Rubber Raw Materials

We’re facing many challenges these days, but one of the ones that affects each and every one of us, to some extent or another, is pollution resulting from the ever-increasing amount of carbon emissions being released into the atmosphere and the resultant global warming.

Global warming is one of the prime motivators in the rapid increase in interest in the adoption of all forms of renewable energy and the push behind the even more rapid increase in the use of solar energy as a means to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Doing so will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted and hopefully slow down, and maybe even halt, the further devastation caused by global warming.

Solar v Fossil Fuels – Battle Of The Giants!

The great thing about solar energy is that it is free energy that comes to us consistently, day in, day out, from the sun, so it’s just a matter of tapping into that free energy. Not only that, it doesn’t cause any pollution. Compare that with fossil fuels, the supply of which is diminishing rapidly and which cause massive amounts of pollution.

The rise in the cost of fossil fuels is directly impacting us, the consumers, in the form of ever-increasing electricity bills, among other things. That’s one of the reasons so many people are becoming more interested in taking advantage of solar technology by having a solar electric system installed in their home to reduce, or even eliminate, these increasingly burdensome electricity bills.

Solar electric systems have no moving parts and do not produce any carbon emissions, so, not only do they result in lower electricity bills, but reduced pollution and, hopefully, a halt to global warming.

Overabundance Of Energy

The sun supplies solar energy every day – even on the most cloudy days – and, in fact, provides several thousand times more energy in one day than the whole planet uses in one year. We’re currently tapping into a minute fraction of the solar energy available to us, but, fortunately, most countries and governments are now waking up to the real threat presented by carbon emissions and the incredible opportunity solar energy presents.

The number of applications being powered by solar energy is increasing rapidly, and now extends to transportation, including boats, planes and, although this technology is still in its infancy and is basically experimental, cars.

All this will increase our use of solar energy and reduce the amount that goes to waste, but we’re still only scratching the surface.

A Solar Future

There’s little doubt that all forms of renewable energy will become more prevalent in the future, which can only benefit both us and the planet. But, the renewable that will get the most attention will probably be solar, just because of the massive potential it holds for good.

Solar energy is already infiltrating our daily lives, as we see more and more rooftops with solar panels on them, and you don’t have to wait long before you see or read or hear a news item related to solar. This will only increase in the future, as more and more everyday uses are found for solar energy, and that has to be a good thing.

There are many reasons why we should and do use solar energy, but the most pressing one is the increase in pollution caused by fossil fuels and the resultant impact on life and the planet in the form of global warming. Now is the time for us to wean ourselves off our dependence on fossil fuels and take advantage of the sun’s abundant energy. After all, it’s there for us to use, so let’s do just that.

Nuclear, water and fossil fuel are the primary sources of our electricity. Nuclear power is a clean and efficient source of energy. It emits almost no carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming. It can generate lots of amounts of energy. The designs of a nuclear are readily available today and no researching is necessary which will add to building cost. New designs make it safer than the old generations which were used in Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, but of course still, there is no such thing as a fail safe device. If a nuclear plant fails, it consequences could be catastrophic. The waste which it produces is also still a problem, and the danger is that it is the only power plant that produces radioactive wastes. The wastes are somewhat similar to industrial toxic wastes but more deadly and in the event of a plant failure, can cause a catastrophe for it can poison the landscape not just for years but even centuries. The wastes produced can also be used for the production of nuclear weapons.

Hydro electric power is probably the most widely used form of renewable energy source. It is clean and produces almost no carbon dioxide emission. It uses the potential energy of water from a high elevation that drives water turbines and generators. Hydro electric power plants are a cheap source of energy because not only is it renewable but it is also not affected by the rising cost of fuel or coal. However, using hydro electric also has its raw backs. To construct a hydro electric plant, a very large reservoir is needed and consequently submerging a very wide area upstream of the dam. This will in turn destroy ecological systems not only upstream of the dam but also downstream of it.

Fossil fuel power plants are the most widely used source of energy today. Most countries use this kind of energy source because of its large scale power production and continuous supply it provides. Although it provides large amounts of power, it also produces a lot of greenhouse gases and is considered as one of the major contributors to global warming. There are efforts to reduce the emissions of fossil fuel power plants but experts say that it will not be available commercially and on a large scale basis until 2025.

