Max School Bus (MSB) is the nexus of health and education. MSB covers topics that shape and impact learning environments, while helping to improve them through progress and technology. It is our belief that an exceptional education system is essential to solving many of the social and environmental challenges of the 21st century. Education reform is a tremendous challenge in and of itself. But it’s all for naught if children don’t have the basics of a healthy and productive learning environment.

The MSB inspiration and namesake can be traced back to 2006, when we started the Citizen’s School Bus (CSB) initiative. The mission was to broaden awareness about the urgent need to use cleaner fuels in school buses. We sought to educate decision makers and politicians about the significant health risks associated with the emissions of petroleum diesel, specifically for the children who ride school buses. Alternatives like biodiesel provide the simplest and most cost-effective way to clean and green America’s school bus fleet.

Through the CSB experience, we realized that the school bus serves as an ideal metaphor. By integrating biodiesel, it literally becomes a vehicle for change. As a renewable and non-toxic source of energy that can be grown or recycled from waste vegetable oil, the bus offers valuable lessons in health and sustainability. It becomes more than just a means of transportation. And with the issues of energy and global warming taking center stage, green school buses can do their part to reduce emissions by taking cars off the road and relieving congestion. School buses are also the safest way for children to get to and from school. We need more school buses, and they need to be green.

Fitness and nutrition will also be central topics for MSB. There’s no need to be driven to school in any form if you can safely walk or ride a bike. We’d also like to see the “education” put back in physical education.

MSB is the second blog in the Max Gladwell network. By it’s very nature, MSB is a part of the social web, so we’ll also explore ways that social media technologies are being used to enhance the learning experience for children, parents/guardians, and teachers alike.