Youth climate push gets into gear

QUEENSCLIFF children have set an example for climate-friendly transport initiatives in their community with a self-organised ride to school day.

Pupils gathered at Point Lonsdale Skate Park on Friday last week, before setting off for the three-kilometre ride to Queenscliff Primary School.

More than 100 riders participated in the event, with 82 students and support from parents, school teachers and its principal, and Borough of Queenscliffe mayor Isabelle Tolhurst.

School students arranged the ride and returned to school to calculate the emissions saved from a day out of the car.

“With help from some grown ups we have calculated that by riding on that one day we stopped 103kg of carbon dioxide from polluting the air,” Junior QCAN members Eve and Rosie Le Page said.

“That is 613 kms of car travel for drop offs and pick ups that didn’t happen – which is great!”

Queenscliff Climate Action Now (QCAN) president Kitty Walker said it was inspiring to see the achievements of the young activists.

“It is so exciting to see the next generation show initiative for climate-friendly projects like this.

“Junior QCAN have shown us exactly how it’s done and they should feel so proud.

“They took a problem – the amount of emissions we produce locally from short trips around town like dropping our kids to school.

“They came up with a simple idea. They inspired their peers.

“They made it fun and look what happened, more than 100 people rolled up at 8am on a rainy day who maybe walked away thinking twice about whether they could use a different mode of transport the next time they need to get around locally.”