Wind power is probably the most economical of all sources of energy. The power of the wind can be utilized by using a wind turbine or what is popularly known as the windmill. They can convert wind power into mechanical energy, which can be used to grind grains or pump water; and electric power with the use of generators. It can be said that it is like an electric fan working in reverse, instead of electricity making the blades rotate to produce wind, the wind rotates the blades to produce electricity. Large wind turbines can be grouped together in a wind farm to produce large quantities of electricity for public use. There are also small scale wind turbines that can be used at home. They are very clean, renewable and can dramatically reduce electric bills.

In his State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush outlined his proposed mandates to cut down the dependency of the country on foreign oil and urges the development of alternative fuels. This commitment of the President is evident in his financial support to the alternative fuel industry. This move by on the part of the government is commended by auto makers. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an association of domestic and foreign car maker has recently made known their support to the president’s initiative.

Dave McCurdy, the President of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers has this to say about the president’s dedication to the development of alternative fuels: “The President recognizes that in order to enhance our energy security, we must develop an energy policy that incorporates all stakeholders, including alternative energy suppliers, the research & development and scientific community, the investment community, government at all levels and especially consumers. Reducing petroleum consumption is a shared responsibility.”

Indeed, the responsibility not only falls on one sector but it does include every sector and every citizen. This is evident in the partnerships between car makers and alternative fuel producing companies. The effort made by these companies result to a wider range of alternative fuels and an even wider range of vehicles running on those fuels. Up to this day, the members of the alliance have entered into more than 25 partnerships, joint ventures, or research & development projects with alternative fuel producers. This is being undertaken by car makers to further develop alternative fuels which will be a much better alternative to gasoline. Among the alternative fuels they are developing include fuels like ethanol, biomass, and hydrogen.

“Alternative Fuel Autos of all kinds are a reality today. Whether it’s achieving greater fuel economy or reducing America’s reliance on oil as a primary fuel source, automakers remain committed to populating America’s roadways with innovative vehicle technologies,” McCurdy added. As of now, there are 60 models of alternative fuel powered vehicle available in the market. These vehicles were designed to either run on ethanol, or biodiesel. Some of these vehicles are hybrid electric cars. All of these vehicles though have one thing in common – they are of great service to the environment. Because of their fuel efficiency and economy, they emit a lower amount of greenhouse gases. And true to the reputation of the car makers producing them, they are sure going to be as tough as Volvo 780 parts.

Alternative fuels like ethanol is a good substitute to gasoline since this fuel burns much cleaner than gasoline. The emission of a car using this kind of fuel is 85 percent cleaner than those using gasoline only. As of today, the most commonly used ethanol based fuel is E85 which is 85 percent bio-ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Another alternative fuel being developed and fast becoming a favorite among motorists is biodiesel. This type of fuel can be used by diesel engines. The clear advantage of these two alternative fuels is that they both come from renewable sources which means there is no danger of their supply running out. Continuous development in this field though has yet to be made to eliminate the use of fossil fuel in the production of such alternative fuels.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of vehicle manufacturers. All of their members are committed in the development of alternative technologies for vehicles evident on their lineup which boasts of hybrid vehicles, flex-fuel cars, clean gasoline engine cars, and clean diesel powered vehicles. The alliance is composed of BMW, DaimlerChrysler, the Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota, and Volkswagen.

Organizations today are looking for ways to harness technology to reduce costs. Secure Push eDocument Delivery has the potential to reduce costs in multiple areas, while at the same time improving the overall customer experience. Secure Push eDocument Delivery in its simplest form is the delivery of information to customers and other stakeholders directly to their inbox. With more and more people online every day and a large majority of them reporting that they spend a majority of their time managing their email, delivering information to the inbox is one of the most efficient and effective ways to communicate with your customers and stakeholders. This is not a replacement to your web strategy, but a complementary approach.

Current “Pull” methodologies, designed to direct a user to a website has resulted in adoption rates of less than 10% across most industries. The primary reason for the low adoption rates is the requirement of the user to “Take Action” to be Pulled, or directed to a website. Once on the website, the user is then required to remember yet another user name and password and potentially navigate through numerous screens to reach their desired destination. And with many consumers still using dial up access, the challenges of the “Pull” model are even higher. These hurdles have resulted in user inertia, and the disappointing adoption rates. By “Pushing” the information directly to the user’s inbox, adoption rates increase to over 40% in a B2C environment and over 80% in a B2B environment. Adoption rates at this level will result in massive cost savings in postage, printing, paper and the personnel and overhead costs associated with your mailroom operations.

