Transportation remains one of the largest sectors of emissions across Routt County and greater Colorado. Not only do the emissions contribute significantly to climate change but transportation pollutants can also have adverse impacts on human health, such as asthma, reduced lung capacity, and respiratory illness.

Every year, YVSC holds the CARbon-Free Challenge (formerly known as the Commuter Challenge) to encourage the use of alternative forms of transportation, like biking, walking, or even roller blading, in order to expose people to more fun and healthy modes of transportation and reduce emissions. Participants log their miles travelled using alternative forms of transportation as solo riders, families, or adult teams for the chance to win prizes provided by local businesses.

Spring is here, and we’re all looking forward to days spent outside, connecting with nature and with one another.  That’s why we’re excited to bring back the CARbon-Free Challenge, taking place from June 1-30.

As in years past, participants will log their miles for the chance to win awesome prizes from our local sponsors and have the ability to take part as a solo rider, family, or adult team. Participants can log miles for commuting, running errands going out, etc., all while using an alternative form of travel (e.g. walking, biking, longboarding, rollerblading, etc.).

How it works

Register for the challenge and commit to using alternative transportation (walk, bike, longboard, etc.) at least once per week from June 1-30. If you are competing as a team, each team member needs to register.

Register in 1 of 3 categories:

• Solo Participant.
• Family Team (doesn’t have to be the same family but must have at least one child and one adult on the team, up to six members).
• Adult Team (teams can include up to four members, you may have many different teams from the same company or a group of like-minded friends).

Log your miles

Google Sheet — All instructions for use of the Google Sheet can be found on the first page.

Please note that this year, we will not be collecting miles on Strava due to technical complications with the app. If you love Strava, you’re welcome to continue to use the app for your own tracking, just be sure to enter your miles in the Google Sheet at the end of each commute.

Compete against other teams and participants to see who can log the most alternative transportation miles/trips for the chance to win awesome prizes.

Participants can expect weekly emails during the challenge with leaderboard updates and upcoming mini events/challenges. At the end of the challenge we will celebrate our winners with a great party and a chance to receive prizes!

If you have questions or would like to sponsor the challenge, please contact [email protected].

Ways to Earn Bonus Miles

*Send in a photo of yourself participating in the below activities to [email protected] to earn bonus points!

• Attend the Bike to Work Breakfast hosted by Routt County Riders and The Cycle Effect — Stop by YVSC’s table and enjoy free breakfast on the Courthouse lawn Wednesday, June 25 from 7-10 a.m.! (to redeem points for this challenge, be sure to check in at YVSC’s table!)
• Drop off your compost —Take alternative transportation when you drop off your compost at a Cowgirl Compost drop-off location.
• Buy local food — Visit the Farmers Market or Yampa Valley Foods and earn bonus miles when you buy local.
• Visit Yampa River Botanic Park — Take a trip over to the Botanic Park to get ideas on how your own garden can support pollinators and cut down on water usage.
• Attend the Garden In A Box Demonstration Event — Learn all about the water-friendly Garden In A Box program at a demo event at the Botanic  from  11 a.m.-Noon June 12.
• Bring spirit to costume week — Costume week will be during June 16-20, so get your costume ready! We will have a special prize for best costume.
• Kangaroo Prize — Earn up to 10 bonus miles for transporting children using alternative transportation. Bonus miles earned can’t exceed more than 10 miles for this category, but there will be a special prize whoever does so the highest number of times, so send a picture to [email protected] each time you do so.