It’s Healthy Schools Day on April 4th and Olanna Barnett, one of our Health Policy Specialists, shares a message about children’s health and their environment:
This year’s Healthy Schools Day focus is on diesel emissions. Diesel buses have long been and still are a main mode of transportation for getting children to and from school.
However, diesel emissions can be especially harmful to children. They are linked to asthma and allergy symptoms, and may pose other serious health risks, such as heart problems and lung cancer.
There are things both schools and communities can do to lower the exposure to diesel emissions. Be part of the change. Let’s make sure all children in Canada are learning, playing and growing in educational environments that get an ‘A for effort’ in lowering diesel emissions.
As a parent/caregiver, you can encourage your child’s school to make a difference by:
- Establishing/enforcing policies to reduce idling and bus caravanning.
- Optimizing school bus routes and drop-off/pick-up locations.
- Switching to zero- or low-emission vehicle technologies.
Let’s play our part to decrease diesel emissions and make our environment safer for our children. Find out more about what you can do: Healthy School Day.
Be vocal and talk to others about the health risks of diesel emissions.
What will you do to make a difference? Share your ideas by commenting below.