These cost savings alone would result in a significant ROI but there are many more benefits that will result from communicating with your customers via secure email.

1.Reduced Call Center Volume- A wide variety of self help tools allowing customers to communicate with you via email. Included are simple tools such as change of address information that customers can deliver to you electronically, rather than by calling your call center. This will reduce your costs but will also add convenience to the customer who would rather not have to take time from their busy schedule to call you. They would much rather send you an email at their convenience. In addition to such self help tools, there are more advanced tools for such issues as dispute resolution. All of these tools are designed to reduce your costs and improve your customer relationship.

2.Improved Marketing Effectiveness-eDocuments can include unlimited marketing and are a much more effective means of communication than paper stuffers in envelopes. Branding, promotions, links, etc. can all be included. Full reporting capability provides your marketing team with the information they need to create targeted, highly effective, marketing campaigns. Marketing material can be changed as often as you wish.

3.Reduced Days’ Sales Outstanding- Technology exists today to take payment directly from within the PDF eBill, without customers having to link to a single webpage. Email delivery results in instant delivery rather than the numerous days for the regular mail process. Clients in some cases are reporting in excess of a 30% reduction in days’ sales outstanding as many customers choose to pay their bill upon receipt with a few simple clicks.

4.Increased Security-Customers and stakeholders will view their information as an offline attachment. With one easy click after entering a shared secret, documents are opened. This is more secure than either paper or online. It also gives the customer multiple options for the document including saving, filing, printing, discarding and, if applicable, paying with just one click.

The Push strategy is predicated on the assumption that your customers process their information today in the inbox. For years, customers have gone to the mail box outside of their homes or the mailbox at their business office to retrieve their mail. We believe that more success will be achieved with customers by not asking them to change their habits. They are used to having their bills, statements, etc. sent, or Pushed to them. We want to continue that method but change the delivery destination to their electronic mailbox rather than their physical mailbox. Given the adoption rates being achieved with Push eDocument Delivery and the relative success compared to Pull methodologies, which are asking customers to change their behavior and go out and find their information, we believe the case for Push is clear and the Value Proposition very powerful.

This important & strategic offering doesn’t only reduce costs; it dramatically reduces the impact on our environment. The positive “environmental impact” that Secure eDocument Delivery has on lowering each customer’s “carbon footprint” is a compelling value proposition in itself:

The following calculations are an indication of how Email Billing solution is assisting clients with their Corporate Social Responsibility commitments:

According tofor every 38,500 bills produced:

o1 ton of paper is used

o2 tons of trees are destroyed

o16,450 gallons of water is used

o1,941 pounds of solid waste is generated

o60 pounds of air emissions are spewed out

o5,058 pounds of greenhouse gases are emitted

In other words, by selecting an Email Billing solution, customers can assist in dramatically reducing the impact on our environment. Another line in terms of your Corporate Social Responsibility commitments could be along the following: ___________________ is constantly looking to apply the latest innovations and expertise to help to solve the country’s GHG and energy challenges.

To live green means to help our environment from the dangers that are destroying it. Green living starts with each of us. Here are just few easy tips to help you get started.

1.Switch to fluorescent bulbs in areas where extended lighting is required. Though the initial price is higher than for incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lights produce four times as much light per watt, last up to ten times as long and therefore cost one-third as much to operate.

2.Consider getting a laptop. Laptops use 50 percent of the energy used by a typical desktop PC when plugged in and just 1 percent of the energy when running on batteries.

3.Shut down and unplug idle electronics. Your computer might be asleep, but if there’s a light on, it’s still using energy. Turn off and unplug your computer, printer, television, radio – any electronic device that you’re not using.

4.Keep your car in great condition. Of course, it’s best to walk, bicycle, carpool or use mass transit for your daily commuting, but for those who must use their own vehicles, improving even the most inefficient of cars’ fuel mileage is as easy as keeping your tires properly inflated and changing your oil and air filters regularly. And follow those traffic laws – your car burns less fuel when you drive slowly and obey the speed limit on highways.

5.An idling vehicle burns more fuel than a simple restart. If it’s clear that a train or other barrier will block your vehicle for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. An idling vehicle burns more fuel than a simple restart. And you won’t be polluting when the engine is off.

6.Laundry activities are the second-biggest water user in a home. New water- and energy-efficient machines can save big on utility bills, and the technologies employed in those machines also can be gentler to your clothes, help you use less detergent and reduce drying time.

