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Commuter Challenge is a national, week long event in Canada and is held annually during the Canadian Environment Week.〔(Environment Canada: Canadian Environment Week )〕 Formatted as a friendly competition between workplaces and Canadian municipalities, the national and host city coordinators announce winners based on the highest percent participation. The event has a strong workplace focus where employers promote the event in-house to support their employees in leaving their cars at home in favour of more sustainable commuter modes including walking, jogging, cycling, in-line skating, public transit, carpooling and teleworking. The first Commuter Challenge was hosted in 1991 and the Canadian Commuter Challenge tracking tool was launched in 1999 and is currently coordinated nationally by the Calgary-based environmental group, the Sustainable Alberta Association.〔(Sustainable Alberta Association )〕 Participants record their commutes and are ranked via Sustainable Alberta Association's web-based tracking tools. In 2014, Commuter Challenge drew participation from over 26,675 individuals and 1,803 workplaces.〔(Commuter Challenge blog: Results )〕 == History == Small sustainable transportation events started emerging in Canada in the early 1990s in different cities across the country; all under different names and in different formats. In 1991, cyclists from Ottawa and Hull, Quebec, organized the first commuter challenge in the National Capital Region. The annual event was founded by Mike Buckthought, a programmer-analyst and avid cyclist.〔Tong, Tracey (June 3, 2008). "Turns out commute is a challenge," ''Metro News''.〕 During National Environment Week, participants from Environment Canada and Forestry Canada reduced emissions by an estimated 1 tonne of carbon dioxide. Reductions in emissions were estimated using Environment Canada's Mobile 4C model. In 1992, the challenge expanded to include four organizations in Ottawa-Hull (Environment Canada, Forestry Canada, Bell Canada, and Bell-Northern Research). Participants reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide. In 1995, the event expanded to include the first inter-city challenge, with Ottawa-Hull competing against London, Ontario. That year, the event included participants from Ottawa-Hull and London, as well as other cities in Ontario, British Columbia, and the United States. Reductions in emissions were estimated using Environment Canada's Mobile 5C model. On May 18, 1995, participants reduced emissions by an estimated 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide.〔Buckthought, Mike (July–August 1995). "Cycling Challenge '95," ''Peace and Environment News'' (Ottawa).〕 At the same time Calgary-based Alberta Energy Utilities Board organized an interdepartmental competition to promote alternative transportation options during the 1991 National Environment Week. In 1992 AEUB challenged three other workplaces in Calgary to a friendly competition to see which workplace had the highest percent of sustainable commuters. Tom Keelan led the committee that coined the name Calgary Commuter Challenge. By 1995 the Calgary Challenge had mushroomed to include 25 workplaces, primarily oil and gas companies.〔(Tools of Change: Calgary Commuter Challenge )〕 In 1997, Calgary challenged Vancouver, Ottawa and London to an informal intercity challenge which attracted the attention of the Canadian Broadcasting Association (CBC) demonstrated the need for a national challenge.〔(Tools of Change: Commuter Challenge, Environment Canada's Participation )〕 In 1998, over 14,500 people in Ottawa-Hull, London, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria used environment-friendly transportation to get to work during Environment Week.〔Buckthought, Mike (July–August 1998). "Car-less Commuters Challenge Pollution," ''Peace and Environment News'' (Ottawa).〕 In 1999, the National Capital Region won the Commuter Challenge, with 6,248 participants compared to 4,966 participants for Calgary.〔Boddy, Sharon (July–August 1999). "National Capital Region Wins Commuter Challenge," ''Peace and Environment News'' (Ottawa).〕 By 2000, twenty Canadian cities had signed up for the event with host organizations ranging from not-for-profit environmental groups, municipal offices and health regions.〔(Tools of Change: Calgary Commuter Challenge ).〕 The National Capital Region won the Commuter Challenge, with 10,939 participants compared to 4,500 people in Calgary. During Environment Week, over 250 tonnes of air pollutants were diverted in the National Capital Region alone.〔Auto Free Ottawa (May 15, 2001). "Capital Commuters Going Green."〕 In 2001 the national program coordination was handed off to an Ottawa-based non-governmental organization, Auto Free Ottawa. In 2002 it was passed on to Go for Green, another Ottawa-based non-governmental organization. Go for Green coordinated the Commuter Challenge from 2002 to 2008. In 2003, a total of 48,764 people joined the Commuter Challenge. The event was launched by Environment Minister David Anderson on May 30, 2003.〔Environment Canada (May 28, 2003). "Environment Minister Launches Canadian Environment Week."〕 The Commuter Challenge was now a national event, with participation from all provinces and territories. A number of cities showed strong support for green transportation, with high numbers of participants: Ottawa-Gatineau (10,807), Winnipeg (10,058), Vancouver (9,219), Central Okanagan, BC (6,560), Waterloo Region (4,146), and Calgary (1,659). In 2004, a total of 61,672 people joined the Commuter Challenge, May 30 to June 5, 2004. The winning communities were: National Capital Region (population 1 million or more — 17,472 participants); Winnipeg (500,000 – 999,999 — 12,692 participants); Central Okanagan, BC (100,000 – 499,999 — 7,716 participants); Nanaimo, BC (50,000 – 99,999 — 4,893 participants); and Whitehorse (under 50,000 — 339 participants).〔(Commuter Challenge ).〕 In 2005, a total of 38,168 people participated. Six winning communities attained the highest percentage participation in their population category: National Capital Region (1 million or more); Winnipeg (500,000 – 999,999); Central Okanagan, BC (100,000 – 499,999); Lethbridge, AB (50,000 – 99,999); Whitehorse (10,000 – 49,999); and Whistler, BC (under 10,000).〔Go for Green (June 22, 2005). "National Capital Region, Winnipeg, Central Okanagan, Lethbridge, Whitehorse and Whistler Win The Commuter Challenge 2005."〕 In 2009 Sustainable Alberta Association took on the national coordination once again. Today the Commuter Challenge is delivered by a small team of dedicated volunteers and occasional contract help out of the SAA office in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The program is primarily funded by fees paid by corporate participants in Calgary and corporate sponsorships. Other financial support includes contributions from regional coordinators, the City of Calgary, foundations and local funding sources. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Commuter Challenge」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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