Riding your bike to work instead of driving might seem like a small environmental action in the grand scheme of things, but the Colorado State University College of Business’ Replace a Ride Challenge is proof that those little things add up fast.
Between April 17 and May 28, 32 College of Business employees opted for active transportation for 828 total trips – a savings of 3,067 miles by car. To put that into context, that’s the equivalent of a drive from Fort Collins to South America, and 1,886 fewer pounds of carbon in the atmosphere.
“This is us turning the idea of ‘business for a better world’ into action,” said Grace Wright, the special assistant to the dean for sustainability initiatives. “As a college, we’re really interested in supporting the health and well-being of our employees and taking actions that benefit the environment. Active transportation plays a big part in that.”
Wright said it’s been gratifying to overhear hallway conversations about the best bike commuting panniers and routes to campus.
“Having the community to cheer you on makes such a huge difference,” said Lindsay Ritsema, a program administrator in the Department of Accounting who swapped her 10-minute drive into work with a 25 minute bike ride. “The biggest thing for me was getting myself amped up for that first ride, but once I realized I could do it, I was like ‘wow, I really love this.’”
Employees who replaced 16 rides or more during the Replace a Ride Challenge received $50 gift cards to local businesses, but even now that the incentive has passed, active commuting lives on.
For instance, Keelin McGill, Impact MBA program facilitator for graduate programs, said the challenge made her realize she didn’t need to drive her car to work – and it even inspired her to sell her worse-for-wear vehicle in favor of biking, walking and utilizing free campus transit.
“It’s amazing to see how a simple initiative can create a profound impact, both on an individual level and within our community as a whole,” she said.
A pilot program that could go campus-wide
The College of Business’ Replace a Ride Challenge is a pilot program that could be implemented at other units across campus, said Jamie Gaskill, the associate director of active transportation in Parking and Transportation Services. The College of Business and Parking and Transportation Services teamed up to try the concept of college-level engagement and programming to promote active transportation and have seen promising results.
“What stood out to me and why I’m excited to continue this model is just the camaraderie that came out of it and how much of a team builder it was,” Gaskill said.
University employees are already incentivized to bike to work through the Get Back on the Bike Program, which provides free equipment, support and training to those who want to start cycling to and from campus.
The College of Business did a mini-version of this program that involved nine employees who offered photos and encouragement in their own Microsoft Teams channel and even came up with a group name: “the Rockwell Riders.”
Gaskill said the hardest part of forming a new habit is getting started, and Get Back on the Bike and the Replace a Ride Challenge can provide that important initial nudge.
“What I’m hearing from Grace and other folks in the College of Business is ‘I think I’m going to keep riding to work even when the challenge is over,’” she said. “It’s gratifying to see people overcome barriers and try something new.”
About CSU’s College of Business
The College of Business at Colorado State University is focused on using business to create a better world.
As an AACSB-accredited business school, the College is among the top five percent of business colleges worldwide, providing programs and career support services to more than 2,500 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students. Faculty help students across our top-ranked on-campus and online programs develop the knowledge, skills and values to navigate a rapidly evolving business world and address global challenges with sustainable business solutions. Our students are known for their creativity, work ethic and resilience—resulting in an undergraduate job offer and placement rate of over 90% within 90 days of graduation.
The College’s highly ranked programs include its Online MBA, which has been ranked the No. 1 program in Colorado by U.S. News and World Report for six years running and achieved No. 16 for employability worldwide from QS Quacquarelli Symonds. The College’s Impact MBA is also ranked by Corporate Knights as a Top 20 “Better World MBA” worldwide.
