clear the air challenge

The Clear the Air Challenge is almost starting, with only a few day left to sign up. We here at OpenAirLife.com encourage all that visit this page to look into this challenge and join our team. We have created a team to see how much we can lower our impact on the environment. Head over to http://cleartheairchallenge.org/ and read a little bit about the challenge. If this is something you think you can do, sign up and join team OpenAirLife.com. We will be blogging about our experience over the month of July, and would love to hear from anyone else that is trying this challenge. We have included some information that we got off the Clear the Air Challenge website below.

Several counties in Utah frequently rank among the worst for air quality in the nation. At least 50 percent of emissions contributing to poor air quality and red air days comes from individual motor vehicles, which emphasizes the importance of everyone doing their part to drive down their miles through TravelWise strategies like teleworking, biking, using public transportation, carpooling and trip chaining.

According to the Utah Division of Air Quality, if all drivers living along the Wasatch Front were to park their cars just one day per week, vehicle emissions would be reduced by 6,500 tons per year. This means that every vehicle trip counts, and every mile you devote to smarter travel pays Utah back with cleaner, more breathable air.

The Clear the Air Challenge, issued by Governor Herbert, Mayor Becker and Mayor Corroon, is a month long competition starting July 1st that gives you the chance to reduce your vehicle emissions by choosing alternatives to driving alone using TravelWise strategies. By driving less and driving smarter, you will ultimately help improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion and conserve energy in Utah. You will also be eligible for weekly and grand prize drawings by meeting straightforward, achievable travel goals.

Because air quality is a concern for all of us, we can’t afford to leave anyone out. That’s why this challenge is open to travelers of all ages throughout Utah, especially those in the Salt Lake Valley.

What is a trip?

A single-occupant vehicle trip is any trip you may take from point A to point B. By making small adjustments in your schedule, you can easily save vehicle trips throughout the day.

For example, if you have two places to go in one day (points A and B), instead of taking four separate trips from your home to each destination and back, you can travel from your home to point A, to point B and then back home. By making this small adjustment, you will have taken 3 trips instead of 4, and saved one trip.

  • If you decide to ride your bike somewhere, you’ve saved 2 trips.
  • If you run your errands on the way home from work instead of going home first, you’ve saved 1 trip per errand (work to library – 1 trip saved, library to grocery store – 1 more trip saved).
  • If you carpool to your kids’ soccer game, everyone in the car but the driver saved 2 trips.
  • If you work from home one day, you’ve saved 2 trips.
  • If you walk to an event, you’ve saved 2 trips.

2009 CHALLENGE STATISTICS

  • Participants – 3,456
  • Teams – 315
  • Miles reduced – 1,000,615
  • Trips saved – 110,720
  • Dollars saved – $580,356 (total vehicle costs)
  • Energy saved – 45,482 (gallons of gas)
  • Emissions saved – 1,715,344 lbs