Businesses

2011 CLEAR THE AIR CHALLENGE TEAM REGISTRATION PACKET

For an electronic version of this packet, please email cleartheairutah@gmail.com.

Welcome to the 2011 Clear the Air Challenge! You can feel proud that your organization is playing an important, proactive role in helping ensure our community is a healthy and thriving place to live, work and play for generations to come!

This packet will provide key information to get you started…

Team vs. Company – what’s the difference?

Teams (Most Popular)

Teams are made up of individuals who choose to compete together. By joining a team, you are still individually responsible for updating your trip diary with the trips and miles you save. If you miss a day, you can always go back and enter the information.

Trips and miles saved by each individual team member will add up to a team total. Teams can be any size or type (i.e. family, friends, community group, company, organization). Each individual on a team who meets their weekly goal will automatically be entered into a drawing for prizes.

Additionally, at the end of the Challenge, the top teams will be recognized for the following on July 16, 2011:

• Most pounds of emissions saved
• Most trips saved
• Most participants
• Best integration of TravelWise strategies
• Corporate role model

Companies

“Companies” are groups that have chosen not to keep individual trip diaries on the Clear the Air Challenge website. Instead, “companies” will enter their daily trips and miles saved as one cumulative total. Because individual participant data will not be entered, “companies” and their participating employees will not be eligible for weekly prize drawings. “Companies” will be ranked by the average trips saved per employee.

At the end of the Challenge, the top “companies” will be recognized for the following on July 16, 2011:

• Top Large Company (over 1,000 employees)
• Top Medium Company (less than 1,000 employees)
• Top Small Company (less than 100 employees)

OUTREACH OUTLINE

Tell your employees

• Send an email to your employees. Let them know about the company team and rally them to participate and do their best!
  • Utilize the sample email on page 6 of this packet.
• Feature the Clear the Air Challenge blurb on your intranet or internal newsletter.
  • Look for a sample article on page 5 of this packet.
• Add the Challenge and Clear the Air Fair to your organization’s shared or community calendar.
  • See the event listings on page 7 of this packet.

Let your clients know!

• Place a Clear the Air Challenge web banner on your website.
  • Download & pick your favorite at www.cleartheairchallenge.org/blog/resources
• Feature the Clear the Air Challenge blurb on your website or in your external newsletter.
  • Look for a sample article on page 5 of this packet.
• Send an email to your email distribution lists. Affirm your support for the Clear the Air Challenge and encourage others to do the same!
  • Utilize the sample email on page 6 of this packet.

Utilize our materials

• Post Clear the Air Challenge posters and rack cards in prominent areas. Offer to key contacts for distribution as well.
  • For hard copies of posters and rack cards, contact cleartheairutah@gmail.com.
  • Electronic versions of Challenge materials are at www.cleartheairchallenge.org/blog/resources.

Make it social

• Promote the Clear the Air Challenge via social media.
  • Facebook – link to the Clear the Air Challenge and Clear the Air Fair events. Reference us in posts by typing “@Clear the Air Challenge – Utah” (note, you must “Like” the page first.)
    • Facebook page – www.facebook.com/cleartheairchallenge
    • Facebook event – http://on.fb.me/hhJpI3 (RSVP!)
    • Clear the Air FAIR Facebook event – http://on.fb.me/hJZ1d6 (RSVP!)
    • Twitter – link to the Clear the Air Challenge website and reference @ClearTheAirUtah in your posts.
      • Clear the Air Challenge Twitter page – www.twitter.com/cleartheairutah
      • Blogs or other accounts.
        • Utilize the sample article on this page of the packet.

Community Engagement

• Bring Clear the Air Challenge materials to any community events that your organization will be participating in. Use this as an opportunity to garner some positive goodwill by showcasing your organization’s commitment to clean air!

“TEAM” REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Go to wwww.cleartheairchallenge.org
2. Click on “login” (upper right)

1. If you have not created an account yet:
   1. Click “Create New Account”
   2. Enter all of your personal information on the left side of the screen.
   3. On the right side of the screen (under the profile picture) you have the title “Register as an individual or a team.” This is where you select individual, join or create a team, or company/organization.
   4. Once you have chosen the team option:

i.      Select “Join an existing team” from the drop down menu.

Note: If you are the first registrant tasked with creating a new team, simply select the “Create a new team” option and instruct other team members to join the [team name] once created.

If you have already set up your account:

1. Enter your log in information.
2. When your tracker comes up on the screen click “edit profile” (upper left next to your profile picture).
3. On the lower right on your tracker profile you will find the team vs. individual options (same as in 3a-D). Find your team name in the drop down menu, then hit “save.”

*If you participated last year you are in the system but you must sign in using the same email and password to reactivate your account. Lost passwords are easily recovered at the log in screen.

