For the fifth consecutive year, Clif Bar ask people to join their effort to fight climate change by participating in the 2011 Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge.
The US-wide campaign encourages people to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by using their bike instead of driving a car for trips of two miles or less. Rising gas prices make the cause even more appealing, providing additional incentive to leave the car at home and ride a bike.
With the help of an interactive website, 2milechallenge.com, the Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge enables participants to become part of an online community. Participants are asked to join one of three teams, each representing a nonprofit group that promotes bike advocacy or fights climate change.
Individuals will earn points for themselves and their teams based on riding their bikes, logging their miles, challenging friends and sharing their progress through social media. Clif Bar pledge to donate $100,000 during this year’s 2 Mile Challenge, which runs from 12 May to 31 October.
Three national nonprofits will share $80,000: the Alliance for Biking and Walking, Safe Routes to School Partnership and 350.org. Their teams’ total points at the end of the Challenge will determine the fund allocation. The nonprofit team with the most points will earn a $35,000 grant, second place will receive $25,000 and third place $20,000.
In addition to supporting these three nonprofits, riders for the first time will be able to unlock smaller grants designed to help support local grassroots bike advocacy and climate change groups. A total of $20,000 will be allocated to grassroots initiatives in regions across the US.
“Giving participants the opportunity to contribute directly to their local community brings a personal element to the 2 Mile Challenge,” said Ryan Mayo, environmental activism manager at Clif Bar & Company. “We hope this inspires more people to ride and help achieve our goal of avoiding 100,000 car trips this year.”
During last year’s 2 Mile Challenge, participants avoided more than 43,000 car trips covering almost 385,000 miles during the program’s six-month team competition. In choosing bikes over cars, participants prevented 353,500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
This year riders can sign up for the following teams to support their corresponding nonprofit organizations at Clif 2milechallenge.com:
- Gold Team: Alliance for Biking and Walking
- Red Team: Safe Routes to School Partnership
- Blue Team: 350.org
