[Sust-mar] Walking on the Rise in NS Schools

[Janet Barlow]

For Immediate Release



November 16, 2005



Walking on the rise in NS Schools



Walking is a growing trend at schools across Nova Scotia. Since it was first 
celebrated in the province, the number of schools participating in 
International Walk to School Week has soared from nine in 2001 to 137 in 
2005.



"It was wonderful to see the tremendous response from schools this year," 
says Janet Barlow, Coordinator of Active & Safe Routes to School. "It's 
exciting to think one-third of our schools participated province-wide - 
that's a lot of schools."



International Walk to School Week is an initiative of Active & Safe Routes 
to School, a program promoting the use of active modes of transportation to 
school. This includes walking, cycling, wheel chairing, etc.



The annual event took place this year from October 3 to 7. Over 30,000 
students walked or wheeled to school or took part in walking activities at 
school. Many school staff, parents and community members also put their best 
foot forward. Schools across Canada participated in the event, joining 36 
countries world-wide.



"It didn't matter whether the schools had a lot of walking students or 
bussing students," says Barlow. "They all recognized the need for more 
physical activity, for fewer cars being driven to school and for more 
traffic safety awareness."



Four NS schools won prizes for their participation. Princess Margaret Rose 
Elementary School in Truro won a national award of $500 from Go for Green 
along with a banner and prizes for each student.



Carleton Consolidated School in Carleton won a bike rack from Timbertec Inc. 
and a banner from Go for Green. Mount Edward School in Dartmouth won 3M TM 
Scotchlite TM Reflective Material armbands* for all students. Seton 
Elementary in North Sydney won a Teaching About Climate Change book from 
Green Teacher and an Ecology Action Centre membership.



For their generous prize donations, Active & Safe Routes to School thanks Go 
for Green, Timbertec Inc., 3M and Green Teacher.



Active & Safe Routes to School is a national Go for Green program 
coordinated in Nova Scotia by the Ecology Action Centre in partnership with 
Nova Scotia Health Promotion.



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Photos are available upon request.

For more information contact Janet Barlow at:

(902) 442-5055 or asrts at ecologyaction.ca



*3M and Scotchlite are trademarks of 3M used under license in Canada



Janet Barlow
Active & Safe Routes to School Coordinator
asrts at ecologyaction.ca
Tel: (902) 442-5055
Fax: (902) 422-6410
Ecology Action Centre
1568 Argyle St., Suite 31
Halifax, NS  B3J 2B3
www.ecologyaction.ca/asrts
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