Spring has sprung in Massachusetts. Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and the air feels cleaner thanks to everyone who participated in global Earth Day celebrations. 

This year, in honor of Earth Day, TransAction Associates hosted a month-long promotion of green and sustainable activities. Each week during the month of April, commuters were challenged to complete a designated green activity on at least one day.  Everyone who participated was entered in a prize drawing and lucky winners took home $25 and $50 gift cards. 

The result: 

• 145 morning coffees sipped from reusable mugs 
• 79 waste-free meals made for lunch break 
• 71 trips taken using an alternative mode of transportation (modes that qualified included carpooling, vanpooling, biking, riding in a shuttle, taking public transportation, or telecommuting) 
• 58 additional green activities such as picking up trash in local parks, starting a compost bin, switching to energy-saving light bulbs, planting a vegetable garden, and more were also completed during Week 3, where commuters were asked to complete a green activity of their choice. 

As part of the Earth Month Challenge, a tree was planted for each participant through OneTreePlanted, a non-profit organization committed to global reforestation. TransAction Associates then matched the total amount, resulting in a total of 366 trees being planted in the Amazon Rainforest!

The Amazon Rainforest holds the world’s largest rainforest ecosystem and is home to almost 30% of plant and animal species on Earth. Due to logging, unsustainable agriculture, and forest fires, the Amazon Rainforest is unfortunately a very high-risk zone for deforestation and degradation. According to OneTreePlanted, the trees donated by TransAction Associates and challenge participants will help:

• Protect & restore primary forests to stabilize the climate 
• Conserve habitat for the Amazon Rainforest's iconic wildlife species 
• Provide sustainable livelihoods to local people through agroforestry

Hats off to the commuters who participated in the Earth Month Challenge and made a positive impact on our environment. You can keep the momentum going by switching from driving alone to green commuting this summer. 

For more information on hosting commuter challenges at your location, check out TransAction’s Commuter Services page.