What can I do?
From helping the planet to bettering your body and giving your wallet a break, the question then becomes (we hope) "what can I do?" The easy answer is to drive a little less and walk a little more. Show people that you’re committed to helping the environment and shaking up your regular routine.
Some help
If you're trying to drive less but need a little help, we're here for you. Check out the toolkits below for resources on how to make the switch, and to rally people around you to join in.
School Toolkit
Organize a walking school bus for your school
Much like a real bus, a walking school bus travels at set times, along designated routes where children can "hop on or off" and should have one adult "driver". Parents wait with their kids to drop them off in the morning, and meet them at one of these stops in the afternoon.
Hold a bike repair clinic
Ask a neighborhood bike shop to volunteer to come to your school and host a clinic on how to repair simple bicycle malfunctions. Teach how to change a spare tire, put on a chain, adjust brakes, etc. so that students can get more excited about biking to school each day.
Hold a bike to school safety workshop
Search out a neighborhood cycling association to come to your school and teach students on the rules of the road, and how to bicycle safely.
Bike Rally
Help your school host a bike rally. Organize stations for checking that bikes are in good operating condition and helmets fit correctly. Also organize stations that go over riding in a straight line, stopping and starting, turning, proper crosswalk behavior.
Class Contest
Pit your class against the rest of the school to find out which class can log the most miles biking, walking, running or skating. Ask local businesses to donate a prize that can be given to students in the winning class.
Create a School Travel Map
Try to map out all of the routes to school so that people can make informed decisions about their travel routes. Highlight bike or walking paths, sidewalks, crosswalks, adult crossing guard locations, school safety zones and appropriate drop-off areas. You should also note central drop-off areas for parents who must drive their children at least part of the way to school.
Green Transportation Pep Rally
Invite everyone who used their legs to get to school to a pep rally. Organize games and activities, and donated prizing for students who chose to get to school without a ride!
School vs. School Competition
Find another school in your district that would be interested in participating in a competition to see who's students can log the most miles biking, walking, running or skating to school.
Office Toolkit
- Organize a car pool for employees living in the same geographic area.
- Set up a biking group for work commuting.
- Provide free morning coffee for individuals who take sustainable transport into work.
- Organize a bike clinic and free bike tune-up.
- Highlight profiles of commuters, using sustainable transport, on company intranet.
- Install bike racks outside of major offices.
- Organize a "lunch-run" race.
- Educate employees on carbon offsetting their business travel and encourage its practice.
- Hold a lunch & learn on alternative transportation methods.
- Sign up for transit discount plan where offered.
@Home Toolkit
Congratulations on taking the first step in giving your car a break from the road. Thanks to our friends at ParticipACTION, here are a few tips to help get you "people powered".
- Time - You might be shocked to find out that for distances up to 5 km, cycling is recognized as the fastest door-to-door mode of transportation. Think about this the next time you're in a rush to jump into your car.
- Weather - Don't let your excuse for inactivity be that you're not wearing the right shoes. The trick is to dress for the weather. In the winter, wear a warm coat, hat and mitts, and in the rain, wear a waterproof coat and rain boots, or invest in some cycling gear that you don't mind getting splashed.
- Distance - Just because a destination is too far to take people power the entire way, doesn't mean you can't get active for part of the trip. Combine driving or public transit with people power by toting your in-line skates with you, cycling to the commuter station or walking to the bus.
- By upping your daily physical activity minutes towards the 60 minutes recommended for adults in Canada's Physical Activity Guide, you will experience all the benefits of an active lifestyle, including better health, improved mental health and self esteem, stronger muscles and bones, better relaxation, reduced stress, and more energy.
Useful Downloads
People Power Tips (PDF, 57 KB)
Tips for Kids (PDF, 529 KB)
