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The Green Mile
Be inspired: Students working together to reduce car traffic.
The Green Mile began in 2007 with the planning of a 'Green Mile Week' in our local town of Charleville. The purpose of the week was to encourage secondary school students to walk, cycle or carpool as a means of transport to and from school every day during that week and beyond.
By encouraging the student population to walk, cycle or carpool we hoped to reduce the amount of car traffic in Charleville town, to cut down on carbon emissions (CO2) and to reduce our carbon footprint. We wanted to tackle the growing and very worrying issue of damage done to our environment through the effect of greenhouse gases. In addition, we wished to contribute in a positive way to overcoming the growing problem of obesity among young people by encouraging students to exercise more.
We decided to tackle the social problem of carbon emissions for a variety of reasons... The idea first surfaced following a series of talks given to our class by Mr. Pat McMahon on his return journey from his voluntary work with the poor of India. On a field trip to Millstreet Recycling Centre and Country Park we had the chance to study the area of recycling and biodiversity. Both experiences highlighted the serious damage caused to the environment by the burning of fossil fuels. In Charleville town, we witness ever-increasing amounts of traffic on the streets, particularly around the school pick-up and drop-off times. Taking all of this into account, our group decided to tackle head-on the whole issue of school transportation, starting with the local secondary schools and getting support from local businesses and the residents of Charleville town.
We conducted a car count survey at the school peak times on the two main streets in Charleville town.). The count took place over one week in February 2008 Monday to Friday, and cars were counted between 8:30 and 9:15 in the mornings (school drop-off time), and between 3:30 and 4:00 in the evenings (school pick-up time). Combined totals revealed very high numbers of cars travelling both north and south on each road.
We drafted, planned and administered a School Transportation Survey to all Junior Certificate students in the three secondary schools in Charleville, to determine the distance they lived from their school and the modes of transport used to and from school daily. As an example, in one first year class fourteen out of twenty two students availed of a lift to and from school each day of the school week.
The results revealed that:
- The majority of students surveyed live within 0-3km of their school i.e. well within walking/cycling range.
- The most common modes of transport used by students are (1) Car, (2) Bus, (3) Walking.
These results gave us great confidence that a significant reduction could be made in the numbers of cars on the roads associated with school transportation.
The final phase of the project for 2007 - 2008 involved the designation and promotion of the Green Mile Week. It was decided that this would run from 12th May to 16th May 2008.
Through direct communication with the other two secondary schools in Charleville, notices and a live interview on local radio and a number of articles and advertisements in local newspapers, the general public and Charleville secondary schoolgoers in particular were encouraged to walk or cycle to school/work.
A number of students at our own school took a course in bicycle maintenance and repair in preparation for the Green Mile Week. Minister for Education Mr. Batt O'Keefe attended the launch on Main Street, Charleville on Monday 12th May, adding greatly to the profile of the event in the local media.
During Green Mile Week traffic volume surveys were again carried out at the same locations and at exactly the same times as the previous survey done in February 2008. The results showed an impressive reduction in the amount of traffic during those times.
By: Stephen Dawson
