This Earth Day, take your pick on helping the environment!

April 22 is Earth Day. For 46 years, this has been a day to remember the importance of protecting and preserving our environment. SEMCOG has actively promoted everyday actions that protect the earth. These activities complement SEMCOG’s regional planning efforts to preserve our invaluable water, air, and land resources.

This Earth Day, we are celebrating with the kickoff event of the Detroit Commuter Challenge. The challenge to single-occupancy vehicle drivers (people who drive alone) is to try a new way of traveling to work or school. Walking, biking, carpooling/vanpooling, riding the bus, and working from home all have a positive impact on air quality, among other numerous benefits.

Carpooling is one way to ease your commute, reduce traffic congestion, and reduce our region’s carbon footprint.

When I was in 6th grade, I relied on all of these alternatives to get around. I took the bus to school. We carpooled for basketball practice. I biked to work (a local farm) every day during the summer.

Then I grew up, and the way I got around drastically changed. I drive to work, drive to meetings, drive my kid to practice, drive to the grocery store, and (of course) drive to get gas!

Today I’m accepting the Commuter Challenge to seize opportunities to alter my travel during the month of May.

Why am I participating?

I think it’s time to slow down a little and lower my stress. Adding a little work from home and carpooling will help allow me to enjoy time with the important people in my life and save a little money.

Also, it’s the least I can do to make the earth a little greener. Alternative commuting reduces traffic congestion and carbon emissions, provides health benefits, and supports thriving communities. Start logging your commutes toward our carbon-reduction goal, and you might pick up one of our great prizes along the way.

Please join me. You can sign up and log your commute at DetroitCommuterChallenge.com. Your miles make the difference (and so will mine).