Chicago Conservation Corps Blog

Visit Fall 2009 C3 Leadership Training for full details.

It is time to start planning for our 2009-2010 C3 Student Clubs!

You Care. C3 is seeking passionate teachers (CPS 8th - 12th grades) who want to make a difference in their school community.
Do Something. Start an after-school environmental service club with your students.
We’ll Help. Access curriculum, materials, training workshops, and more from the Chicago Department of Environment. Earn a stipend and CPDUs for your efforts.

To apply for the 2009-2010 program, you must be a Chicago Public School teacher (8th – 12th grades) and attend one of the orientations listed below.

Tuesday, April 14, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Training Center, Chicago Center for Green Technology
445 N. Sacramento Blvd
Park in back parking lot

Wednesday, April 15, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Room 161, Curie Metropolitan High School
4959 S. Archer Ave.
Park in lot off of Pulaski Rd.

Thursday, April 16, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Library, Louisa May Alcott School
2625 N. Orchard St.
Park in second parking lot

To reserve a seat at an orientation or for more information, email conservation@cityofchicago.org or call (312) 743-9283.

If you have attended an orientation, we encourage you to fill out the on-line application, which can be found here.

Someone in class mentioned the work of Van Jones, author of The Green Collar Economy, and formerly the head of Green Jobs for All (a post he left to take a position in the Obama administration). I just read an excellent interview with him that is insightful and full of advice that could be helpful to us as we organize our projects or any other activism in our life that we’re involved in - check it out here:

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/4649/

Hey there fellow C3 Trainees,

For those of you who are interested in learning more about energy efficiency, please feel free to check out my organization’s website at www.mwalliance.org. We are currently working on a new HVAC Certification Training Course with Peoples Gas, and we also administer the Change a Light, Change the World, Lights for Learning, and Building Operator Certification (BOC) programs. We’re also in the midst of some exciting policy advocacy with the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, so check us out if you’d like to learn more or sign up for our newsletter. Also feel free to ask me any questions during class!

Hope everyone has a great week and I’ll see you next week!

Erin

I apologize in advance if this sound extra sentimental or trite.

I feel really lucky to be a part of C3’s largest class. There is obviously an overwhelming urge from everyone to learn as much as they can and bring it back to their communities, and to share information is the greatest form of education we have available.

While the presenters and the information they provided was fantastic, I don’t know if I’m alone in feeling that the time crunch really hindered discussion. I know that a lot of people got up and talked during the breaks, both to the presenters and to each other, but I feel like we could learn a lot more from one another if we had larger discussions, including as much of the class as possible so as to hear as many perspectives as possible. We can’t ask the presenters to give us more of their time, so we can’t really have class discussions during class, but would people be willing to stay after class? Pack a lunch and plan to stay an extra hour or so and we can look at several (or even one) topic over that time?

I am really interested in learning more, not just about what the city government can provide us with, but what the city and its residents can offer each other. I’d really like to learn more from my fellow classmates, and I hope you would too.

Hope everyone had a great Earth Hour and liked it so much they extended it to Earth Night!

You care. Do Something. We’ll Help. The Chicago Conservation Corps is now recruiting for its Spring 2009 Leadership Training Course. During the training, you’ll learn from community and environmental leaders about urban environmental challenges and opportunities for change; then you’ll lead an environmental service project in your community with C3 support and resources. For more information, visit www.cityofchicago.org/Environment/C3.

Attend one of the orientations listed below to learn more. For questions or to reserve a seat, please contact (312) 743-9283 or conservation@cityofchicago.org.

Wednesday, March 11 - 7pm - 8pm
South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60649

Saturday, March 14 - 10am - 11am
Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612

Monday, March 16 - 12pm - 1pm
Chicago Department of Environment, 30 N. LaSalle St. 25th Floor, Chicago, IL 60602

To apply for the C3 Leadership Training Series, you must be a City of Chicago resident and attend one orientation. The Spring 2009 training will be held at the Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd, Saturdays, March 28 and April 4, 18, and 25 from 9:30am - 1:30pm. A mandatory field trip will take place on Saturday, May 2. A $75 fee covers course participation and project support. Financial assistance is available upon request.

