Teen heads successful campaign for clean school buses

PITTSBURGH — Peter Bartholomew, an incoming Pittsburgh Public Schools high school student, is campaigning for cleaner school buses.

Bartholomew testified twice before the district’s school board about requiring its school bus providers to reduce diesel emissions, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

During his presentations, Bartholomew spoke — among other things — about the effect school bus pollution has on students, especially those who, like him, have asthma.

He addressed the board in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Healthy School Bus Program. The campaign educated school districts and bus companies about grants that are available for installing devices on school buses that reduce diesel exhaust emissions and ensure cleaner air inside buses.

The effort was reportedly a success. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, beginning with the 2009-10 school year, Pittsburgh Public Schools will only contract with companies whose school buses have improved ventilation systems and filters to remove particulates.