The Fall 2011 Curb Your Car Week event took place the week of October 2 to 8, 2011. During that week, 96 residents from Brighton and Rochester registered their pledge to walk, bike, carpool, or ride the bus for at least a day as an alternative to drive their car.
Survey results
(96 registered participants; 52 reporting their results.)
- Total Miles saved: 5,124 miles!
- Gallons Saved: 203 gallons (Based on individual MPG )
- Pounds of CO2 saved: 3,857 pounds (Based on 19 lbs per gallon)
Miles saved per activity
- Carpooling: 1,527
- Bus: 766
- Biking: 732
- Combining trips: 633
- Not going somewhere you normally go: 621
- Other (includes motorcycling): 361
- Telecommuting: 317
- Walking: 167
Top commuters
- Carpooling: 360
- Bus: 370
- Biking: 127
- Combining trips: 91
- Not going somewhere you normally go: 127
- Other (includes motorcycling): 180
- Telecommuting: 150
- Walking: 21
In their own words
Combing trips took the most effort but was also the most unique exercise.
I work at the MCC Damon City Campus downtown and I take the bus every day and save myself a ton of money. Round trip on the bus is $2 and I save in gas (at current prices) about $65-70/weekly. And I am stress free. Sit back and let someone else do the driving.
The ‘other’ saving includes a holiday trip on motorcycle for two. The bike consumes fuel at 50 mpg. Had we used two bikes it would have resulted in no fuel savings.
I love this annual challenge! It is a great reminder of the small steps we can take every day to increase wellbeing, reduce energy consumption, and be a part of our physical environment instead of viewing it from a windshield.
The kids at TCMS had fun with this event and we averaged about 80 participants each day who walked or car pooled with a peak of over 200 walkers/bike riders on Wednesday. Some of the kids who walked on Wednesday were even featured on YNN! Thanks!
I was disappointed in myself for not saving more miles, but I was more aware of using my car. I did walk somewhere I would have normally driven. Weather can be a factor. I don’t know if there was much publicity about Curb Your Car Week, but the more people that are aware, the better. Maybe if there’s a Greentopia Festival again next year, people could sign up there. Thanks for organizing this.
I actually used my car more than average this week due to work and volunteer commitments. Ugh! (And going apple picking far from home.) The walking and biking was less than usual due to rainy weather. I am not a stellar example this year!
I found I simply did not have time to use other modes of transportation. For example, to drive to work takes me 20 minutes. The same trip on a bicycle: 1 hour. On a bus: 2 hours. Until my life or public transportation changes drastically, I will just have to continue to use a car.
