UF urges alternative transportation on One Less Car Day Oct. 26

October 17, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — On Oct. 26, University of Florida faculty, staff and students can help UF reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2025.

The One Less Car program, developed by UF’s Office of Sustainability, encourages Gators to be a part of the Sustainable UF movement by reducing their single-occupancy car trips and pledging to use alternative transportation on One Less Car Day.

Because commuter travel and transportation account for roughly 10 percent of UF’s greenhouse gas emissions, it’s an easy way for every student, staff or faculty member to reduce his or her impact.

Those who pledge online at sustainable.ufl.edu/onelesscar will be entered for a chance to win a bicycle, helmet, light kit and lock at the One Less Car Day celebration Oct. 26 on the Reitz Student Union North Lawn. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be games, activities, giveaways and free food open to all UF students, faculty, and staff.

“We tried to simplify the program this year, taking a new approach to the programming and promotion of One Less Car,” said Anna Prizzia, director of the UF Office of Sustainability. “New activities like Park(ing) Day and distributing bike seat covers across campus have generated renewed excitement and buzz, and have really resonated as people continue to explore the personal commitment they can make to live a little lighter.”

Since 2008, nearly 3,500 people have participated in the annual One Less Car program, avoiding approximately 100,000 trips and keeping close to 800 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere. To learn more about alternative transportation, as well as other sustainability efforts and programs at UF, visit sustainable.ufl.edu or check out the Sustainable UF Facebook.