Our Roll Out Carbon Week Success
We are excited to announce the numbers of our first Roll Out Carbon Week. With 389 participants throughout the city, 9493 KM travelled and 1747KG of CO2 prevented from being dispensed to our environment, we call our Roll Out Carbon Week a great success! This challenge has contributed to the growing biking culture in Calgary and spread awareness about ecofriendly ways to travel to a section of the population who’s often left out of these ecofriendly travel discussions.
We are happy to announce Bishop McNally took the school award for our Roll Out Carbon Week Challenge. They had 67 registered students, and eliminated 294KG of CO2. Teachers Brian Scott and Denine Ogg were excited to accept the cheque on behalf of the Wolves on Wheels Bike Club. Scott said students worked really hard to spread the word and get kids riding.
“This is amazing news; the community of Bishop McNally will greatly benefit from this assistance. Now I will be able to stock parts and basic items to facilitate repairs and replacement of well used parts or bicycles.
The impact of this award will benefit more than our current students, many of them will pass bikes down to their younger siblings.”
The plan is the get all the kids that registered together for some pizza lunch. It will also buy a lot of chain lube, tire tubes, brake pads and spare parts for the school’s fleet. They’ll also use the money to fund a field trip to ride Highway 1A from Banff to Johnson Canyon in June.
Not in trouble!
When Ram G was called out of class to come to the office, the Grade 10 student was a bit worried he was in trouble. When he heard he’d won Roll Out Carbon Week’s grand prize – he couldn’t believe it. Ram and his family moved to Canada from the Philippines about 15 months ago. He’s still careful choosing his words.
“I think I’m pretty lucky, wow, just lucky,” he said.
But when we took him to B&P cycle to get him fitted for his new wheels, he admitted that he hasn’t really been on a bike for five years, and not really in Canada. Although Youth en Route has been working with five classes at the school – not one of Ram’s. He normally takes the bus to school, but opted to walk on a couple of days for Roll Out Carbon week, logging each day on our commuter challenge website.
Assistant Principal Mark Anderson will get Ram riding this week on one of the school’s bikes.
(Ram G. at B&P Cycle being fitted for his new wheels)
Family bike for Isabel
Isabel M, a Grade 10 student at Bishop McNally won the second prize bike – a Bike Friday folding bike that was donated to YER by a supporter. She’s super keen to have it and and new helmet. Her old bike didn’t fit anymore and she expects both her and her brother will get lots of use out of it.
“Thank you so much, “ gushed Isabel when shown her new wheels. “Riding bikes is so much better for the environment and I’m grateful I will be able to use this to get around. And I expect my brother will be able to also use it.”
(Brian Scott, Isabelle M., and Laura Shutiak at Bishop McNally High School with the Bike Friday folding bike)
Lily J is keen to support environmental issues
Lily J, a Grade 9 student at Queen Elizabeth HS was all over registering for Roll Out Carbon week the minute the posters went up. She often cycles to school, but talked it up with her friends and classmates.
“Everyone should think about the environment when they consider how to get to school,” says Lily.
“Even if you don’t have a bike, you could carpool. Youth need to be doing more.”
Her mom Shannon sent us a note to share that Lily is a keen environmentalist. She’s done a Calgary Youth Science Fair Project on alternative power sources and charged a phone with a plant.
(Lily J., receiving her prize at Queen Elizabeth High School)
Thank you to Calgary Foundation and B&P Cycle for your generous donations and making this challenge possible.
