 The Great Race for Clean Air is Underway
The race is on! Bay Area employers are improving air quality by encouraging employees to participate in the Great Race for Clean Air by altering how they commute to work. Now in its third year, this spirited competition between Bay Area companies of all sizes encourages their employees to try out alternatives to driving alone. Last year, 190 Bay Area companies took action that removed 435 tons of CO2!
This year's race runs from September 1 through October 31. Once the employer is registered, individuals log their commutes using 511's simple online trip tracker for a chance to win weekly prize drawings. At the conclusion of the Great Race, winning employer teams and individual employees are recognized in a number of categories.
It's not too late to register for the 2012 Great Race for Clean Air! Visit www.sparetheair.org for more information and to register today! But time is critical - employee commutes can only be retroactively logged up to two weeks.
|
Employer Program Members Kick Off Great Race for Clean Air
Virgin America's Green Team kicked off the Great Race for Clean Air by hosting a pizza lunch honoring last year's Great Race participants. Consider hosting a kick-off commuter coffee, ice cream social, or other event to encourage your employees to participate. Virgin America will also host a yogurt parfait social on October 8, mid-way through the Great Race, to keep momentum going!
During the 2011 Great Race for Clean Air, Virgin America commuters alone reduced CO2 emissions by more than five tons by using alternatives to driving alone. Virgin America was recognized for outstanding performance in 2011, the Burlingame-based carrier's second year of participation in the event.
"Virgin America's teammate-led Green Team looks at every area of our operation-in the air and on the ground-for opportunities to reduce our footprint. We are extremely appreciative of the recognition we have received for our past participation in the Great Race for Clean Air," said Virgin America's VP of Corporate Communications Abby Lunardini. "In our third year of participation we are optimistic that our teammates will exceed our previous years' Great Race totals." |
Nektar Therapeutics - Great Race for Clean Air "In It to Win It!"
Nektar Therapeutics in San Francisco is a two-time Great Race for Clean Air winner and hosted a kickoff event for employees in August. This year, Nektar will fuel the competition by hosting fun events such as "Find the Daily Commuter Bug" where Nektar team leaders will alert employees on specific days to look for designated colleagues on various modes of public transportation (Caltrain, BART, Ferry, MUNI, etc.) Employees find the designated "Commuter Bug" and win an instant prize. And it's working! At press time, Nektar leads the mid-size company category for highest participation rate.
Executives contribute too! Tim Riley, Sr. Vice President, Technology Assessment & Quality Assurance takes the ferry and rides his bike along the Embarcadero to work.
Share your Great Race for Clean Air stories and photos! Send to sanderson@communityfocus.org.
|
| America's Cup is here! Will it impact your commute?
The America's Cup World Series consists of cutting edge catamarans flying through the bay and enthusiastic spectators navigating the streets of this year's host city - San Francisco. This influx of visitors in San Francisco will likely impact your employees' daily commutes. The Spare the Air Employer Program is here to help you and your employees sail through commute congestion!
America's Cup is sailing to San Francisco from October 1-6, 2012 and again in July 2013. America's Cup officials are distributing a transit map that was produced with the help of the San Francisco Spare the Air Resource Team.
For more information on America's Cup or to download the transit map, please visit: http://511.org/americascup/transit.asp
|
Commuter Convert - Craig's Story
In 2004 I took the commuter challenge and now I bike to work daily! I've saved $20,000 and lost 15 lbs, all while enjoying new scenery and making great friends. I work for the USDA Forest Service, in Vallejo. Back when I drove to work it was 45 minutes round trip and then I went jogging once I was home for another 45 minutes. On Bike to Work Day 2004 I tried riding my bike to work and it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be! I realized that by riding my bike to work I eliminated the need to exercise when I got home. My commute time via cycling is equivalent to the time I was spending driving and working out - this hasn't added to my schedule load at all.
When I want a little extra exercise I take interesting detours on the way home. My new commute has opened the door to a whole new world of bicycling and new friends. I also save a lot of money. I use the Bike Commuter Calculator and discovered I have saved over $20,000 by biking to work! In 2009 I was awarded Bicycle Commuter of the Year for Solano County by Solano-Napa Commuter Information. While the recognition is nice, the best part of cycling to work is that I feel great -- I have lost over 15 pounds and made new friends. If you can, I highly recommend cycling to work.
Share your commuter convert story here.
|
