Nearly 1,000 kilometers logged by HTFC staff for annual Commuter Challenge Week

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Danielle outbids the competition to win a $100 prize package from Forks Trading Co.

For staff at HTFC Planning & Design, participation in the annual Commuter Challenge Week meant big pay-offs with the first-ever Commuter Challenge Auction. Participating staff drew HTFC Bucks in varying denominations daily, with bonus bucks rewarded to those who: switched their transportation mode; sent a photo of their trek to work; and commuted to a meeting by carpool, carshare, bicycle, transit or by foot. The premise of the auction: you save money when you ditch your car, and opt for other modes of active transportation.

Prizes from local businesses in the Exchange District were up for grabs at the auction. Special thanks to Forks Trading Co. for providing a $100 prize package, one of the more popular prizes that people tried to outbid one another on, Winnipeg Blue Bombers for tickets to this Thursday’s pre-season game, the Exchange District BIZ for a box of Bronuts doughnuts, and the Winnipeg Art Gallery for tickets to Picasso. Other prizes that were up for grabs: gift cards to some of the finest restaurants and establishments in the Exchange District.

As Green Action Centre tallies final results, preliminary figures show that 18 HTFC staff members logged approximately 913 kilometres of distance travelled, burned 15,432 calories, saved 74.13 litres of fuel, and avoided 143.39 kilograms of CO2.

Cycling reigned supreme with 40.76% of staff coming to and from work via this mode, followed by 24.47% of staff carpooling, 26.41% taking transit, 7.83% walking, and 0.53% using carshare.

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Here’s what our staff had to say about the week:

“It was exciting how dedicated people were to the Challenge and the auction. I’ve never seen so many meetings attended without a car – and it was awesome to see people planning out their commutes to maximize their Bucks earned! The whole experience was so much fun, and it’s fantastic that we saved so many litres of fuel at the same time!”

“I was pretty shocked at how much of a difference not driving can make. Who knew I could walk the equivalent of an entire marathon in a week, while saving 5 kilograms of CO2 – not to mention burning a few hundred calories per day.”

Want to get involved in future Green Action Centre events? Visit Green Action Centre’s website for more information or contact Glen Manning, our principal, who also serves as a director of Green Action Centre’s Board.

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