The holidays come but once a year, but it’s not just their memories that can last a lifetime. Unfortunately, the season of generosity and merriment can leave a lasting impact on the environment too. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Americans discard 25% more trash than they do during the rest of the year. This totals 2 billion extra pounds of garbage each week.

In addition to the increase in waste, our holiday traditions also lead to an increase in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions as we travel and entertain more.

Fortunately, there are many things we can do to retain the spirit of the season while being conscious about the environment. Find simple eco-friendly tips throughout this online guide to incorporate into your holiday routine. Follow these and you’ll help ensure a bright and memorable holiday season for generations to come.

Happy Holidays!

Indoor Farmers Market & Café (Sunday, Dec 7)

Most outdoor farmers markets are closed for the season, but the
opportunity for buying fresh, locally grown food and wares from
regional farmers has been extended at an indoor farmers market Sunday,
December 7, from 12 – 3 pm at 5255 N. Ashland Avenue. The First
Evangelical Free Church’s Green Urban Living Class is hosting this
market and an a la carte café with fair trade coffee and lunch items
made from seasonal and local ingredients from the participating farm
vendors.

Participating farmers will offer a wide variety of foods and other
great natural wares. Items include cheese, meat and poultry, yogurt,
honey, soap, vinegars, milled flours, sauces and salsas, preserves,
cider, dried fruits and fresh produce as available . . . in short,
anything that a farm grows or produces from during winter months.
Great gift ideas like knitted mittens, socks, hats and other clothing
as well as comforters, mattress toppers & wool batting are also
available from the farmers. The café will include lunch items and
baked goods that incorporate local ingredients.

This is one of 30 such markets scheduled in Chicago and the suburbs
from November through March by the Churches’ Center for Land and
People (CCLP), a Wisconsin-based nonprofit organization,
www.cclpmidwest.org. This market helps fulfill CCLP’s mission of
strengthening rural communities by connecting rural growers with urban
consumers and bringing people together around issues of food, faith
and sustainability.

First Evangelical Free Church is located in Andersonville at 5255 N.
Ashland Avenue. For more information and dates for the Winter Farmers
Markets & Meals for Hope, please refer to
www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/M19510. For more
information about First Evangelical Free Church, please refer to
www.firstfree.com or call 773-561-4175.

Volunteers are needed to help restore a 1-acre pond and wetland at Humboldt Park in the summer of 2008. Meet new friends and neighbors while you help enhance and beautify this nature area.

Saturdays, August 9th, September 13th - 9am - noon

· August 9: Come out and show your green thumbs! Get your hands dirty and learn about the value of wetlands while planting hundreds of native wetland plants
· September 13: See the progress! Volunteers will help plant native shrubs, mulch trees, and remove any remaining invasive or weedy plants

Meet at the Humboldt Park Wetland just south of the Institute of Puerto Rican Art and Culture (old horse stables). To register or for more information, please contact Becky Schillo, CPD Volunteer Stewardship Coordinator, at 312-742-4072 or mailto:becky.schillo@chicagoparkdistrict.com

Funding for this project has been generously provided by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and The Conservation Fund’s Northeastern Illinois Wetland Conservation Grant Program.

Jason Hernandez sends this, about a web telecast tomorrow, called Seeing the Green: Bolstering Economic Development Strategies with Environmental Responsibility.

I just wanted to let you know about this telecast being organized by the Economic Development Association, which is part of the US Commerce Department.

Ted Wysocki is President and CEO of Chicago’s Local Economic and Development Council (LEED). He spearheads a lot of great work for projects like the new Chicago Green Exchange, so I figured you might be interested in posting details about the telecast on your website. I absolutely understand its short notice…but I figure your organization would like to hear about it anyway.

The telecast is hosted by Benjamin Erulkar, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of commerce for economic development; Paul Farmer, Executive Director and CEO of the American Planning Association, and Nancy McKeever, Sustainable Energy Program Manager for the California Energy Commission.

WHEN:

Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 2:30pm EST (1:30pm Central).

