Support the Drive Less Challenge
The Drive Less Challenge needs your financial support to influence the single biggest cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the Bay Area: solo driving.
The Drive Less Challenge needs to raise a $5,000 by February 28, and $15,000 by April 1 to fund this fun, innovative, and powerful program. The Drive Less Challenge is a friendly social competition to reduce driving alone. The mission is to change driving behavior by motivating people to act in the context of their social networks.
The Challenge provides a web-based, game-like contest that allows participants to log their daily, non-car trips and compete within their communities – friends, neighborhood, school, workplace, faith communities. There are many ways to win, to encourage behavior change. Participants also share their stories about alternatives to driving as inspiration and role model.
After a successful pilot in 2009 in Menlo Park, the Drive Less Challenge is expanding to neighboring communities in Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Burlingame.
Your donation will go toward building the tool to making the game experience interactive, giving participants immediate feedback on their individual achievement and progress in their communities. For the 2009 pilot we used SurveyMonkey, which provided results only at the end of the challenge. The game platform can also be used for Challenge throughout the year, and expanding regionally and beyond, to take a much larger bit out of greenhouse gas emissions.
A smaller portion of the Challenge budget will toward making this website more attractive, and getting the word out about the Challenge, with posters, flyers, and local advertising. To keep costs low and engage the community, the challenge is organized and driven by volunteers who are closely connected to local networks of schools, businesses, organizations.
Drive Less Challenge 2009 – a successful pilot
In 2009, the first Drive Less Challenge organized by the Menlo Park Green Ribbon Citizens’ Committee. For the week after Earth Day, over 120 participants took nearly 300 green trips, covering over 5000 green miles, taking the equivalent of 17 cars off the road for the 120 participants.
Over 15 local businesses, such as the David Bohannon Group, Menlo Velo, Runners High, Keplers, and Cheeky Monkey contributed prizes for participants and supported the shoestring budget. The Drive Less Challenge received coverage in local media including the Almanac and Palo Alto Daily News.
Goals for 2010
In 2010, the goal is to increase participation and results:
• Expand to three neighboring communities
• Increase participation from 120 to 2500+ people
• Participants taking 500+ green trips, logging 100K+ green miles.
• Extend the Challenge period from 1 week to 2 weeks
• Provide a responsive on-line tool to motivate behavior change.
How can you help?
You can help the Drive Less Challenge succeed and scale in 2010. Individuals and companies from from local communities and green businesses are now stepping up to support the Challenge with financial contributions. Sponsors are requested to contribute at the following levels:
Green: $ 5,000
Gold: $1,000
Silver: $ 250
Bronze: $100
Supporter: $25, $50, or $75
Contributors will receive recognition in advertising and promotion materials, the Drive Less Challenge website, and an awards celebration at the end of the Challenge. The Challenge gives business sponsors an opportunity to communicate support for climate protection and remind employees and customers of alternative commute options and “buy local” possibilities.
Contributions to the Drive Less Challenge are tax-deductible through Acterra (Acterra/MPGRCC), a 501c3 organization dedicated to fostering environmental solutions in the Bay Area.
Please make your donation check payable to:
Menlo Park GRCC
C/o Acterra
3921 East Bayshore Road
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Or use the donate button at left and make your donation on line today. Please feel free to reply to me or Adina Levin (alevin@alevin.com) if you have further questions or to make your donation pledge.
Thanks!
