Green*Star Program - Rewarding Green Behavior
Goals:
- To reduce congestion around the Telluride Schools
- To encourage environmentally friendly forms of transportation
- To promote healthy physical activity
How does it work?
Children who register for the “Green Star – rewarding green behavior” program get a punch card. A volunteer punches the card each day the student walks, rides their bike or takes the bus to school. When the student has received 20 punches he or she will be eligible for a small treat and will be entered into a raffle for the grand prize of a bicycle at the end of the school year. The raffle will be arranged so that students with more punches will have a better chance at the bike.
TO SIGN UP
Contact Kari Distefano at 369-5472 or karid@sanmiguelcounty.org.
Why participate?
In 1969, 42% of students age 5 to 18 walked or cycled to school. By 2001 that figure was reduced to 16%. According to the National Safe Routes to School web site, nationwide 20% - 25% of morning traffic is attributable to parents driving their children to school. While the Telluride Community has never actively tracked these numbers, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that Telluride is consistent with the rest of the country.
Daily commuter traffic has a direct impact on air quality in the Telluride Valley. Data downloaded from the San Miguel County Environmental Health Office’s air quality monitor show a sharp increase in particulate pollution during peak commuter times. A reduction in school related commuter traffic would have a positive impact on particulate pollution.
According to the National Center for Disease Control in years 1966 – 1970 4.2% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 were overweight and 4.6% of young people between the ages of 12 and 19 were overweight. In 2003 – 2004 those percentages had risen to 18.8% of 6 – 11 year olds and 17.4% of 12 – 19 year olds.
Charles H. Hillman, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and colleague Darla M. Castelli assessed the physical fitness levels of 239 3rd and 5th graders from four Illinois elementary schools. Their findings were published last year in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology and show that children who received good marks on two measures of physical fitness—those that gauge aerobic fitness and body-mass index—tended also to have higher scores on state exams in reading and mathematics. Walking or riding a bicycle to school may have a positive affect on learning.
Our Generous Sponsors
Many thanks to Alpine Bank, Baked in Telluride, Just for Kids, New Community Coalition, San Miguel County, Sheep Mountain Alliance and the Telluride Elementary School for supporting this program.
