• By On 30 May 2017 In Take Action

    Faith Commuter Challenge

    Faith Commuter Challenge 2017 

    This Spring hundreds of faith communities will join together in a nationwide Commuter Challenge. Between June 2-11, people of all faiths across the country will be reducing the ecological footprint of their commute to worship.

    We invite you (and your faith community) to join in by travelling to your place of worship on foot, by bike, or by public transit and carpooling.

    More Info:

    The 2017 Faith Commuter Challenge is:

    • A week-long event that coincides with the National Environment & Commuter Challenge weeks (June 2-11)
    • A friendly competition between Canadian places of faith
    • A celebration of active and sustainable transportation
    • An fun and easy way to try different modes of how to get to worship
    • Nationally hosted by Faith & the Common Good, through local partners

    How it works:

    • Register your faith community and yourself to participate in the challenge week. Encourage others to join. Click here for detailed registration instructions.
    • Between June 2-11, choose a day to leave your car behind when you travel to worship. Rideshare, take public transit, carpool, bike, or walk. Do whatever moves you!
    • On that day, log in to track your trip to worship via the Commuter Challenge website. See your GHG emission reduction, calorie consumption, distance, and fuel cost savings.
    • Check out which faith communities and cities have the highest percentage of healthy travelers.
    • Join with faith communities across the country to acknowledge and celebrate with certificates, prizes, and fun events!

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    Suggestions for Getting Started:

    • Talk to your faith community about joining the challenge (June 2-11, 2017) to demonstrate your care for creation.
    • Choose a Champion or Team who will plan and coordinate your event(s). These events may include:
      • Carpooling, launching a ride-share program in your faith community, or riding the bus together
      • Hosting a bicycle tune-up station, distributing bike maps
      • A special blessing ceremony, prayers, or acknowledgement of all the ways people are working to reduce their carbon footprint
      • A neighbourhood bike ride before or after a worship service
      • Bicycle decorating for the young and young-at-heart
    • Go to faith.commuterchallenge.ca to register your faith community to take part.
    • Once your faith community is registered, register yourself so that you can track your participation and assist others.
    • Promote the event in your community — newsletter, website, service bulletins.

    If you also want to track your workplace trips during the week of June 4-10, visit commuterchallenge.ca.

    climate changeBenefits of active and sustainable transportation:

    • Reduce the threat of climate change — Did you know that it takes 130 trees to produce the amount of oxygen needed to combat the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from one car each year?
    • Connect with others — Active transport and ride sharing fosters new friendships, helps others, and increases networking.
    • Reduce traffic congestion — Reducing the number of individual car trips means we will have less traffic congestion and less demand for roads. This will improve travel times and reduce fuel consumption.
    • Enjoy better health — Introduce calorie-burning exercise time by biking or walking to a public transportation or carpool stop.
    • Reduce air pollution — Pollutants from many transportation sources aggravate respiratory disease and contribute to property damage and acid rain.