WHAT:

-The role of environmental sustainability and its impact on economic development
-How U.S. economic regions can strengthen competitiveness through innovative and green sustainable development strategies
-The costs and benefits of green building as well as how the private sector can successfully invest in and profit from green development projects
-The increasing number of green jobs and how communities can attract these new green industries

The telecast is open to everyone. To register, visit
http://edabroadcast.haverstick.biz/.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR the Chicago Air & Water Show - August 15-17, 2008
1600 N. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60610

This year we are having our Second Annual Water Bottle Awareness for the 50th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show which shakes up the lake front on August 15-17, 2008 which is the “LARGEST” free show of it’s kind in the United States. It is the city’s second most popular festival. Last year, 2,200,000 people watched the show. Imagine, about 2 million plastic water bottles will be discarded on the beach this year in a two days period.

Worldwide sale of bottled water a year is estimated to be between $50 and $100 billion (US) and increasing approximately 7 to 10 percent annually. In 2004, the US bottled water industry surpassed 6.8 billion gallons of water for that year, an increase of 8.6% over the previous year (Beverage Marketing Corporation, 2005) 22.6 Gallons of bottled water each person in the U.S. consumed in 2006, up 8.4 percent from the previous year.

The consumption of over 150 billion liters of bottled water per year necessitates the use of billions of plastic and glass bottles. Though the materials used are generally recyclable, many of these bottles, particularly those used in developing countries without recycling infrastructure, are discarded rather than recycled, with this trash having a negative effect on the environment. More than a billion Water bottles end up in the state’s landfills each year. (The Associated Press)

The plastic used to package the 6 billion gallons of bottled water sold in the United States somehow end-up clogging landfills and littering the landscape and spreading toxins into ground water. Nine out of 10 plastic bottles end up as litter. That’s 30 million discarded bottles a day. (According to Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures 2004)

Please email us at grace@mgracedesigns.com

Help save the environment. Your help is very much appreciated!
M. Grace Sielaff, C3 Leader

You care. Do Something. We’ll Help. The Chicago Conservation Corps is now recruiting for its Fall 2008 Leadership Training Course. Orientation sessions take place in August, classes begin in September. During the training, you’ll learn from community and environmental leaders about urban environmental challenges and opportunities for change; then you’ll lead an environmental service project in your community with C3 support and resources. For more information, visit www.cityofchicago.org/Environment/C3.

Attend one of the orientations listed below to learn more. For questions or to reserve a seat, please contact (312) 743-9283 or conservation@cityofchicago.org.

Wednesday, August 20 - 7pm - 8pm
6th District Police Station, 7808 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60620

Saturday, August 23 - 10am - 11am
Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612

Monday, August 25 - 12pm - 1pm
Chicago Department of Environment, 30 N. LaSalle St. 25th Floor, Chicago, IL 60602

To apply for the C3 Leadership Training Series, you must be a City of Chicago resident and attend one orientation. The Fall 2008 training will be held at the Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd, Saturdays, September 6, 13, 20 and 27, from 9:30am - 1:30pm. A mandatory field trip will take place on Saturday, October 11. A $75 fee covers course participation and project support. Financial assistance is available upon request.

Hello,

I was looking at the Chicago Conservation Corps website today, and thought that your organization might be interested in participating in or promoting National Park(ing) Day 2008, an annual event, happening in Chicago on September 19th, which celebrates parks in cities by creating temporary parks in public parking spaces. National Park(ing) Day is an all-volunteer event, and any participation is welcome. One can, build his or her own park, help others build parks, or simply visit Park(ing) Day parks throughout the day. Look at www.tpl.org/parkingday for details, a how-to manual, photos and videos, or to connect with participants near you.

Nathan Tone

2008 Chicago West Nile Virus Public Education and Community Outreach Campaign

West Nile Virus infection (WNV) is an illness conveyed to humans primarily by mosquitoes. In most cases, people infected with WNV either show no symptoms or have very mild flu-like symptoms, called West Nile fever. WNV is an urgent issue that needs to be taken seriously in the Chicagoland area every summer.

In a collaborative effort to assist the Chicago Department of Public Health in its 2008 Public Education and Community Outreach Campaign, the Chicago Department of Environment (DOE) will be distributing brochures and magnets to the public at DOE outreach events this summer. Examples include rain barrel distribution and blue cart recycling events. To ensure that information gets to as many people as possible, DOE welcomes the assistance of interested C3 leaders and trainees that can help distribute information to members of their community or neighborhoods.

