CommuteSmart NH Launches Challenge

CommuteSmart NH is inviting businesses, organizations, and municipalities across the state to participate in its June Statewide Challenge, a competition that encourages employees to travel to work using sustainable transportation options such as walking, bicycling, carpooling, riding the bus, and telecommuting.  The Challenge runs throughout the month of June and is free and open to any New Hampshire workplace that wants to join.

Participating workplaces will compete for several different awards.  A Most Sustainable Trips award will be given in three different categories: small business (2-19 employees), medium business (20-99) employees, and large business (100+ employees).  A “sustainable trip” includes any trip to or from work that uses a sustainable transportation option.  An award will also be given for Most Social Media Buzz, which will be measured via social media posts which feature the organization name and the hashtag #SmartCommuteTheRoute.

“The June Statewide Challenge is a great opportunity for employers across the State of New Hampshire and within the Monadnock Region,” says Todd Horner, a staff member at Southwest Region Planning Commission helping to organize the Challenge.  “An employer could use the Challenge as a chance to raise their profile as a business or organization that’s committed to environmental sustainability.  They could also use it as a part of a workplace wellness program, a way to build team morale, or an opportunity to examine how to reduce transportation or parking costs.”

Anyone at a workplace can lead the effort to form a team, including employees, human resources professionals, business owners, and organization leaders.  CommuteSmart NH organizers can provide support and materials to individuals interested in acting as team captains.  Incentives like water bottles and flashlights are available at no cost to participating employers.  Workplaces who receive incentives are free to distribute or raffle them to employees to encourage use of sustainable transportation.

CommuteSmart NH is a partnership between the state's nine regional planning commissions and some New Hampshire-based transit agencies, working in collaboration with state agencies, municipalities, businesses, and other stakeholders. For more information, please contact info@commutesmartnh.org, or visit www.commutesmartnh.org.