Walk to School! Save the planet
The Walk to School Campaign for May 2007 is focussing on reducing the pollution caused by driving to school.Cars produce more pollution (per kilometre) on short journeys, when the engine is cold and the car keeps stopping and starting in traffic jams - does that sound like your journey to school?
The morning "school run" is one of the most polluting journeys you can make.
The list of pollutants chucked out by car exhausts is not pleasant reading. It includes:
- Carbon monoxide – a poisonous odourless gas
- Carbon dioxide – which is a major cause of global warming
- Benzene – which can cause cancer
- Particulate matter – minute specks of soot (a tenth of the width of a human hair) which can enter the lungs and make breathing harder
More worryingly, research has shown that the levels of pollutants inside a car are at least 3 times worse than on the pavement at the side of the street – so driving to school isn’t just bad for the environment, it is bad for your health!
Walking to School is a great way for you to “do your bit”, in the same way as recycling your bottles or turning off lights. We want to encourage everyone to consider how they travel to school, and try walking to school for a week. Who knows, you might just find it is quicker, healthier and less stressful!