If you are interested in assisting, please contact Jerry Attere at 312-744-9136 or jerry.attere@cityofchicago.org to receive brochures and magnets for distribution.

For more information on WNV, go to the Chicago Department of Public Health’s webpage that can be found under the City Departments link at www.cityofchicago.org and look for the West Nile Virus information under the Infectious Disease link.

Department of Environment News and Opportunities - June 2008
- June 7: Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility Open
- June 9-11: NeoCon at Merchandise Mart
- June 13: Bike to Work Day Rally
- June 21: Environmental Resource Event at U.S. Cellular Field
- June 30: Registration Deadline for Solar PowerUp! for Kids
- Alert: Protect yourself and your family from West Nile Virus

Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility Open
- Saturday, June 7, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- 1150 N. North Branch St.

Celebrate summer by ridding your home of unwanted chemicals, paints, and computers. Bring in your old computers, monitors, cell phones and household chemicals this Saturday to the City’s permanent facility at 1150 N. North Branch St., 2 blocks east of the Kennedy at Division St. for proper recycling and disposal. For a complete list of accepted materials, visit www.cityofchicago.org/Environment and click on “Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility” on the right-hand column.

NeoCon
- Monday June 9 - Wednesday June 11 at the Merchandise Mart
- Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

At NeoCon® World’s Trade Fair, discover thousands of innovative products and resources for corporate hospitality, healthcare, retail, government, institutional and residential interiors from more than 1,200 showrooms and exhibitors. Stop by the Chicago Center for Green Technology’s booth to learn about their programs and check out green product samples. For more information on NeoCon, visit www.neocon.com.

Bike to Work Day Rally
- Friday, June 13, 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.

Riding your bike can help displace more than 238 million gallons of gasoline annually and reduce the amount of volatile pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, released by vehicle emissions. Choose the healthy alternative and become a bike commuter. The Bike to Work Day Rally challenges commuters to put down the keys, step off the bus and bike their way to work! Join fellow cyclists, local media celebrities, live bands and the City of Chicago at Daley Plaza for a day full of activities from 7:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Cyclists will enjoy live music and receive a free continental breakfast and T-shirt while supplies last. For more information, visit www.bikechicago.us or call (312) 744-3315.

Environmental Resource Event
- Saturday, June 21, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- U.S. Cellular Field, 333 W. 35th St.

Be Safe at Home: Exchange household hazards for environmental resources. Participate in the Department of Environment’s second Environmental Resource Event of the year. Take this opportunity to:
- properly dispose of your household hazardous waste
- recycle your old computers, monitors, laptops and cell phones
- keep medicines out of our water system by bringing them for proper disposal
- pick up a free compact fluorescent light bulb (limit one per household)
- drop off your old gas-powered lawn mower and receive a $100 rebate towards an electric or push mower
- reduce your landfill waste by purchasing a $30 outdoor compost bin and reuse rain water by investing in a $40 rain barrel (both are available to Chicago residents only, must pay with check or money order, limit 1 per household)

Questions? Call the Chicago Department of Environment at (312) 744-7606.

Chicago Solar Powerup! For Kids
- Session 1: July 14- 18; Session 2: July 21-25. Hours are from 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd.
- Registration ends June 30

The Chicago Center for Green Technology wants future scientists, engineers, and designers for the 3rd annual Chicago Solar Powerup! Solar Powerup gives students ages 9-11 the opportunity to design, build, and race model solar cars while learning about renewable energy sources. Students are give instructions in various design factors and then work in teams to build their car. Following testing, these workshops culminate in a series of one-on-one races in a tournament on Daley Plaza on Wednesday, July 30, to determine champions.

Please note: Registration is limited to 20 students per session and will be admitted on a first come, first serve basis. Spots may only be reserved by the receipt of payment ($75, check only) no later than 2 weeks prior to the first class. Before mailing in payment, please call (312) 746-4155 for availability. Limited scholarships are available.

