-----Original Message-----
From: Jeb Brugmann [mailto:jeb@...]
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 4:45 PM
To: Eric Britton
Subject: All the fusses about walking school buses...

Hi Eric (and co-conspirators): I of course agree with everything you say
Eric. Walking to school seems the most obvious of measures for a
climate-anxious, obesity-ridden parental generation.
But then, I wonder what's happening out there in the world beyond my
neighbourhood in Toronto, and why all the fuss in your note. The walking
school buses rev-up every morning here at 8.30 and converge from all
directions through blizzarding, rainy and bamly days alike. Ours takes a one
kilometer route. On snowy days when it's -15 we take sleds and pull them,
have snow ball fights. On other days it's all about skateboards, scooters
and bikes. On other days when we're late out the door and it's too cold for
a bike, we jog half the way.

WE NEVER THINK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S A "CAR-FREE DAY".

So what's going on? We've just stopped thinking about it too long ago and
walking to school is just too much of the rhythm of the day. So it won't
work as much of a call-to-arms here in Toronto. Better to think about how to
improve that wheelie or how to prevent snowballs to the face...or about that
anti-idling by-law that Toronto put in the books years ago, and never
enforces...

Jeb

Eric Britton wrote:
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> My guess is that if we were to put our heads together on this we could
> do something that really might have surprisingly significant impacts.
> So far starters I am copying the print remarks I have received on this
> in the last 24 hours, though I should add that I have also received
> some encouraging phone calls stating that this idea is maybe not such
> a bad one and well worth pursuing.
>
> The basic concept - how you get the parents and the school behind you,
> organize the pickup points, how far from the school (I like a good 15
> minutes walk), route choices, what if anything needs to be done to
> ensure absolute safety, and the rest - needs to be set out in a
> sprightly and engaging manner. And of course we need more examples.
>
> However one of the painful lessons of my now thirteen years old push
> to do something with Car Free Days as a transformational learning and
> doing system, is that they turned into rather stolid by the numbers
> one-dayers, agreeable for a few, noisily unpleasant for others, and by
> and large known or ignored by the vast majority. So here we really
> want to see if we can create a pattern, a benevolent virus that will
> spread simply because it is just such a good and simple (and healthy)
> (and cheap) (and universally applicable) idea.
>
> Walking School Bus? Yes, I had not exactly thought of it in those
> terms, not least since in the vast majority of cases (is this true
> Robert?) they turn into one day events and not transforming actions.
> But it's a wonderful concept and is certainly part of the solution
>
> A Special Issue of World Transport Policy and Practice? Certainly be
> one good way to get the word out, but also I would like to think about
> more active, more visible for this so that we get it into high relief
> as an example of one of the myriad "small things" that we need to do
> in order to break the stasis, the stranglehold of our continuing,
> egregious and altogether unnecessary unsustainability. There are all
> sorts of potential partners out there who have a role to play, and who
> by and large seem to be swimming around in a sea of uncertainly as to
> what the hell to do next.
>
> I mean if the Clinton/Large Cities Climate Initiative is serious about
> CO2 reduction, this is the sort of thing that they should be getting
> behind us and others to make work.
>
> And what about the Commission? Are they just too stolid and passive to
> jump onto this as something they should be getting behind. Not trying
> to take it over to bring one more good idea into the bear hug of their
> bureaucracy, but as something that they are ready to support with both
> a bit of finance (not a big deal in this case), but also their
> wonderful (thought not entirely deserved as we all know) as white
> knights of sustainable development and social justice. I'd really like
> that since I am an enthusiastic if often very critical supporter of
> the idea of Europe.
>
> And groups like the Sierra Club, ICLEI, and many others with a wide
> reach, national and other agencies that have been set up to make a
> difference but who are short on good ideas like this. They should be
> more than willing to get on board and lend a hand. And and.
>
> Or maybe this idea is just to simple and cheap. Maybe what we need to
> do is build more metros. Or keep on whining because we don't have
> enough geld to do it. Eh?
>
> Now what?
>
> Eric
>
> PS. That by the way is an example or what I had thought out Stockholm
> Partnerships for Sustainable Cities was supposed to be all about. Now
> all I have to do is find some way to revive it.
>
> PPS. And by the way, the one sure way that this can get done will be
> if all those involved will be willing to make themselves as invisible
> as possible. Who was it that said (Harry Truman) that the best way to
> get a tough job done was to make sure that you don't try to take
