EMERYVILLE, CA (BRAIN)—Clif Bar kicked off its annual 2 Mile Challenge this week, marking the fifth year for the nationwide campaign encouraging people to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by cycling for trips two miles or less.
Through an interactive website, www.2milechallenge.com, the participants can become part of an online community and engage with other bike lovers. Participants will be asked to join one of three teams, each representing a national nonprofit group that promotes bike advocacy or fights climate change. Individuals will earn points for themselves and their teams based on riding their bikes, logging their miles, challenging friends and sharing their progress through social media.
Clif Bar will donate $100,000 to nonprofits during this year’s 2 Mile Challenge, which runs from May 12 to Oct. 31.
Three national nonprofits will divide $80,000: Alliance for Biking and Walking, Safe Routes to School Partnership and 350.org. Their teams’ total points at the end of the Challenge will determine the fund allocation.
The nonprofit team with the most points will earn a $35,000 grant; second place will receive $25,000 and third place $20,000.
In addition to supporting the three nonprofits, riders for the first time will be able to unlock smaller grants designed to help support local grassroots bike advocacy and climate change groups. A total of $20,000 will be allocated to grassroots initiatives in regions across the United States.
“Giving participants the opportunity to contribute directly to their local community brings a personal element to the 2 Mile Challenge,” said Ryan Mayo, environmental activism manager at Clif Bar & Company. “We hope this inspires more people to ride and help achieve our goal of avoiding 100,000 car trips this year.”
Last year’s 2 Mile Challenge participants avoided more than 43,000 car trips covering almost 385,000 miles during the program’s six-month team competition. In choosing bikes over cars, participants prevented 353,500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
