Save petrol - save the planet
Car Free Week is in full swing with people all around the Western Bay hopping on their bikes or taking the bus to work.
Tauranga City Council waste minimisation programme leader Kimberley Cleland took up the challenge and biked to work yesterday in an effort to do her part.
When she does not ride she car pools with her partner.
"It's pretty sporadic but I'm trying to do more and more," she said. "It's obviously a nice way to start your day and get a bit of exercise and reduce my own personal carbon footprint."
Ms Cleland is in full support of the push to get people out of their cars this week.
"I think it's a cool idea. I was recently in Vancouver and they celebrated car free week and they closed off two of the main streets and had a big celebration. I think that's really cool, just to highlight the options people have. It's all those little things that just heighten people's awareness."
And the more people who do it the better, she said.
"I think the more people that do it the more people that will get involved in it."
Bravo Cafe in Mid-City Mall has also got in behind the week-long initiative and they are seeing a good result.
They are offering $2 coffees to anyone who comes in with their bike helmet or bus ticket.
Manager Shawna LaMarco said staff sold 31 cheap coffees in the first three days of this week.
She said the cafe is in the perfect place to promote the initiative.
"We are basically right on The Strand, so there's a lot of foot traffic and bus traffic."
Car Free Week is being run by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, ahead of World Car Free Day on Saturday.
More than 1000 cities in 40 countries are promoting the day.
Car Free Day aims to reclaim city streets and show how cities might look, feel and sound without cars.
