BURBANK : Smog Education Project Gets Trial

Three Burbank middle schools have begun a pilot project with a local transportation group to use federal funds to see whether education can help alleviate traffic and smog.

The project surveys students, parents and teachers about their views and habits regarding using personal cars, car pooling and public transportation. It is funded by a $170,000 federal grant to be spent over two years, said Judith Johnston-Weston, executive director of the Burbank Media District Transportation Management Organization.

The survey will track views and practices through the next two years to see if new curriculum drawn up by the school with the TMO has any effect on how students and their parents get to school or work.

“Many of these kids are taking transit for the first time, or maybe biking their way to school,” Weston said, explaining that some are at the age where they are starting to experience the freedoms of transportation for the first time.

The schools are Luther Burbank, David Starr Jordan and John Muir middle schools.

Weston said she did not know of any other program like this for middle schools elsewhere in the country, although both high school and elementary students have had similar programs.

“We’re trying to see if information and education has an impact,” Weston said. “We all need to be educated in this. All of us have got to be responsible citizens.”

The Burbank Media District TMO is a nonprofit group supported by dues paid by 55 member companies and tries to promote ways of improving air quality and traffic. A report on the pilot project, including the curriculum that will be incorporated into all subject areas, such as math, English, social studies and science, was given to the Burbank school board Thursday night.

Each teacher in the schools is being encouraged to include four or five lessons on air pollution and traffic. The math classes will be used to calculate the results of the surveys.

Teachers will also be using special events to get the message across. One teacher said some students thought that smog was just clouds.

“I can see how this can fit into the curriculum,” said board member Robert Dunivant.