> credit for it.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> *From:* r.smith@... [mailto:r.smith@...]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 27, 2007 4:44 PM
> *To:* Eric Britton
> *Subject:* Re: This morning 351 small French children walked to school
> here in Paris.
>
> Hi Eric
>
> Wonderful!
>
> I think your PS comment at the foot of the e-mail should be used as an
> example to us all! A wonderful real-life account, which I'd like to use if
> I may at a SRTS conference in Toronto in October.
>
> We have already started work on implementing a few "sticks" here in rural
> Dorset as the carrots have started to thin. We will of course continue to
> try to influence "hearts and minds" rather than instigate "lines,
> rules and
> signs" to achieve our objectives but there are two key sticks that appear
> to work; firstly, remove the incentive to drive all the way to school by
> levying a fee on parents if they want to park in the school grounds, or
> secondly, close the school gates so they can't drive all the way in,
> in the
> first place. I quite like your third option of actually removing the
> vehicle completely but that's a bit drastic. I'll save that one for the
> ultimate deterrent.
>
> Keep walking!
>
> Kind Regards
>
> Robert
>
>
> Robert Smith
> Team Leader, Network Traffic Safety
> Environment Directorate
> Dorset County Council
> County Hall
> Dorchester
> Dorset
> DT1 1XJ
> UK
> TEL: 00 44 (0)1305 224680
> FAX: 00 44 (0)1305 224771
> e-mail: r.smith@...
> http://www.dorsetcc.gov.uk/rsafe
>
> -----Original Message-----
> *From:* John Whitelegg [mailto:j.whitelegg@...]
> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:45 AM
> *To:* Eric Britton
> *Cc:* Paul Tranter
> *Subject:* Re: This morning 351 small French children walked to school
> here in Paris.
>
> Eric,
>
> Exciting stuff and much in need of wider dissemination.
>
> As you know we have a large scale "safe routes to school" (SRTS)
> project in the Uk and I have done 4 or 5 of these including the
> "walking bus" idea you describe. The experience is very moving (in
> every sense). I don't think the SRTS work is going well and I am
> trying to understand why. The kids love it and that is enough for me!
>
> At my suggestion we have just passed a general city-wide 30kph speed
> limit proposal in Lancaster to make the streets safer and more
> attractive and combat a big SRTS obstacle here (the street are not safe!)
>
> By the way the same idea goes down really well in Canberra so there is
> global resonance with an intensely local idea.
>
> I would love to do a special issue of WTPP focussing on your Paris
> example, Canberra, Melbourne and UK examples. What do you (both) think?
>
> the work continue
>
> very best wishes
>
> John
>
> -----Original Message-----
> *On Behalf Of *Carlos F. Pardo SUTP
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 27, 2007 11:21 PM
> *To:* Eric Britton
> * Subject:* [NewMobilityCafe] Re: This morning 351 small French
> children walked to school here in Paris.
>
> Eric,
>
> It's great that you've started with children, and that you focus this
> on the broader goal of reducing emissions, etc (as abstract as it may
> seem, but a goal in the end). I guess they understood this is just the
> beginning of their "new mobility", not that this is just "for the kids
> and their parents" until they grow up and get the driver's license.
> Pictures of this are more than welcome to see how it all looked!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Carlos F. Pardo
> Coordinador de Proyecto- Project Coordinator
> GTZ - Proyecto de Transporte Sostenible (SUTP, SUTP-LAC)
> Cl 93A # 14-17 of 708
> Bogotá D.C., Colombia
> Tel/fax: +57 (1) 236 2309 Mobile: +57 (3) 15 296 0662
> carlos.pardo@... <mailto:carlos.pardo@...> www.sutp.org
<http://www.sutp.org>
>
>
> ----
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> *
> From: Eric Britton <mailto:eric.britton@...>
> *
>
> **To:* John Whitelegg <mailto:j.whitelegg@...> *
>
> **Sent:* Wednesday, March 28, 2007 8:08 AM*
>
> **Subject:* This morning 351 small French children walked to school
> here in Paris.*
>
> *
> (Let's see now, if one linear cm of a new metro cost between $400 and
> $1000.00, what about this for New Mobility cost/CO2 effectiveness.)
> *
>
> * *
>
> *This morning 351 small French children walked to one school here in
> Paris. It's not a big deal of course, but just possibly a story worth
> sharing with you.*
>
> * *
>
> *A young teacher at a school in the seventh arrondissement in Paris,
> **Louise Assad/, /together with her colleagues, have been working to
> increase the children's environmental awareness, including of their
> own role in both the problems and solutions of our present planetary
> dilemma. One of the main sources of their inspiration ha been the
> "Earth Challenge" (Defi pour la terre) program of France's most
> popular and esteemed action ecologists, Nicolas Hulot. You can see all
> about his program at http://www.defipourlaterre.org/
> <http://www.defipourlaterre.org/>.)*
>
> * *
>
> *As part of a build-up to their first "Walk to School Day" (scheduled
> for this morning) Louise invited me to pop over to the school last
> Friday and talk with the kids about what all this might mean in the
> greater scheme of things. Great idea.*
>
> * *
>