7.Turn your thermostat down – Turning your thermostat down by just one degree can result in savings of up to 10% on your fuel usage.

8.Wrapping a water heater with insulation can keep as many as 1,000 pounds of global-warming CO2 a year out of the upper atmosphere.

9.Pipe insulation tubes will help prevent frozen pipes in winter. And properly installed, they will hold a hot-water pipe’s heat for up to an hour after the tap was last used, thus stretching your energy dollar and saving water.

10.Older showerheads can use three gallons per minute or more. New, efficient models can use two GPM or less. Also look for showerheads that deliver water in multiple small streams, rather than a fine mist; they keep water warmer and make rinsing easier. Avoid designs with multiple heads that compound water waste.

11.Reduce, Re-use, Recycle! – Its doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to reduce the amount of waste we produce or to recycle the waste we do produce. Paper products, plastics and metals are all easily disposed of by taking them to the local recycling centre. You can recycle old batteries to use again in the home and most of the food waste from the kitchen can be used to make your own compost, especially useful if your already growing your own vegetables.

12.Food grown or produced halfway around the world didn’t just appear in the supermarket – it was shipped by plane, boat, truck or rail, and no matter which method of transportation it took, greenhouse gases were emitted along the way. Pick the apple grown in your state instead of the banana grown in another country.

13.Plant a tree. It seems simple, but just one tree can offset tons of carbon over its lifetime. If planted appropriately, it also will provide shade on a sunny day, perhaps reducing the use of energy for air-conditioning in buildings and homes.

The US refused to ratify the Kyoto Treaty, restricting carbon emission. Our increasing CO2 levels may be leading to extreme weather, crop failures, and droughts. The recent heat waves, droughts, and wildfires in Oklahoma should bring home to us what our failure to ratify the Kyoto Treaty may be costing.

In 1998, the US refused to ratify the Kyoto Treat which would have limited the release of greenhouse gases, primarily CO2, into the atmosphere. The refusal was based mainly on the highly inflated financial costs, without adequately considering the costs of ignoring the problem. On a per capita basis the US emits six times as much CO2 as any other country. Without our participation and leadership, the world has failed to stem the release of CO2 into the air, and scientists tell us that this is leading to a warmer Earth, more extreme weather, crop failure, droughts, and wildfires. We have certainly experienced many of those things recently and it should make us think about what our failure to ratify the Kyoto Treaty may mean to us.

Three weeks ago the local Cleveland American’s front-page story was about the heat wave and the drought. Channel 6 Weather reported that this year Oklahoma set a record for highest temperatures of any state, ever. Recently, NASA reported this has been the hottest decade since records began in 1880, with 2010 and 2005 tied for the hottest years. A recent poll of climate scientists found that 97% of those active in research agree that the Earth is getting warmer and the main factor is man’s release of carbon dioxide into the air. The other 3% of the scientists get enough publicity to keep most of us confused, especially since the climate scientists cannot claim certainty in their predictions, but only increased chances.

A recent paper from the University of Colorado predicted that global warming would cause higher probabilities of extreme weather, heat waves, droughts, crop failure, and wildfires. We’ve certainly seen all that happen this year. Last week, the Cleveland American’s front page story was on the devastating wildfires in the surrounding Pawnee County. Around 15,000 acres of our county burned, 40 homes when up in flames, one person died, and many were injured. It stretched the resources of our emergency services to the limit and had it not been for the heroic efforts of our firefighters, many of them volunteers, the devastation would have been much worse.

Skeptical scientists, and many of our politicians, dispute the scientific evidence and claim there is not really a problem. They say that efforts to stop global warming will cause us too much inconvenience and expense. We might want to think about how inconvenient and expensive it is for us to lose our crops, homes, and in some cases our loved ones?

China’s industrial growth has been a revolution in multiple ways. For more than two hundred years, the western hemisphere has maintained an uncontested grasp over means of manufacturing that, with the presently thawing global order, is fast spreading eastward. If China’s population of over a billion makes a turn for a better lifestyle, would the world still manage to survive the surge?

The Pacific and Asia towns have growing citizenship that is bursting at the seams. Researchers worry that by following the identical bicentennial path as the west, our planet’s organic control over the environment will snap. Whether Asia should be set the pace regarding power usage or if the west can be the leader is a great argument, racing across the world?

