May 21, 2010 Way to Go! Week Ends with a Bang

Way to Go! Week Ends with a Bang

Friday, May 21, 2010 marked the end of the week-long Way to Go!Commuter Challenge.  To highlight the initiative, Edmunds School of Burlington, Vermont sponsored a parade attended by the Mayor, the UVM basketball team, two mascots and other community leaders.  Food and free stickers awaited the kids when they got to school.  Burlington-based Local Motion reported that one-third of all children at Edmunds School were walking, biking or scootering to school every day during the 2010 Way To School Challenge (http://www.localmotion.org/programs/safe-routes-to-school/events). 

In coordination with the  Way to Go! Challenge, the Way to School Challenge is an annual event with the goal of  ”Helping school communities make smart and healthy travel choices now and in the future” (http://www.waytogovt.org/).  Now in its seventh year, the Way to Go! Commuter Challenge encourages the use of healthier and less-polluting alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle (SOV) such as walking, biking, telecommuting, carpooling, and the use of public transportation.  Last year, 3,552 Way to Go! participants saved an estimated 236,813 commuting miles, 206,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, and $33,000 in transportation expenses. The Vermont Energy Investment Corp, this year’s Way To Go! host,  set an ambitious goal to try and save at least 500,000 pounds of transportation pollutants.

“Participation in this event has grown significantly… This is great opportunity for folks to accept a new way to commute to work, school or anywhere else they might usually drive,” said Debra Sachs, Director of Community Climate Action, 10% Challenge, one of the event’s organizers. The weeklong event is designed to be easy and fun and encourages everyone to try an alternative way than driving alone every day. Interest in commuting alternatively is sky-high and the Commuter Challenge proves that other ways to commute are indeed the ‘Way to Go!’” (http://www.beelinevt.com/?p=173).

As in past years, businesses, schools and communities competed throughout the week  for 2010 Way to Go! awards.  Recognition for the highest percentage of employees that walked, cycled, telecommuted, carpooled or took the bus from May 17-21 will be held at a ceremony on Thursday, June 17th at 11:00 am. Watch the events page at www.waytogovt.org for more details on the awards ceremony and other special events.  This year, in addition to schools and businesses competing, there was a challenge to Vermont communities: Who will be Vermont’s “greenest commuting city or town?” The winner will be decided based on the highest participation rate of residents in each municipality (http://www.beelinevt.com/?p=173).