Paige Anderson: Designing Bikeable Cities for a Livable Future
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Provided by: Project Drawdown|Published on: September 16, 2022
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This video features a short interview with an individual who helped to reduce traffic congestion and emissions in Pittsburgh as she worked with the city to design and manage bicycle infrastructure.
- Students will learn about the many benefits of bicycle infrastructure and will be encouraged to join campaigns that might build this infrastructure within their own communities.
Subjects: Civics, Career Skills
Authors: Project Drawdown
Region: North America, USA - Northeast, United States, Pennsylvania
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This video provides a hopeful perspective about one way to address an aspect of the climate crisis.
- The discussion questions beneath the video serve as an excellent way to begin classroom discussion or could serve as writing prompts.
Additional Prerequisites
- It may benefit students to know a little bit about the city of Pittsburg, including size and landscape, in order to better understand some of the issues the speaker might have faced in improving infrastructure.
- This resource provides additional information, such as more about Paige's story and links to other solutions, that teachers can preview for background information or extension work.
Differentiation
- Before viewing the video, put students into groups and have them discuss and chart their background knowledge about the benefits of strong bicycle infrastructure and also the barriers to getting more people biking.
- Have students work in groups to research what elements of bicycle infrastructure are in place in their own communities and what they might be able to do to help encourage more bicycling.
- Science classes could use this SubjectToClimate lesson plan to help students better understand the environmental impacts of different modes of transportation.
- Consider having students watch this video to learn how Paris rapidly changed its bicycle infrastructure or this video about a system of bicycle-only roads in the Netherlands and compare how different cities are tackling this issue.
- Other resources on this topic include this video about the benefits of reducing car traffic in cities, this podcast about how to get more people biking, and this resource outlining the steps students can take to organize a school-wide "Walk and Roll Day."
Young people are encouraged by this video to support community-wide campaigns to build bike infrastructure. Biking activity is vital for both human and environmental health. The video is suggested for teaching because it contains no misconceptions.
Teaching Tips
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Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
Project Drawdown
Project Drawdown is a nonprofit organization that seeks to help the world reach “drawdown”—the future point in time when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline. Cities, universities, corporations, philanthropies, policymakers, communities, educators, activists, and more turn to Project Drawdown as they look to advance effective climate action. Project Drawdown resources for educators include the database of Drawdown Solutions, educational video series Climate Solutions 101, the Drawdown Stories initiative, and more.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
