Wonderful that you are ready to do your first Filter Café action. This section has everything you need to know and take into account to get started. You’ll notice that it’s actually very easy and fun to participate. And it’s a very powerful tool to make your local government express on air quality and road safety.
Read the manifesto and think about what you want exactly for your (school) environment. This way you are prepared for questions from the press, local residents or other parents.
Check with your local police station if any formalities are needed. You buy striped ribbons in a DIY shop and you just stretch the street on both sides.
Too busy a street or one that is difficult to close?
Just close it, a few minutes is enough.
Think of an alternative action: crossing the street slowly a few times, hanging banners on the street, applause, ... It's all about a short, sturdy pinprick ánd the photo. (Images are our online ammunition).
The safety of the children is a priority. Do not take any risks in this respect.
Fluorescent jackets: stand out the most and increase safety. Photogenic too!
Mouth masks: buy them at the do-it-yourself shop. Nice illustration of the message. A cheaper alternative are self-made masks out of coffee filters and a string.
(Photogenic) toys: make your car-free space child-friendly. Jocaris, tennis rackets, soccer balls, frisbees, drums, Kubb, Mölkky, ...
Sing, dance, run, jump, party, breakfast, ... on the street. Everything you can't do when there are cars on the road.
Send an email to the (local) politicians and invite them over for coffee. Tell them why you are taking action and what you want in concrete terms. But: don't let any political party take over/recover your action. It is an appeal to all political parties.
Appoint one contact/spokesperson and register your school via 'Join the action'.
Create a weekly press release and send it to the local and national press. Are there more schools participating in your country? Appoint someone to collect all the actions and send out a joint press release.
Inform the school board. Their support is an added value but not a sine qua non-condition.
Organize in your school, together with the school board, awareness actions about clean air.
Motivate your friends to take action. The larger the mass, the wider the message and the more chance of liveable cities and towns!
Avoid conflict situations by informing and inviting the school and local residents in advance. (Notes in the bookbag, notes in the mailboxes).
Make flyers that explain why you do this and for how long. Ready-made flyers can be found below on this page.
Still a conflict? Then stay calm and explain what the intention is.
Get Inspired
Get more attention with creativity
Take some chalk and draw with your children the mobility of the future.
White clothing and some coloured tape. Remove the tape after your action period and show pollution by contrast!
Parents versus children in football or volleyball. Take over the city!
Sandwiches, fruit, tea and coffee. Share your clean air meal for an energetic day!
Protect the air in your street with a bubble barrier!
Organize a Workshop to unleash your children's creativity and personalize your actions as much as possible.
Organize a bike wash and reward cyclists.
A round on the pedestrian crossings symbolizes the rotation of the earth and blocks traffic.
Cut out a banner that filters pollution from cars passing underneath.
Encourage public transport users with a pop up bar!
Invite an architect or another specialist and, together with the parents, come up with solutions for the (school) environment. Share your solutions with the local politicians.
Organize a free stage, invite a band or compose your own clean air song. The street is the perfect festival site.
Parents, join in! The action that we want to promote is as simple as the message : close off the streets of schools on every Friday morning, before school starts. Have a cup of coffee together and let the children play in the car-free street. Invite local politicians to come and join you for a coffee. Take photos and post and share them on social media. Why? Air quality round our school is bad. We want a healthy environment for our children.
Not a school but want to join? Go ahead and spread the word with this flyer text.
Join in! The action that we want to promote is as simple as the message: close off the street every Friday morning. Have a cup of coffee together and do things you usually can't do when cars are present. Invite local politicians to come and join you for a coffee. Take photos and share them on social media. Why? Air quality round our institution is bad. We want a healthy environment.
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