The school bus is everywhere I go in Niagara. I don't remember them in St. Catharines when I went to school. I assume that's because there were schools located within a few miles of each other. As an urban community, that distance of walking to school was normal, expected and the only option. That's my guess. Statistics confirm this.
These are US statistics from the Safety Administration:
In 1969, 48 percent of children 5 to 14 years of age usually walked or bicycled to school (The National Center for Safe Routes to School, 2011).
In 2009, 13 percent of children 5 to 14 years of age usually walked or bicycled to school (National Center, 2011).
In 1969, 41 percent of children in grades K–8 lived within one mile of school;
89 percent of these children usually walked or bicycled to school
In 2009, 31 percent of children in grades K–8 lived within one mile of school;
35 percent of these children usually walked or bicycled to school
"The circumstances that have led to a decline in walking and bicycling to school did not happen overnight and have created a self-perpetuating cycle. As motor vehicle traffic increases, parents become more convinced that it is unsafe for their children to walk or bicycle to school. They begin driving them to school, thereby adding even more traffic to the road and sustaining the cycle. "
What I notice is that school buses pick children up all over the neighbourhood and all over the streets everywhere. The bus in my neighbourhood stops at the corner of my street and then the very next street. School buses operate as parent and chauffeur substitutes. With all those buses, things are complicated now - there are 18,000 school buses in Ontario.
There are equally complicated activities to return people to having their children walk to school. Things like the Walking School Bus - you can imagine it means walking to school in groups under adult supervision using prescribed protocols.
I realize that school busing alone tells us how much effort there will be to reduce our carbon footprint and start to address climate change. We depend on our complicated social order.
Today I am pitching the Fantasy of Trees wreaths for those of you who are fairly close by for pick up or delivery. You can purchase one of the wreaths. I am partial to the Monarch Butterflies Wreath - it is a lovely gift. Let me know if you might be interested.
