Section 1 - Using TravelSmart
1.1 Introduction - What is TravelSmart?
1.2 Using this resource
1.1 Introduction - What is TravelSmart?
Every day, the importance of maintaining our environment becomes more obvious. Scientists agree that we must reduce our global greenhouse gas emissions - but how do we make changes as individuals? How can we become a lot smarter about living on and caring for our planet? TravelSmart is an initiative that educates people for sustainable change.
It recognises that making changes to travel habits is a major factor in environmental care and has been designed to show individuals that small sustainable changes can make a big difference.
This can be achieved, in part, by working in partnership with schools, communities and businesses. Individuals in these groups are asked to observe their travel habits in order to establish benchmarks for change.
An important part of the TravelSmart program is in ensuring that our younger generations are aware of the impact of the motorised vehicle on our environment and our lifestyle. The car has allowed us to travel further, pursue more activities and commute to work and school. It has changed the shape of cities and extended horizons.
However, the disadvantages of car use are becoming more and more evident:
- we are spending more time in the car when we could be spending time with our families, doing activities we enjoy and working more productively
- we are experiencing an increase in driver and passenger stress and frustration
- travelling times have increased
- Australians contribute nearly 535.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere per year, with transport accounting for 14.3% of that figure (76.3 million tonnes)
The TravelSmart initiative
- encourages people to think about travel in advance and choose appropriate modes of transport to suit their circumstances
- aims to makes better use of existing infrastructure by acknowledging the use of the car in conjunction with other modes of travel - public transport and healthy transport options, such as cycling and walking
- recognises the benefits of incidental exercise such as walking or cycling to a destination
- does not rely on regulation to change travel behaviour
- empowers individuals to change by giving them the tools to acknowledge their current habits and information on how they could benefit from making small changes
- recognises that using local community facilities, shops and travel options does decrease travel times and distances and help to make the local neighbourhood a better place in which to live.
Students will gain a number of significant understandings about their social and physical environments:
- that individuals are responsible to their community and can be empowered to make change
- that small changes can have a impact on improving the social and physical environments of our local communities
- that identification and modification of present travel habits can contribute to a better social and physical environment
- that there are benefits to having a cooperative neighbourhood community
- that personal benefits in health and lifestyle are achievable when individuals reduce the impact of the motor vehicle on the environment
- that using a variety of travel options can provide opportunities for improved levels of fitness
- that the problems and successes of the future may have their genesis in the decisions of today
- that environmental issues are local, regional, national and global.
1.2 Using this resource
- TravelSmart Teacher Resource consists of five Sections. Section 1 contains the introductory pages, Sections 2, 3 and 4 comprise the teaching ideas and Section 5 consists of several support resources.
- Sections 2, 3 and 4 are arranged as follows. Each topic has a TravelSmart Objective/Outcome page, followed by activities for junior, middle and upper primary. There are six topics in both Sections 2 and 3 and four topics in Section 4.
- It is not intended that teachers use all the ideas suggested - they should select, develop and adapt learning activities to suit the knowledge, skills, needs, and interests of students - this resource has been developed to provide a choice of teaching activities and strategies.
- It is important that students have a sound understanding of the need for travel behaviour change, can recognise a range of travel options and can relate their learning to making positive travel changes in their own lives.
- Teachers should
- refer to their curriculum documents if it is necessary to clarify curriculum links
- employ a range of thinking and teaching strategies such as brainstorming, group work, role play, problem solving and decision making, which enhance the development of skills for lifelong learning
- use TravelSmart learning activities as opportunities to practise students' information and communication technology (ICT) and information literacy skills
- prepare and negotiate assessment tasks and report on learners' achievements in relation to learning outcomes
- use a learner achievement software to record students' progress and prepare reports
- check web links prior to using them as resources with students. All links were active at the time of publication.
| Icons provide a quick and clear reference to the following: | |
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Junior, Middle and Upper Primary activities |
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Activity page |
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Link to another Section of this resource |
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Weblink |
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ICT idea |
1 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change unfccc.int/resource/convkp.html