Disregarding that debate, let’s now dive into the civilized nations’ efforts into abatement of emissions, even if half-hearted. As ‘developed’ and ‘advanced’ humans, westerners are dependent on energy.

America, amongst the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, has yet not approved the Kyoto Protocol which sets the template of abatement of emissions in civilized nations everywhere. The Kyoto Protocol sets the basis of carbon offsets trading between groups so that even though an overall ceiling is maintained, flexibility exists about how to formally slice to the set limit.

The theory surrounding emissions exchange is easy: states or firms that completely use their emissions ‘rights’ can purchase additional rights from countries or companies that have extra rights. This means that while factory 1 may itself have exceeded the rights initially allotted to it, Plant A and 2 together have managed to stay beneath the cap.

The most cost effective method to reduce emissions is sought by carbon offsets exchange. If factory 1 has to pay an additional buck to buy emitting permission from factory 2, it will look into methods to reduce its pollutions on its own.

People so far seem divided about the value of cap and trade. Who chooses the volume of permissions that go to every state and industry? Presently, companies get permissions based on their historic consumption, energy requirements, etc. Such an old approach sure leads to loopholes, where a few industries may garner greater abilities when other, low-consumption industries are deprived.

Today with more and more warning from Scientists and news about environmental degradation and rising temperature all over, we are hearing more about alternate and ecofreindly technologies for electricity production. Among them Solar energy seems to be the most popular one, it is so easy that one can produce his own electrical requirement in his own home,because of the easiness of production as well as the manifold application it has become very popular amidst general population.

Now you might wonder, What is this solar energy! It is nothing but sunlight converted into electricity by means of a Solar cell which is nothing but a photovoltaic cell. As light comes down and hits the glass cell of the solar panel, its atoms are shaken so that the electrons break free. As these electrons flow through the cell, they create usable but natural electricity.

Now, you will like to ask, Of what benefit is this to me ? At a macro level it will reduce the requirement of fossil fuels which is a major pollutant of the environment by emitting “Greenhouse gases”. And this will certainly help to reduce the environmental degradation and thereby helps to save our planet from total destruction. At micro level, Solar panels can be used in many ways. In Chennai one company has manufactured various products like solar cap, solar cell phone charger, etc. The solar cap is a cap containing a tiny fan driven by a solar cell, once the user wears it and comes out of his house the fan starts to work and gives a cool breeze. The cellphone charger is again a small portable charger made up of a small solar panel which can be carried any where and put it in sunlight and your cell phone is charged. Certainly very good ideas for a country like India with a lot of sunshine.

Now you are interested in knowing the economic consequences of using solar energy a large scale. Because you can produce it in your own home there is no question of paying electricity bills, a great saving of money. Excess energy if you can sell to your neighbour, a possible side income and no question of power cut. Governments will certainly provide tax cut to people who are “solarising their homes”.

Apart from these major applications will be solar power driven automobiles and two wheelers. Already major automobile manufacturers like General Motors (i am not sure) have designed and developed automobiles using solar power. This will again help us to preserve the environment, as automobile exhaust is a major pollutant of the environment.

Many space crafts are also carrying solar panels for their power requirement. An example of this is International space station which is fitted with solar panels.

In Andhra Pradesh capital Hyderabad one petrol bunk (gas station) is completely powered by solar energy. We must salute the owner of that petrol bunk. Today it is rarity, but soon it will be a normal one.

Houses fitted with solar panels will fetch an higher price, as people buying houses will like to see it fully assembled with solar energy system.

People with social consciousness must start persuading governments to provide with low interest rate loans to fit their house with solar energy systems and also tax incentives. It will be nothing wrong if governments across the world enact a law asking all commercial centres and hotels, etc to go in for solar energy systems for their power requirement.

More and more people have now begun to build small wind turbines as an alternative source of electricity for their homes. In fact, these people come from all parts of the world and not just living in areas that are considered as “windy towns” or cities. This is despite the fact that there are a number of different alternative sources of electricity available in the market today. Here are some of the reasons why.

Huge Savings

One of the primary reasons why people are looking into alternative sources of electricity to power their homes is to cut back on their electric bills. The most popular method is to tap the energy coming from the sun through the use of solar panels and use this as a secondary source of electricity in the home. The sad thing is, solar panels do not come in cheap. On the other hand, the amount you would need to invest to build small wind turbines for your home is a lot cheaper. Some small wind turbines can cost as low as $200.