Alert: Protect Yourself and Your Family from West Nile Virus

This information bulletin is an advisory to assist members of the public in taking precautions to minimize their risk of exposure to the West Nile Virus (WNV). WNV infection is an illness conveyed to humans primarily by mosquitoes. In most cases, people infected with WNV either show no symptoms or have very mild flu-like symptoms, called West Nile fever. WNV is an urgent issue that needs to be taken seriously in the Chicagoland area every summer. Since WNV can affect anyone, we ask that the following steps be taken to prevent or minimize any chance of mosquito bites:

Get rid of sources of stagnant or standing water in your backyard or neighborhood, as mosquitoes can reproduce in standing water that exists for more than 4 days.

- Call 3-1-1 immediately to report any stagnant or standing water than needs to be removed - it is important to provide the location and number of days that the water has been there.
- Protect your skin by wearing protective clothing such as long pants, shirts with sleeves, and socks.
- Use insect repellants containing the active ingredient DEET (chemical name, N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide). Products containing DEET are available in various liquids, lotions, and sprays and do not present a health concern as long as the product labels are read and directions are followed. DEET has been approved for use by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
- For more information, go to the Chicago Department of Public Health’s webpage that can be found under the City Departments link at www.cityofchicago.org and look for the West Nile Virus information under the Infectious Disease link.

Department of Environment News and Opportunities - May 2008
- May 10: Smart Home Green + Wired
- May 10: Green Your Closets and Drawers
- May 15: Daley Plaza Farmers Market
- May 17: Clean and Green
- May 17-18: Green Festival
- May 17-18: Great Chicago Places and Spaces Tour

Smart Home Green + Wired
- Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Museum of Science and Industry, 57th St. and Lake Shore Drive

Check out the Museum of Science and Industry’s 3-story modular sustainable home, learn about the Chicago Green Home Remodeling Series and pick up a free compact fluorescent light bulb, while supplies last. For more information on the Smart Home Green + Wired, visit www.msichicago.org.

Green Your Closet and Drawers
- Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- Donations accepted at: Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd.; North Park Village Nature Center, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.; St. Ailbe’s Church, 93rd and Stony Island.

Bring in your used clothes and eyeglasses to be reused by the Lion’s Club and the Salvation Army and receive a green gift, available while supplies last.

Daley Plaza Farmer’s Market
- Thursday, May 15, 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.

Fill your produce bags with fresh fruits and vegetables at the first Daley Plaza Farmers Market of the season. For more information, visit www.chicagofarmersmarkets.us

Green Festival
- Saturday, May 17 - Sunday, May 18
- Navy Pier

Come celebrate what’s working in our communities, hear from environmental speakers and check out vendors for the latest in the green movement. Visit the Chicago Department of Environment exhibit to learn how you can reduce your environmental footprint. For more information, visit www.greenfestivals.org.

Great Chicago Places and Spaces Tour
- Saturday, May 17 - Sunday, May 18
- Locations throughout Chicago

Come explore Chicago’s rich heritage in architecture and design during the 10th Annual Great Chicago Places and Spaces celebration. This is a weekend dedicated to architecture and design that offers more than 200 free tours of Chicago and it’s neighborhoods given by prominent architecture, design specialists and community leaders. Most walking tours are outside, please dress accordingly. For more information, visit www.greatchicagoplaces.us.

Mayor Daley’s Clean and Green
- Saturday, May 17
- Locations throughout Chicago

Community groups throughout Chicago can make an immediate difference in their neighborhood by volunteering for Mayor Daley’s Spring Clean & Green Day. For the past 20 years, Chicagoans like yourself have teamed up with community groups and the City of Chicago to help beautify your communities by cleaning up and recycling accumulated litter and trash. The City provides materials. For more information or to register, call 3-1-1.

On behalf of C3 Leader, Sharon Rolek:
Here is another wonderful contact (for CUE: Catholics United for the Environment, and others). Although this event is one of the days of the Green Festival at Navy Pier, you may still be interested. The exact address of the church is 2453 Oak Street, Blue Island 60406, with directions that say “just south and west of intersection of 127th Street and Western Avenue.”

Dear Friends,

I am writing to remind you about the Sunday, May 18 day of prayer for the Healing of the Earth. We are holding this day of prayer at St. Joseph and St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, on the corner of Greenwood and Oak in Blue Island. The day will begin with a special Mass for the Healing of the Earth at St. Joseph/ St. Aidan’s. We will hold the same service, and a blessing of the Community Garden at St. Clement’s in Harvey.

