Do you know anyone who could use an extra $12 in their pocket?

Just by replacing a 40-mile round trip commute with a carpool trip, New Hampshire commuters can save that much-or more depending on the car they drive. A commute by bicycling, walking, taking public transportation or telecommuting can help commuters' wallets even more. 

Commute Green New Hampshire (www.commutegreennh.org), a partnership of businesses, schools, transit agencies and regional planning commissions, is launching a 2012 Statewide Challenge to help people who live, work or commute in NH to start saving money by choosing transportation options other than driving alone.

Green commuting not only helps to reduce employee parking costs, but it also reduces parking congestion, which is a concern across downtown and the Millyard here in Manchester, says Will Stewart, vice president of Economic Development and Advocacy at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

Mary Lynne Rahlson, vice president of Merrimack County Savings Bank, adds, It is a positive initiative related to the very necessary task of getting to work. It results in benefits: saves the employee on commuting expenses. For carpoolers, it promotes building relationships with coworkers. For bicyclers and walkers, it's great exercise, reduces parking problems in downtown Concord and promotes cleaner air and a better environment.

In 2011, 678 participants saved 64,731 miles in one week. This year, the Statewide Challenge will launch on May 14 and run until December 31. The goal is to replace 4,000 single occupancy vehicle trips.

To mark the launch of the challenge, Commute Green New Hampshire partners will celebrate the 57th Annual National Bike to Work Day on May 18 and will support other events and promotions throughout the week. The celebrations will feature the ever-popular commuter breakfasts to reward people for carpooling, bicycling, walking and using public transportation with free food and beverages and discounts from supporting local businesses and restaurants.

There will be other events and promotions throughout the year, such as Try Transit Week, National Carpool Week, and Fossil Fuel Free Fridays to encourage people to try green commuting for the first time and to reward those who are already doing green commuting.

Individual and team registrations, a list of events and promotions, and the new Commute Green NH Trip Logger will be available to the public starting on May 7. Individual and team registrations will be open all year.

The new interactive and recently developed Trip Logger allows people to compete individually or on teams and monitor money, CO2 emissions, mileage, and trip savings, instantly and throughout the year. On December 31, top achievers will be rewarded with prizes and statewide recognition.

The Statewide Challenge is a great opportunity to promote green commuting in communities, workplaces and schools, says Nicholas Coates, principal planner at the Central NH Regional Planning Commission. People can see instant results on how their actions are making a difference in bringing more money back to their communities and keeping New Hampshire's environment beautiful and clean. In these challenging times, that just makes sense.

Visit www.commutegreennh.org to learn more.

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