How to Talk to your Students about Sustainable Mobility

In Quebec, 43% of GHG emissions come from transportation (road, air, water, rail and off-road). Road transportation alone accounts for 34% of total GHG emissions, putting it well in the lead (Government of Quebec, 2023). This is why we need to take action to address this issue. Luckily, we are not short of ideas!

Here are five tips and tricks for tackling transportation issues, whether in the classroom with your students or to encourage sustainable mobility initiatives in your school:

1. Learning environment: Coûte que coûte, je me déplace! (in French only) (Fondation Monique-Fitz-Back)
   Subject: Math (Secondary II)
   Duration: 3 lessons
   This activity aims to educate young people about the expenses associated with buying and using new gas-powered cars by comparing them with other options such as public transport, carpooling, and electric cars. It also seeks to make young people aware of the environmental consequences of the choices they will have to make in the near future.
   
   It’s worth noting that this learning activity was awarded the 2017 Prix Fermat for best teaching scenario by the Groupe des Responsables en Mathématique au Secondaire.

2. Workbook: Transportation for a better life (Fondation Monique-Fitz-Back)
   Subject: English (Cycle 1 and 2), social sciences (Cycle 1)
   Duration: 1–2 lessons
   This project’s pedagogical approach is designed to encourage students to reflect on and engage with the challenges of transportation. The activity addresses the following competencies: “Write a variety of texts” (English) and “Interpret a territorial issue” (social sciences).

3. Educational activity: Vox pop électrisant (Fondation Monique-Fitz-Back and Équiterre) (in French only)
   Subject: Science and technology (Secondary IV)
   Duration: 3 lessons
   This activity compares the environmental impact of gas-powered cars with electric cars, exploring key concepts such as energy efficiency, the greenhouse effect, energy consumption, the relationship between power and electrical energy, and calculating the cost of consumption.
   
   * If you’d like to reproduce this activity in your classroom, Lab22 strongly suggests that you conclude with a discussion about the rebound effect in the context of the current frenzy around electric vehicles. Here’s an article to shed some light on the subject: Non, la voiture électrique n’est pas plus écologique (in French only) (Reporterre, 2020)
   
   Follow-up question:
   
   - What is a rebound effect? How does this phenomenon play out with electric vehicles?
   When we drive an electric car, we produce fewer GHGs. Based on this assumption, people tend to replace their still-working gas-powered vehicles and/or buy more electric cars. This means that, despite the environmental benefits, increased consumption of electric cars cancels out the gains in GHG reduction, and makes the overall environmental situation even worse. Consequently, according to some experts, there are no ecological advantages to using an electric car (Fournisseur-énergie, 2023).
   
   - If everyone owned an electric car, how would it affect energy consumption?
   The main problem also stems from the fact that producing electricity creates a lot of pollution (link in French only). In many countries, fossil fuels are still used extensively to generate electricity (Fournisseur-énergie, 2023). In Quebec, if everyone owned an electric car, electricity costs would rise considerably, and there’s no guarantee that our infrastructure would be able to support such a large increase in demand for electricity.

4. Create a Facebook group for staff carpooling
   It might seem more convenient to drive to work alone, since you can arrive and leave whenever you want. The idea of sacrificing some individual comfort might seem unappealing at first, but when you do your part for the environment, you’ll find that it’s rewarding! A report published in 2017 by The Shift Project estimates that carpooling would reduce CO₂ emissions by around 30% in medium-density areas (The Shift Project, 2017). In addition to the environmental benefits, carpooling is good for both your wallet and your work relationships, since costs are shared and it lets you create new bonds with your colleagues. Try it out!

5. Discover Vélosympathique from Vélo Québec
   Vélosympathique has a wealth of information about cycling (link in French only). A wide range of tools are available to help you build a cycling culture within your organization. The Vélosympathique movement also offers a certification program which, through feedback reports, helps organizations further develop a cycling culture in their community. This is a great resource! Why not share it with your leadership team?

Do you find these activities interesting? Want to have access to even more ideas? Go to our Resources page for a complete fact sheet on sustainable mobility.