At 4:00 pm, we will have invited local gardeners and environmental activists to share their thoughts and prayers at St. J and A in Blue Island. We will then walk down to the Cal-Sag Channel to participate in a ritual of prayer and spiritual healing for all the lakes and rivers, air and land in our nation.

We are holding our day of prayer in partnership with the Gardens of Forgiveness, a peace and justice program begun in the wake of 9/11 at New York City’s St. Paul’s Chapel. As part of the service, we will bless the gardens here in our area.

Please feel free to be with us for any of the events on May 18. Please call if you if you would like to volunteer to play a role in the 4:00 service. Our prayers and music for the afternoon service come from the Celtic and Native American Christian tradition.

The Rev. Rod Reinhart
Rector of St. Clement’s Episcopal Church
Harvey IL
Vicar of St. Joseph and St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
Blue Island IL

Host of FAITH ON THE FRONT LINE
Chicago State University CSU-TV
Diocese of Chicago

2508 Walnut
Blue Island IL 60406
708-528-9862
708-389-0733
revrod@comcast.net

From Shelli Carol, a student at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago:

This quarter, a group of entrepreneurial students, including myself, are working on a business that would allow average homeowners to cleanly, quietly, and easily keep organic, egg-laying chickens in their backyards.

I believe that CCC may be a group particularly interested in this kind of product. Please consider taking our 10-minute survey about it. Click here for survey

If you find the survey interesting, we would certainly appreciate your forwarding it to whomever else you think might find it interesting, and encouraging them to do the same.

Everyone can also feel free to contact me directly with any questions. Thank you for your consideration.

Hello everyone,

As most of you know, I help hotels reduce their environmental impact.

The Renaissance is remodeling and needs to remove 500+ armoires and 700+ night stands from their property. They have worked with the Dept of Housing and have donated 100 pieces of furniture, but they still have a great deal left.

Night stand dimensions: 22″ wide by 22″ deep by 20′’ tall
Armoire dimensions: 42.5″ wide by 22.5″ deep by 84″ tall.
Please note that the armoires are very heavy.

If you are interested in a nice armoire(s) or night stand(s) (see pics at www.flickr.com/photos/25103858@N07/sets/72157604830777461), call Terry Hart, the Director of Engineering, at (312) 795-3352 to set up a pick up date.

Please pass this offer to any parties you think would be interested. It would be optimal if these didn’t end up in the landfill.

Thanks,
Hanh Pham, C3 Trainee, Spring 2008

How green is your workplace? The 2008 Bicycle Commuter Challenge is now open to all companies who want to compete to be the most environmentally friendly company in Chicagoland. Sign up now at www.biketraffic.org/commuterchallenge.

Companies competing in the Bicycle Commuter Challenge strive to earn the highest percentage of employees biking for part or all of their trip to work during Bike to Work Week, June 7-13, hosted by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation.

“Bicycle commuting transforms the atmosphere at work – it boosts the health and energy of employees, encourages team spirit, lowers costs, and builds the organization’s reputation for being green,” said Rob Sadowsky, executive director of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation.

For organizations and companies raring up to compete in the annual Challenge, designated Team Leaders get their office excited about commuting by bike. They recruit co-workers, track team-members’ biking trips, and offer tips on making bicycle commuting easy and fun.

Plus, team leaders distribute discount member cards to participating employees, which provide Bicycle Commuter Challenge participants the same discounts as Chicagoland Bicycle Federation members from May-July.

Participants can bike for all or part of their trip to work. They can also stop for a quick snack and tune up at Bicycle Commuter Stations located around Chicago and at suburban Metra stations.

Teams face off against companies of similar size and type, i.e. public agency, business, non-profit and bicycling-related business. Winning Bicycle Commuter Challenge teams receive fabulous prizes and are honored at a luncheon.

“Public esteem is a big incentive in this competition. It’s a sign of the vitality and vision of the organization when employees compete for health instead of parking spots,” Sadowsky said.

Register your company or organization at www.biketraffic.org/commuterchallenge or by calling (312) 427-3325. Individuals can also register in the Commuter Challenge.

Learn how to ride safely and comfortably to work at www.biketraffic.org/commute.