> *So I prepared the attached informal outline to guide a lively a 30-40
> minute session to meet in two sections, one for the 8-10 group and the
> second for the big guys (11-12). We then met in our two groups and sat
> down on the floor of their little gym, and ran through the several
> points that you will see outlined in the following that I developed to
> guide our time together. We more or less followed this outline and it
> worked out to be a pretty active session with lots of participation
> and excitement, and, as the saying goes, we all had a great time.*
>
> * *
>
> *Then this morning was their first Walk to School, in which the
> children gathered at half a dozen appointed rendezvous points each
> about a ten minute walk and proceeded to make their way to school
> together, talking all the way. You know how that works.*
>
> * *
>
> *Louise Assad put it like this: "The children, teachers and parents
> all commented on how much they all enjoyed the experience of just
> being together in an entirely unstructured environment of walking and
> talking outside of school. An exercise of socialization. And **what
> was striking was the calm in our street in front of the school. The
> usual obstreperous SUV-jousting for a let-off place, honking and angry
> parents seemed relaxed, and our day at school started with serenity
> and a gentleness that one only imagines in country schools."*
>
> * *
>
> *They loved it and are now all excited about how they can do this more
> often. Maybe even all of the time. They have the beginning of a plan
> with those rendezvous points that they have now tried and seen can
> work for them.*
>
> * *
>
> *One small step at a time. Large numbers of small things. That's the
> way sustainability works. *
>
> * *
>
> *Eric Britton*
>
> * *
>
> *PS. But the devil, as they say, is in the details. On Friday there
> was a light rain and so instead of taking my bike to the school as
> usual for our sessions, I in a cowardly moment took my car. And
> punishment was at hand. No parking place in sight, so I parked
> illegally. Not dangerously I must insist, but nonetheless illegally.
> Poetic justice! When I came ever so righteously out of our terrific
> session, I found in my parking place an embarrassing void. Oops. The
> authorities had, I quickly found out, towed my old banger away just
> minutes after I had made my false move, so all there was to it was for
> me to make my way to the far distant car jail and hand then no less
> then 136 Euros to get it back. This is Paris. The noose is tightening
> on indiscriminate car users. It's great. But I guess I now have to get
> some decent rain gear. Won't do that again. ;-)*
>
> * *
>
> */23 March 2007 : Louise Assad, Eric Britton and the children of de la
> Rochefoucauld, 11 rue Cler, Paris/*
>
> **The Planet and You: A Let's talk about it**
>
> **The climate, global warming and you**
>
> **Are YOU the problem ?**
>
> **1.** Introduction : Louise Assad*. "The Earth Challenge" -
> http://www.defipourlaterre.org/*
>
> **
>
> *2. *Eric : Do we have a problem?* Environment? Climate" Global warming?*
>
> *· Is it a serious problem? Very serious> if yes, what is the problem?*
>
> *· Do you think you might be part of the problem? (and me? And Miss.
> Louise? . . .)*
>
> *· Or is the problem strictly someone else's business?
>
> *
>
> *3. *Let's take a small example: The trip to school.* (A self-census
> and team commentary)*
>
> *· Eric's team of census takers ( 6 volunteers)*
>
> *· Miss. Louise is our secretary (and needs one assistant)
>
> *
>
> **4.** Okay. How did you get to school this morning? *(Show of hands.
> Let's do the sums)*
>
> *· By car*
>
> *· Alone?*
>
> *· Two or more in the car?*
>
> *· By taxi?*
>
> *· By public transport *
>
> *· Bus*
>
> *· Metro, Train?*
>
> *· Wheel chair*
>
> *· By foot*
>
> *· Push scooter*
>
> *· Roller skates*
>
> *· By horse?*
>
> *· Other (tell us in two words)
>
> *
>
> **5.** Now, let's talk about it**
>
> *· Which is the best way for the child? For you? Explain.*
>
> *· Which is the best way for the planet. (Comment on the options)*
>
> *· What is it that we can do in order to do better*
>
> *· The school*
>
> *· The city*
>
> *· You and your family
>
> *
>
> *6. *Do you now about the Ecological Footprint?* -
> http://www.myfootprint.org/ <http://www.myfootprint.org/>*
>
> *· 15 Questions : Housing, what you eat, heating and lighting,
> transport (very important)*
>
> *· Oops. My test this morning showed me with a score of almost 5.
> (This means that if everyone on the planet did like me, we would need
> three planets to accommodate us all.)*
>
> *· And yet I have the feeling that I try quite hard to have a light
> footprint*
>
> *· And in the North America, it's even worse. More than twice of what
> we do here in France. Why ?*
>
> *· So we have to do better. Here's an idea for something you can do
> with your family at home.*
>
> *· Try their test at http://www.myfootprint.org/
> <http://www.myfootprint.org/> and discuss it with your family. Then
> talk about it in school.
>
> *
>
> **7.** Your Walk to School next Tuesday.**
>
> *· Miss Louise to remind us about how it works.*
>
> *· What do you think about it ?*
>
> *· Will you do it ?*
>
> **
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> *Thanks and see you on Tuesday.*
>
> * *
>
> * *
>