“COMPANY” REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Go to wwww.cleartheairchallenge.org
2. Click on “login” (upper right)
3. Follow the instructions above, but select “Company/Organization.”
   1. Companies enter trips and miles saved as one daily total for everyone in their group. Those utilizing the Company/Organization option will be evaluated on the percentage of trips saved for all employees in their organization.

Note: Participating individuals in the Company/Organization category will not be eligible for weekly or grand prizes. Since only the entire Company/Organization will qualify for recognition, they are encouraged to create their own internal award system.

 

MAKE WAVES! ADVICE FROM OTHER CLEAR THE AIR CHALLENGE BUSINESSES

Here are some tips from past Clear the Air Challenge team leaders…

Communication is key. Make the Challenge an agenda item for your internal meetings, send weekly reminders to staff – the more air time it gets the better your team will do. Now the Challenge became a fun part of our culture.

Kenner Kingston, Architectural Nexus
2010 Team Award – Most Participants

Work with your employees. Help them identify opportunities for carpool matching, public transportation and flexible work arrangements, if applicable.

Piper Rhodes, Rio Tinto
2009 Team Award – Most Emissions Saved

It starts from the top. Your CEO or president really needs to say “This is important.”

Emphasize the impact. When you look at the emissions you can save by being involved in the Challenge, and when you look at the way we can improve our state, I think that is an easy thing to communicate to employees.

Michael Dunn, KUED Channel 7
2010 Team Award – Corporate Role Model

Embrace some healthy competition. Competition really drives people, so consider competing against a fellow Clear the Air Challenge business team or have your own internal competition between divisions or offices.

Get yourself a team leader! It’s helpful to find somebody who is willing to take the steering wheel and just guide everybody through it.

Kortni Litster, ADP, Inc.
2010 Winner – Top Large Company

Don’t be afraid to just give it a try. My advice is to try it – the tools are provided for you. Put a committee together of people who believe in the issue – champions in your organization who can help share the message.

Mindy Cox, O.C. Tanner
2009 Winner – Corporate Role Model

Watch our short YouTube video and get inside tips from our top team leaders: Coming soon.

 

SAMPLE ARTICLE

This summer, Governor Herbert, Mayor Becker, Mayor Corroon and other community leaders are challenging Utahns to once again “Drive Less and Drive Smarter.” The month-long Clear the Air Challenge (June 13-July 10) aims to reduce vehicle emissions by challenging residents to use TravelWise options like trip chaining, carpooling, vanpooling, telecommuting, bike commuting, and public transportation.

Residents commit to reducing their weekly vehicle trips in Gold, Silver and Bronze categories, and compete to win weekly prizes and a chance to win grand prizes at the end of the challenge. This year, there are three options for participation – as an individual, team of friends, family, or co-workers, or as a company.

Over the past two summers, nearly 9,000 participants saved 2.4 million miles and kept over 4.1 million pounds of emissions out of the air.

Clear air is important to us. And the Clear the Air Challenge is an excellent opportunity to do something to make a positive impact and be a part of the solution. Over the last two summers, we have learned firsthand what an empowering experience it is to not only make a positive choice, but to input it into ClearTheAirChallenge.org and quantify your impact.

See how many miles, pounds of emissions, gallons of gas and dollars we can save when we work together! Register at ClearTheAirChallenge.org and join the “TEAM NAME” to join us in making a difference.

Images can be downloaded from www.cleartheairchallenge.org/blog/resources or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/cleartheiarchallenge (Albums).

 

TEMPLATE OUTREACH TEXT

THE CLEAR THE AIR CHALLENGE IS BACK & BETTER THAN EVER

If you haven’t already noticed, air pollution in Utah is becoming an unwelcome reality. Poor air quality means increased illness, and other health complications along with environmental problems and diminished quality of life in our communities.

The good news is that this summer you can compete in the Clear the Air Challenge. Enter as an individual, team or company – there are tons of great prizes, but with clearer air, we’re all winners.

The Clear the Air Challenge, issued by Governor Herbert, Mayor Becker, Mayor Corroon, and other community leaders, is all about improving air quality, reducing traffic congestion and conserving energy in Utah by eliminating unnecessary vehicle trips.

By simply eliminating a few vehicle trips throughout your week, you can make a big difference in your community while competing for weekly prizes, grand prizes and statewide recognition.

Clear air is important to us. And the Clear the Air Challenge is an excellent opportunity to do something to make a positive impact and be a part of the solution. Over the last two summers, we have learned firsthand what an empowering experience it is to not only make a positive choice, but to input it into ClearTheAirChallenge.org and quantify your impact. See how many pounds of emissions, gallons of gas and dollars we can save when we work together! Register to make your commitment.

