700 students participate in Cool Commuter workshops
Over 700 senior primary school students from within Ballina Shire participated in the Ballina Shire Council’s Cool Commuter workshops.
In these workshops students conducted a survey of how their class travels to school and examined the contribution transport emissions make to climate change.
From these surveys it was found that although 26% of surveyed students walk or cycle to school and 44% catch the bus, nearly one third are driven to school.
Emissions calculations indicated that car travel contributed to 97% of the greenhouse gas emissions in travelling to and from school.
During the workshop students looked at more sustainable modes for travelling to school such as walking, cycling, catching the bus or carpooling. It was found that carpooling with two other students for the trip to school can significantly reduce transport emissions and be a fun social activity.
Students also brainstormed ways their schools could promote the Cool Commuters message. Many of these students used Walk Safely to School Day as their Cool Commuter Day of Action and walked, cycled, caught the bus or carpooled to school to reduce their greenhouse gases. Some schools also chose to offset some of these emissions by planting trees on Schools Tree Day.
As follow-up to this workshop students designed posters to encourage the rest of the community to Cool Commute to work and school to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, improve health and fitness, reduce traffic congestion and improve road safety.
Ten winners of this competition received prizes donated by local businesses Ballina Kayaks, Baysail, Jack Ransom Cycles, Pegasus Park Equestrian Centre, Sunrise Cycles and Ballina Pool and Water Slides.
A number of these artworks have now been chosen to feature on bus advertisements aimed to increase community awareness of sustainable travel options for commuting to work or study. The artists include
Chynne from Emmanuel Anglican College, Reilly from Wardell Public School, Joel from Holy Family Catholic School, Stephanie from Lennox Head Public School and Daniel from Ballina Primary School.
For more information on reducing your household’s greenhouse gas emissions go
to Council’s website www.ballina.nsw.gov.au
