehicle,safe way,yellow bus
Tags: 
