The Morgantown Municipal Green Team announces the first in its 2013-14 series of Green Nights at the Library in the following news release and attached flyer suitable for posting. We appreciate your publicizing this event on Thursday, September 19. For more information, contact Barbara Walker at
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From: The Morgantown Municipal GreenTeam
For immediate release
Uphill Both Ways? Safe and Sustainable
Student Transportation for Morgantown
A Green Night at the Library, 9/19/13 at the Morgantown Public Library
Tired of
sitting in the car-rider line to drop off your child at school? Concerned about
the environmental impact of traffic congestion in Morgantown? Or maybe wishing
you could do something about the childhood obesity rate in our community? Remember
how kids used to get to school? Come to the library on Thursday, September 19,
6:00–7:30 pm for a conversation about how Morgantown students get to and from
school.
This month’s
Green Night at the Library will address the issue of reducing the environmental
and health impacts of student transportation. The event is the first in a fall
series of presentations and workshops sponsored by the Morgantown Municipal
Green Team at the downtown public library. The Green Team advises the City of
Morgantown on matters relating to sustainability in public policy, planning,
education, departmental management, development, and environmental and
energy-related issues.
Studies have
shown that kids who walk or bike to school perform better in school. Getting
more kids walking and biking to school will help address a significant
community health issue: West Virginia
has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the country. Creating
routes so more students can safely walk or bike to school will reduce traffic
congestion and reduce the number of cars idling in lines.
At the
September event, representatives from the Pedestrian Safety Board (
www.morgantownwv.gov/government/advisory-boards/pedestrian-safety-board)
and the Bike Board (
bikemorgantown.com) will speak about how the Pedestrian
Safety Plan and the Bike Plan, approved by the City Council, will encourage and
enable safe walking and biking to Morgantown schools. We’ll discuss what has
been done, what is planned, next steps, and opportunities for citizen
involvement.
Everyone is
welcome to come and learn about the current state of school transportation in
Morgantown and the vision for supporting student-powered transport. Students
who would like to walk or bike to school are especially encouraged to attend.
The Green
Team has planned two other fall workshops: On Saturday, October 12, the Tree
Board will hold a Green Morning on native tree selection, pruning, and care as
part of Morgantown’s celebration of Arbor Day and the Year of the Tree. On
Thursday, November 14, Jeff Simcoe of Downstream Strategies and others will
discuss the city-sponsored study to establish a baseline of city carbon
emissions to enable the community to find ways to lower its energy use.
The downtown
public library is located at 373 Spruce Street. Parking is available across the
street and a nearby parking structure. For more information, contact Barbara
Walker at
breadwords@yahoo.com.
Thank you,
Pamela S. Cubberly
Cubberly & Associates
703-218-5417 (tel)
703-463-7643 (cell)
Skype: pam.cubberly