CIEDM workshop on walk to safe/resilient schools & neighborhoods

Previous tentative date: 12 Oct 2011
Previous title: CIEDM workshop on disaster reduction

As part of 10th anniversary of the tragic events on 11 September 2001, the US President Obama proclaimed on 31 August 2011 that this September is the National Preparedness Month. The objective of proclamation is to encourage all Americans to recognize the importance of preparedness and observe this month by working together to enhance the national security, resilience, and readiness. As a member of the National Preparedness Month Coalition, CIEDM undertakes the subject Workshop on October 10 to raise worldwide public awareness of and public actions on a series of important events planned by US and international organizations in October aiming to protect health & safety.

The Workshop is open to public and 19 guests – a delegation of educators affiliated with the Education Bureau of Changde City, China. In addition to a brief presentation on the subject of the workshop, Dr. Edward Huang 黄铁屿, CIEDM Principal, will share with the workshop attendants his article on the subject to be published by the World Journal on October 9. He will then lead a walk to observe jammed traffic for picking-up kids on street in front of the school abutting the EcoHome & to tour Arcadia EcoHome, a seismic reinforced green building with a pedestrian-friendly street front to facilitate high safety & walkability in the neighborhood. This workshop are promoting the following events:

• October is the International Walk to School Month when worldwide campaign is taken place to advocate walking instead of driving to schools for safety and sustainability reasons. Dr. Huang’s practical experience of working on Safe Route to School projects in downtown Los Angeles’ neighborhoods will be shared with the audience.
• October 10 is a special day when 1010global, an environmental nonprofit, calls people and organizations to cut their carbon emissions at 10:10 by 10% in a year. Walk instead of drive to school & neighborhood services is a smart way to reduce the emissions & thus consequences of climate change, & to contribute the formation of a healthy, safe & resilient neighborhood.
• October 12 is the International Day for Disaster Reduction, annually observed by the United Nations on the second Wednesday of October to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction and to encourage people and governments to participate in building more resilient communities. The CIEDM workshop is the 3rd annual event for this very important day, in which Dr. Huang will remind the Chinese visitors of the high-death toll disaster caused by Wenchuan Earthquake on school kids due to unsafe campus buildings. During the tour of Arcadia EcoHome, Dr. Huang will demonstrate the reinforcements installed in the building to enhance its seismicity thus safety & sustainability.
• The week of October 9-15 is the Earth Science Week, an international event when the American Geological Institute engages young people and the public in learning about the natural processes that shape the planet over time, and to encourage stewardship of the Earth. Dr. Huang will describe the geological hazards happened in recent years resulted from climate change. Walk instead of drive to school & neighborhood services is for sure an important step toward such a stewardship for the Earth.
• The week of October 9-15 is also the Fire Prevention Week when the National Fire Protection Association engages its annual campaign keeping us, our buildings, and our community safer from fire hazards. Dr. Huang will report the increasing frequency and magnitude of wildfires due to lengthy drought seasons in California & many other places in the world, and he will show the fire-prevention features such as smoke alarm & sprinkler systems installed in Arcadia EcoHome.
• The 2011 “Great California ShakeOut!” will be held at 10:20 a.m. on Thursday, 20 October 2011. In 2010, more than 7.9 million Californians practiced Drop, Cover, and Hold On to practice how they will protect themselves during earthquakes, and increased their overall preparedness. CIEDM participated in it, and we’ll do it again this year.