Protection of the Environment

Another reason why more and more people have chosen to build small wind turbines as an alternative source of electricity to power their homes is ecological. The electricity that is used by power plants to power the homes and other establishments in the United States are made possible by burning fossil fuels. Although they are able to provide electricity to all homes and other establishments in the country, the effect it has on the environment have been tremendous. Not only are these sources of energy used to be converted to electricity depleting exceedingly fast. The by-products as a result of burning these fossil fuels are greenhouse gases to be emitted in the earth’s atmosphere which further contributes to the global warming problem. Wind turbines utilize the natural power of the wind, thus no by-products are released to the environment.

Easy to Install

You do not have to wait for trained personnel to build small wind turbines in your home. You can actually build the wind turbines on your own. There are a number of different articles over the Internet that would help you build small wind turbines step by step. Some wind turbine building kits that are available over the Internet come with easy to understand instructions to guide you through the process. This being the case, you are able to start enjoying the benefits of having wind turbines as a secondary source of electricity to power your own home.

Tired of paying high prices at the gas pump? Does rush hour traffic drive you mad? Try leaving your car behind and using sustainable transportation.

Sustainable transportation is any mode of transport that meets the motility needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, or more specifically, a form of transport that minimizes emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

By using public transit, biking, or even walking, you can save money, use less energy, and do something good for yourself and the environment.

Today’s roads and highways are jammed with gas guzzling, pollution emitting cars. Every year, over 200 million passenger cars and light trucks travel the miles of American roads. Road vehicles are the largest contributors to smog, and account for about 50% of pollution nationwide. In addition, paved surfaces, such as roads, result in increased urban runoff, which is responsible for impaired ocean shorelines.

Increasing the use of public transportation is one way to reduce the effects of roads and automobiles. Public transportation can reduce the emission of carbon dioxide by nearly 745,000 tons annually. Nationwide, 1.76% of all personal trips consist of taking public transit. 5.1% of commutes to work are taken on public transit. This percentage is higher in big cities and among those with no car or drivers license. It should be much higher in every city.

Riding a bike is another method of sustainable transportation. People ride their bikes for a number of different reasons. 41% of riders claim to bike for health and exercise purposes. These bikers know that riding your bike can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases, and consequently lower health care costs. People will generally bike 3-4 times further than they walk, so this may be the best option if you are traveling longer distances.

If you are traveling a short distance, just walk there. Walking is a great way to increase your quality of life and become much, much healthier. Walking has numerous benefits, including giving you more control over your weight, blood pressure, reducing risks of heart attacks, boosting good cholesterol. Walking can also help in the prevention of stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other bone diseases.

Many regions across the country have addressed the need for people to walk more and have implemented plans to encourage such actions. In Atlanta, where most citizens do not consider walking over driving, the Downtown Transportation Management Association (TMA) began an education program with the goal of promoting health and sustainability.

Their promotion of walking for short trips would also reduce traffic congestion in the city. The “Walk There!” challenge that was developed encouraged members of the Georgia State Legislature, City Council, and the Mayor’s office to pledge to walk instead of driving. Participants were given a pedometer to track the number of steps they took each week. Weekly and monthly totals were collected, and those with the highest counted steps were awarded with prizes.

TMA also distributed walking maps that they had developed so that walking paths could easily be used. The “Walk There!” Challenge was very successful, gathering over 2000 participants. The coverage of this program was seen statewide, setting a precedent and encouraging all Georgian citizens to stop driving and get moving!

Similar programs can easily be implemented within your business or office. They promote walking by communicating the desired behavior, rewarding behavior, and making the activity convenient by providing maps to walking friendly routes.

In addition to these large-scale programs, you can promote walking by implementing smaller “walk at work” programs, in which employees are given a break during the day in which they can walk in the surrounding areas of the office building.

Setting up a buddy system can provide support for employees and keep them set to a healthy routine. Special events, like “Walk to School Day” can get children and families involved, further engraining walking into daily lifestyles. However you plan to promote walking, it is important to shift the mindsets of your employees so that they will start thinking, “I’ll just walk there.”

Using sustainable transportation is a great way to decrease your impact on the environment. It also has great health benefits that can fight heart problems and obesity. By choosing to not jump in your car and replace the drive with a bus ride, bike ride, or a relaxing stroll through the streets, you are choosing to help yourself and the world around you.