Dr Paul Tranter on child friendly cities

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Dr Paul Tranter critiques the Disney movie Monsters, Inc. in an entertaining examination of the serious issue of making our cities safe, fun and connective for our kids.

Using data from Australia and across the globe, as well as feedback from children, Dr Tranter suggests three main ways of making cities child-friendly:

• changes to urban form and transport
• improvements to neighbourhood design
• changes in social values

Learn about a push to move kids away from cars and back to footpaths and bikes, along with what peak oil means for the safety of our children and their environment.

This lecture was recorded in the Visions Theatre at the National Museum of Australia during Children's Week on 27 October 2007.

Dr Paul Tranter is a senior lecturer in geography in the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra.

A key theme in the courses he teaches is the study of major challenges facing human society in coming decades, particularly those relating to peak oil.

Dr Tranter's research interests include the themes of child-friendly environments and sustainable cities, the public health impacts of motorsports, and the promotion of active transport through the concept of 'effective speed'.

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