Instituted in Canada in 2004, the US has stepped up to the plate to make The One Ton Challenge!. This is an effort to encourage everyone to use a commute alternative. By not driving alone just one day per week, commuters can save the atmosphere from one ton of carbon emissions in one year.
What is your new year’s resolution?
Save the planet? Help the community? Find a commute alternative? Lose “a Ton?” Well here in Atlanta, we are helping our commuters do all of those things, and maybe win a Honda Hybrid in the bargain! It is called the One Ton Challenge. It started in Canada, (the One Tonne Challenge), and was hugely successful in changing the way people, companies and governments looked at the daily commute and the impact it had in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Atlanta Georgia seems to be leading the Challenge in the US
As everyone knows, Atlanta has a huge traffic issue, and to quote a former DOT Commissioner, “you can only lay down so much Asphalt!” Atlanta’s Clean Air Campaign has lead the wakeup call on lowering our regional carbon footprint and greenhouse emmisions. They are challenging Atlanta commuters to try a commute alternative just one day a week. You can sign up on their website, and in exchange, they could win a car from a local radio station, Star94! But how much of a difference can one day a week make - A TON of difference.
Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Technical Guidelines Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (1605(b)) Program. (March 2006), and the U.S. Environmental protection Agency’s Light-Duty Automotive Technology and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2007. (September 2007) the math works like this:
One ton of pollutants in the air - here is the math
The Math
1 Mile = 1 pound of Pollutants
40 Mile commute (round trip) = 40 pounds of pollutants
40 X 52 (1 days commute X number of weeks in a year) = 2080 lbs of Pollutants
That is 1 ton of pollution every day that you can keep out of our air by using an alternative such as telecommuting.
We Can All Do This
Challenge your company to join you or to challenge their workers. If you don’t live in Atlanta, start the One Ton Challenge in your own area. We can make a difference, and alternatives like Telecommuting, ridesharing, or riding transit can make a big difference. Want more information about telecommuting? Check out these articles: Telecommuting, Telework, Flexible Work, or Consultant? What is the difference?, Telecommuting Trends in the 2009 Economy, or The Telecommuter Agreement - So it is Written, So Shall It Be Done.
When my children were in elementary school, they had a program called “Walk to School Fridays.” Families planned their week around this event. Why can’t we do that as professionals – “Telecommute Tuesdays” or “Rideshare Wednesdays” or even “Ride the Bus Thursdays!” As business owners, executives and managers, we can create good will among employees, customers, the community, and the planet by helping our employees choose these options. These are little or no cost ideas that can really make an impact. Since “Green” is the trend for 2009 and beyond, don’t you think this would be an easy place to start?
Join me, and my fellow Atlantan’s who are choosing to telecommute, or use other commute alternatives at least one day a week. Let’s do it for ourselves, our communities, our children and our futures.
