This week is Green Commute Week, an initiative put on by the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council. Collective Idea, area businesses, and countless individuals in the Holland and Zeeland area will bike, walk, run, skate, rollerblade, or take public transit as often as possible in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint.

Here at Collective Idea we’re very excited to participate in Green Commute Week because environmental stewardship is something we do every day. We believe in leaving things better than what we found them and that includes the earth. It’s why we’re a part of Holland’s Elective Renewable Energy program. We pay more for our electricity and that’s ok because it is all generated by renewable sources such as wind, sunlight, biomass, geothermal, waves, and landfill gas. (We’ll blog more about this initiative later) In addition to renewable energy for the office, we’re very conscious about the trash we produce. We have four waste bins in the office and they’re broken up into four categories; landfill, recycling, cans & bottles, and compost. We then dispose of all of the trash properly (and use the can and bottle returns for treats in the office).

A few of our team members already bike to the office on a regular basis, so green commuting is not new to us, but it will be fun getting everyone in on it at the same time. It also serves as a great reminder of the many benefits of green transportation:

Less pollution
According to the EPA, the typical vehicle emits 4.7 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year. Leaving your car in the garage for three days a week can keep more than 50 pounds of pollutants from entering the air.

It’s healthier for you
Walking or biking to your desired destination not only burns more calories than driving, but regular physical activity can reduce risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

Saves money
Using green modes of transportation results in less money spent on gas. You’ll also spend less money on car maintenance.

We’ll be tracking all miles we traveled via alternative methods this week, so be sure to follow back up with us at the end of the week to see how we did!