AND/OR

Join our “TEAM NAME” team! When you register for the Challenge, be sure to “Join an existing team” and select “TEAM NAME” from the drop-down list. Let’s see the impact our community can make when we work together.

Register at ClearTheAirChallenge.org to take the challenge and start making a difference.

Track on the go. New this year, input your weekly trips and miles saved from your Smartphone! Just visit www.ClearTheAirChallenge.org from your phone to access our mobile-optimized site. So go ahead, rack up those miles.

EVENT ANNOUCEMENTS

Clear the Air Challenge

Dates: June 13-July 10, 2011

Location: Cities across Utah

The Clear the Air Challenge, issued by Governor Herbert, Mayor Becker, Mayor Corroon and other community leaders, is all about improving air quality in Utah by eliminating unnecessary vehicle trips.

By participating in the Clear the Air Challenge employers, employees and individuals can help by driving less & driving smarter. Employers are encouraged to offer compressed workweeks, flexible schedules and teleworking in their workplace, while employees and individuals are encouraged to seek out public transportation, trip chain, bike, walk or carpool whenever possible.

Register as an individual, team or company at Clear the Air Challenge dot org. There are teams from companies and communities throughout Utah working together to drive down their miles. Compete for tons of great prizes, but with clearer air, we’re all winners.

For more information about the challenge or to register, visit www.ClearTheAirChallenge.org.

Clear the Air Fair

Date: Friday, June 10^th

Time: 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Location: Gallivan Center, Salt Lake City

Join us for the first-ever Clear the Air Fair to kick-off the 2011 Clear the Air Challenge and celebrate the grand re-opening of the Gallivan Center!

The free event will feature loads of information about air quality and how families can get involved to do their part to help clear the air. Vendors from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Utah Department of Transportation, Breathe Utah and many more will be there!

In addition to tons of important air quality information, the fair will also feature live music, refreshments, kid-friendly games and activities and freebies for the whole family. Stage entertainment begins at 6 p.m. and will feature Scales & Tails, the B.D. Howes Band and The Folka Dots. Stay for a family-friendly outdoor movie on the plaza at 9 p.m.

More information at www.facebook.com/cleartheairchallenge.

Images can be downloaded from www.cleartheairchallenge.org/blog/resources or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/cleartheiarchallenge (Albums).

INCENTIVE TIP SHEET FOR EMPLOYERS

There are a number of things employers can do to encourage participation in the Clear the Air Challenge among their employees, all of which can be continued year round.

Travel Options

Use the Clear the Air Challenge as an opportunity to implement pilot programs for TravelWise options:

• Public Transit
• Ridesharing, Vanpooling and Carpooling
• Teleworking
  • Example: Allow employees to telecommute one day a week and/or on red & yellow airdays.
• Compressed and Flexible Workweeks
• Active Transportation

More information on TravelWise programs is available at www.travelwise.utah.gov/employers.

Supportive Incentives

Transit Passes – Providing low or no cost transit passes to employees is an excellent way to encourage the use of public transportation. Learn more about UTA’s Eco-pass and business tax benefits at www.rideuta.com.

Supplemental Program Awards – Implement your own internal awards and/or recognition program for employees participating in the Clear the Air Challenge. Tracking their progress is easy at www.cleartheairchallenge.org.

Shower/Hygiene – Stock a shared bathroom with basic hygiene supplies like deodorant, tissues and soap for bike and/or walking commuters. Go a step farther – install a shower.

Bike Parking – Bike parking, storage and shower/changing rooms are important ways to provide convenience and security for cycling employees.

Carpool Incentive Program – Encourage employees to form carpools of two or more people by offering them reduced cost or free parking, preferred parking or prize rewards.

Gift Cards – Hold monthly or quarterly drawings for gift cards to local coffee shops, restaurants and businesses for employees participating in carpools, vanpools or active transportation like walking and biking to work.

Employee Recognition – Find ways to recognize individual employees who champion biking, carpooling or other commute modes through a “Commuter of the Month” award. Profile them in your newsletter or intranet.

Bicycle Commuter Reimbursement Benefit – Provide your employees a reimbursement up to $20 per month for bike commute expenses incurred on their way to work. Bicycle Commuter Reimbursement is a qualified fringe benefit covered under section 132 (f) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, however it cannot be funded through employee pre-tax income. Also, employers cannot receive both the transit and bike qualified transportation fringe benefits in the same month. Learn more at www.irs.gov.

Recognition Lunch – Provide lunch for participating employees as a reward for their efforts. This can also be a good time to recognize exemplary employees and distribute weekly awards.

Bus to Work Day – Organized a “Bus to Work Day.” To encourage more participation, consider providing UTA day passes for employees. Learn more about UTA’s Eco-pass and business tax benefits at www.rideuta.com.