Car-Free School Day Hopes for Sunny Skies Tomorrow

The following is a new press release from:

"Rain or shine, Brookline students again will celebrate on Wednesday, October 5, 2011, when they walk, bike, rollerblade, skateboard or take public transportation to school, getting private cars off the road,” stated Alan Balsam, Director of Public Health and Human Services for Brookline.

The event links Brookline students to International Walk to School Day, an annual event involving more than 3 million children in 21 countries. When students arrive at school tomorrow, they will be greeted by parents and other volunteers who will stamp students’ hands with a green footprint to call attention to Car Free School Day and to promote the Brookline community’s partner program, Brookline Tomorrow, a town-wide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Brookline.  

Dr. Balsam noted, “Car Free School Day has two goals: 1) to enhance the health of kids and 2) to improve air quality by reducing our carbon footprint.”

• Enhance the health of kids. Car-Free School Day encourages Brookline students to practice healthy behavior. Kids need to move. As the International Walk to School Day website notes: “Obesity rates among children have more than doubled in the past 20 years.” The CDC notes that one of every 3 children born in 2000 could develop type 2 diabetes. Walking to school is an excellent way to get physical activity and to establish healthy lifestyle habits and exercise patterns that can be continued into adulthood.
• Improve air quality and the environment. Replacing car trips to school with helps reduce air pollution. Motor vehicle use is recognized as the source of more air pollution than any other single human activity.

Along with the Public Schools of Brookline and the School Green Teams, Car Free School Day sponsors are the Brookline Departments of Public Health and Recreation, Brookline’s CCAB (Climate Change Action Brookline) and the Selectmen’s Climate Action Committee.

For further information, please contact Lynne Karsten, 617-730-2336.

If you go car free tomorrow, take photos and let us know!