FREIKER PROGRAM COUNTS 100,000th TRIP

I came across this press release today...what a great idea! www.freiker.org


Kids Walking and Biking to School Have Prevented 150,000 Tons of CO2 Emissions

For Immediate Release

March 9, 2009 - Boulder, Colorado

Children participating in the Freiker program just passed a major milestone – 100,000 kid-powered round trips to school since the beginning of the Freiker program. Freiker, a non-profit organization based in Boulder, Colorado, uses of advanced technology and thoughtful incentives to teach kids that walking and biking to school is fun, healthy and good for the environment.

Ten schools in four states are currently running the program, and the 100,000 trips made by the children at those schools have covered more than 150,000 miles (which is six times around the world). By choosing active transportation, these children have burned more than 3.5 million calories, have saved the nation nearly 8,000 gallons of gas have and prevented more than 150,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

The Freiker employees were gathered to watch the real-time counter on the website tick past this milestone. “We are so proud of the ongoing commitment these children have made to adopt healthy habits and to reduce their environmental impact,” said Tim Carlin, Freiker’s Executive Director. “Who would have thought that, in five short years, one parent’s quest to encourage his own kids to ride their bikes to school would have developed into a national movement?”

Freiker has received accolades from kids, parents and school administrators for the way it makes walking and biking to school both safe and rewarding. “Freiker gives me exercise to keep me strong and healthy, and it has helped me become better at soccer, running, basketball, monkey bars and P.E.,” says Brynn Beaton, a Freiker participant and 2nd grader. The principal of Eagle Crest Elementary in Longmont Colorado, added, “I would definitely say that Freiker has motivated our students to walk, ride, or skate to school no matter the weather. It has also made it a habit of mind that will last well beyond Freiker.”

About Freiker:

Freiker, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, encourages the use of active transportation (walking and bike riding) for kids traveling between home and school. Freiker uses innovative technology to register students’ walking and biking trips to school and records these results in real-time on its website, where kids and parents can easily monitor their personal contribution to reducing pollution, energy consumption, and traffic congestion. For additional information, visit Freiker at www.freiker.org.