Responses to Hypermobility
Introduction
It is a paradox that increasingly we can go wherever we choose but with so many people travelling at the same time, our journeys can be quite difficult. The roads would be fine if it wasn't for all that traffic!
Getting around our communities, or travelling between them, is an important part of how well they function. There are compromises, for what is best for 'me' is not always best for 'us'. Very few communities now show signs of a walking connection between the workplace and home, yet some communities have contributed to the growing network of cycle paths.
The increasing variety and speed of different modes of transport has made it much easier to travel greater distances. The ease with which we can travel within and between different communities has had an impact on their geography and structure, and central, suburban and even rural areas are now easily connected. Work colleagues are no longer based in a specific local area but can be spread across the country.
As we are interested in what connects us with others, it is relevant to consider both the practical experience and our attitudes towards towards transport.
Car dependency
This learning activity looks at a report produced by the Campaign for Better Transport, an organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly transport at local and national levels.
View: The Car Dependency Scorecard Full Report (PDF, external website)
View: The Car Dependency Scorecard Summary Report (PDF, external website)
The activity is based around an extract of the report concerning the East Midlands but it would be possible to work on any of the other regions from the interactive map on the Campaign for Better Transport website.
First, read the information about the East Midlands together with the public comments. Then answer the questions on the Scorecard Comments page.
Students may not have much experience of transport at a regional scale - indeed, this is a good discussion point - but they should be able to relate their own views to a more immediate locality.
Download: Car Dependency Scorecard Activity (Word, 44k)
Global scale
Business and mass-market tourism have made boarding a plane as casual as jumping on a bus. Families parted by thousands of miles can make frequent trips to see each other.
At the same time we are becoming increasingly aware of the negative environmental effects of the aviation industry and its impact upon our declining supply of fossil fuels.
Published at the time of the volcanic ash cloud which caused disruption to air travel across Europe, this article tries to add the term 'traincation' alongside 'staycation':
'A survey by green lifestyle charity Global Cool recently found that just over half of Britons are now considering swapping planes for trains - a real milestone given our apparent addiction to flying. And it's not difficult to identify some of the factors driving this change. Like the increasing amount of time we're expected to loiter in airport terminals, or the latest airport security scanners that leave little to the furtive imagination, and for many are an invasion of privacy too far.'
Source: Ed Gillespie (2010) Icelandic volcano: is this the start of the 'traincation'?, Guardian Travel Blog
The main issue with intensive transport modes is that we use them because we can. It is very difficult to roll back on our options unless the price or the law intervenes. Even steeply rising fuel costs have not reduced personal car use, people just suffer the price-hike.
Both types of mobility spread our communities far and wide. A consequence of reducing journeys would be to bring our immediate communities together.
What assumptions do we place in our learning opportunities that long-distance travel is desirable and inevitable?
Link together the elements of sustainable schools, such as the school travel plan, with these considerations and see how they support the aims of building resilient communities.
Further sources
Exploration of these sources is supplementary to the course completion time.
Teaching about migration - online CPD unit from the GA
Global dimension and sustainable development - QCDA website
Issues of global significance are brought into our lives in a way they never were for previous generations. Global media and communications, travel and immigration mean that we now have much more exposure to people and cultures from many different parts of the world.
School travel plans - advice on the TeacherNet website
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