Over 5,000 Find a Better Way to Go

At the 2015 Way-to-Go Awards Ceremony, emceed by LCC Executive Director Lori Fisher, "Carbon cups" were given to businesses and organizations with greatest participation in this year's event. Photo by VEIC.

In May, more than five thousand people joined in the Way to Go Smart Trip Challenge and chose healthier, more earth-friendly transportation alternatives to driving alone. Together these commuters saved at least 300,773 miles, 12,215 gallons of gasoline, and over 110 tons of carbon. They biked, walked, carpooled, took the bus or telecommuted. Thanks to everyone who participated! Originally organized by LCC and Chittenden County Transportation Authority 21 years ago, the Way to Go event has expanded over the years to a two-week endeavor which fosters year-round habits and alternatives to driving solo. The program now includes 30 organizing partners ranging from transit agencies and regional planning commissions to non-profit organizations and educational institutions.

Summer is a great time to explore other ways to get around. Motor vehicles are the single greatest contributor to air pollution in our region and some of that pollution ends up in our waterways. For every mile driven, public transportation uses about half the fuel consumed by the average car. Services like CarShare Vermont provide the convenience and freedom of a car at a fraction of the cost of owning one. When you take a bike on a four-mile round trip instead of a car, you keep almost 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air. Visit this web page for helpful resources for carpooling, biking, walking, carsharing and public transit.