Commuters Accept Metro-Wide Rousing Challenge to Cut Out 1M Pounds of Air Pollution

Residents rally for Georgia Commute Options’ Million Air Challenge to reduce air pollution and help all residents breathe easier

Thousands of Metro Atlanta residents were united earlier this month by one bold goal–to help clean our air by participating in the Million Air Challenge. Georgia Commute Options (GCO) challenged commuters to cut 1M pounds of tailpipe emissions by putting away the car keys and logging clean trips instead. Taking cleaner commutes helps improve our air quality, leading to better health and a cleaner region overall. 

The event is intended to challenge the region to achieve meaningful and measurable change to our air quality. This year, 3,292 participants turned out for the challenge, recording 1M+ miles of clean trips and reducing 897,571 pounds of air pollution!

While the results fell short of the targeted goal, the entire region benefits from having hundreds of thousands of pounds of pollution avoided because of the choices that participants made.

“We are beyond proud of what these residents accomplished,” says Jill Goldberg, marketing and communications director for Georgia Commute Options. “Getting rid of nearly 900,000 pounds of air pollution is no small feat, but they really showed out. Just think of the incredible impact we’d have on this region if we all committed to making healthy lifestyle changes like this on a daily basis!”

“A big part of loving where you live is taking care of where you live,” says Roz Tucker, Georgia Commute Options’ managing director. “Achievements like this keep our city moving forward and bring us one step closer to building a cleaner and greener community we can all enjoy.”

Participants of the Million Air Challenge were encouraged to walk, bike, use scooters, take public transportation, carpool, vanpool and telework, instead of driving alone in their cars. Challenge grand prizes included a $500 gift card for outdoor gear from Big Peach Running Company and a one-year Family Plus Gift Membership to Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Metro Atlanta residents who enjoyed taking greener trips can keep the good

going during our 10th annual Biketober challenge. Go to Biketober.com to learn more.

The Million Air Challenge, presented by Georgia Commute Options, ran August 15 – 28. Partner organizations included Trees Atlanta, Tropical Express, AERO, ASAP+, Central Atlanta Progress, Clifton Corridor Transportation Management Association, Livable Buckhead, Midtown Alliance, and Perimeter Connects.

For media questions/bookings, contact Joel Wascher, JWascher@AtlantaRegional.org, 470-698-6106. 

About Georgia Commute Options

Georgia Commute Options, a program managed by the Atlanta Regional Commission and funded through the Georgia Department of Transportation, works with employers, commuters and schools to encourage drivers who ride alone to make the switch to an alternative mode such as riding transit, teleworking, carpooling, vanpooling, walking and/or biking, with the ultimate goal of reducing congestion and the emissions that contribute to smog pollution. For more information, visit www.GACommuteOptions.com and follow Georgia Commute Options on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Get access to cash incentives by logging your clean trip on our website or through the Georgia Commute App, which is available for download via the App Store or Google Play.