BANFF – Banff residents and businesses are trying to do their part to help the national park townsite go green by ditching their vehicles.
Almost 400 employees from local businesses and organizations registered to be part of the 2018 Banff Commuter Challenge over 12 weeks from June 24 to Sept. 8.
By walking, cycling, skateboarding and using public transit, they clocked a combined 174,428 kilometres – that’s the distance from Banff to Belize and back 14 times.
In terms of combatting climate change, Town of Banff officials say the green commuter challenge avoided putting 28 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
“Another way of looking at it, we reduced fuel consumption by 12,963 litres,” said Jason Darrah, the Town of Banff’s director of communications and marketing, in a release.
In the small employer category of up to 50 employees, Banff Lake Louise Tourism took the top prize. With an 85 per cent participation rate, 39 of 43 registered participants logged 1,190 days of green commutes.
Second place went to SkiBig3, with a 56 per cent participation rate, and 279 days of green commutes. Banff Childcare Centre took third spot with 45 per cent participation rate and 191 cumulated days of green commuting.
In the medium category for organizations with between 51 and 300 employees, the Town of Banff took first place. They had 43 per cent of staff take part, clocking 1,995 days of folks making green transportation choices.
Second place in this category went to Roam Transit with 12 per cent participation and 223 total commuter days. Arctos & Bird, with 11 per cent of employees taking part to get 236 green commute days, placed third.
In the larger employer category, with staff of more than 300, it was a close race.
First place went to Parks Canada, with 14 per cent participation and a total of 1,498 green commuter days. The Banff Centre, with 13 per cent participating for 1,532 green commuter days, came in second. Securing third place was Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel with nine per cent participation and 3,414 combined green commuter days.
Extremely dedicated participants were also recognized. These are people who committed for at least
53 of 55 days to walk, bike, cycle or catch a bus. Fairmont Banff Springs took this prize with 76 per cent of its employees in this category.
Individuals Jennifer Chiasson of the Banff Centre and Lia Wozny of Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel were also awarded prizes for their extra dedicated participation for 53 days or more this summer.
In the 2017 census, 17 per cent of Banff residents said they commuted by bike and 45 per cent walked to work. Including transit and other methods, 70 per cent of Banff residents travel by means other than their personal vehicle.
