Commuters who opt to leave their cars at home are saving the country hundreds of thousands of kilograms of unnecessary carbon emissions. Photo / NZME
Commuters who opt to leave their cars at home are saving the country hundreds of thousands of kilograms of unnecessary carbon emissions. Photo / NZME
A nationwide game encouraging commuters to swap solo car trips for environmentally friendly transport launches in Whangārei this month.
Weekday Challenge co-director Heidi Hughes said the five centres already using the strategy had saved 420,000kg of unnecessary carbon emissions – a pollutant contributing to global warming.
The initiative hasrun in schools and businesses in Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Tairāwhiti and Christchurch for the past four years. It starts in Whangārei today.
That could mean swapping a solo car commute for walking, running, biking, or scootering, or catching the bus or car pooling.
Participants record their travel online, and every low‑emission trip earns points.
Last year, participants in other centres logged more than 954,000 journeys, covering more than 2.4 million kilometres – the equivalent of more than 300,000 car journeys, Hughes said.
Whangārei District Council road safety project manager Caley McGillvary said:
“Everyone wants to see fewer cars on the road, especially at peak times. The Weekday Challenge creates fun incentives for people to rethink rush-hour and make it into the best part of their work-day”.
Local business organisations, employers and partners are invited to promote awareness and participation helping to build momentum and maximise the benefits for the district.
Commuting by bus helps lower carbon emissions. Photo / NZME
“We know that small reductions in traffic can speed up trips dramatically, and fewer cars in town also means more parking for those who need it,” McGillvary said.
Craigs Investment Partners, which has teams nationwide participating in the challenge, valued being able to track their outcomes.
“Last year alone, our participation has resulted in 3,033kg of CO₂ reductions and the equivalent of 1459 cars taken off the road – a clear demonstration of collective action making a real difference,” client and corporate communications manager Abbie Siely said.
The Weekday Challenge encourages people to ditch their cars for healthier ways of getting to work and school. Photo / Michael Craig
Hughes said some cities were running both the Weekday Challenge for businesses and a Wednesday Challenge for schools. Cities could choose the approach that best aligned with their strategic aims.
Whangārei businesses can participate for free, with an optional upgrade offering a more detailed dashboard of results.
“When people get behind a shared purpose, the results extend beyond kilometres and carbon, to building stronger, healthier, more connected places to work and live,” Hughes said.
The challenge includes monthly prizes and rewards for business teams and individuals and a grand prize at the end of the year. There are also monthly morning tea shouts for champion business teams.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast.
