Secondary Integrated Science students have been examining the emissions generated by our school’s transportation methods, particularly focusing on personal vehicles and school buses. This analysis provides valuable insights into the environmental impact of our transportation choices and highlights the benefits of adopting more sustainable practices. It also supports SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
🚗 Car Travel
An average petrol car emits approximately 149 g of CO₂ per kilometre, or around 2,270 g per litre of fuel (diesel: ~2,600 g per litre). A single car driving 15,000 km per year typically produces about 3,360 kg of CO₂ annually.
At our school, car journeys generate approximately 131,120 g of CO₂ per day, adding up to 709,657,200 g of CO₂ per school year. Currently, 440 students travel to school by car.
🚌 School Buses
A typical school bus can carry 45–55 children, making it a far more efficient option per passenger. Our school buses emit on average 822 g of CO₂ per kilometre. Despite transporting 882 students across primary, kindergarten and secondary levels, the buses produce only 52,920 g of CO₂ per day, or 95,256,000 g of CO₂ per school year.
🌍 The Impact
By using buses instead of individual car journeys, our school avoids approximately
78,200 g of CO₂ per day, which equals 614,401,200 g of CO₂ saved per school year.
We see how our collective choices can significantly reduce environmental impact!