2011 Drive Less Challenge - ditch the car and hop on your bike
The Drive Less Challenge began in 2009 as a pilot project of the Menlo Park Green Ribbon Citizens' Committee. The GRCC advocates, inspires, and supports action among the residents, businesses, and institutions of Menlo Park to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to sustainable levels.
In 2010, the Drive Less Challenge expanded to include the cities of Mountain View, Palo Alto and Burlingame. So far this year Redwood City and East Palo Alto have already begun organizing and numerous other Peninsula cities are planning participation.
The Drive Less Challenge is a friendly social competition to do less solo driving. It starts on Earth Day April 22 and runs through May 5.
Participants set personal goals and keep track of how they get from place to place and take opportunities to bike, walk, carpool, and take transit instead of driving alone in a car.
And for the most fun, you can participate with groups you identify (school, work, church/temple, or your neighborhood). You can help your group to stand out! And you can compete to be the best in your group. You’ll see how you’re your group is doing compared to others, and how you’re doing compared to people in your group. There are lots of fun prizes! There are many ways to win, because there are many great ways to drive less!
Prizes will be awarded for:
- * Most green travel (biking, walking, transit, carpool – most miles and most trips!)
- * Greenest group (workplace, school, faith community, etc)
- * Least driving (you need to log every day to be eligible for this)
- * Greatest green improvement (you need to add your “baseline” to be eligible for this prize)
Photo: www.pedbikeimages.org / Judi Lawson Wallace