Why Take Part?
The Challenge gives you a chance to come together as a workplace or department where you can interact with friends and colleagues and other workplaces in Wales. It’s great fun and you’ll also have a chance to win prizes!
As well as saving you time and money, you’ll be building physical activity into your daily routine. Active travel (walking, running or cycling) can boost your energy levels and will increase your health and well-being. You’ll also be doing your part for our environment by reducing pollution and congestion when you travel more sustainably.
Why Cycle?
Cycling solves so many problems at once: it keeps you fit, it’s cheap, reliable, and takes you from door to door so saves time. If you cycle regularly, you’ll save yourself a fortune, and will be building exercise in to your daily routine as well as travelling without polluting the atmosphere.
On average, cyclists live two years longer than non-cyclists, and regular cyclists are as fit as an average person 10 years younger. Cycling raises your metabolic rate, helping you to keep the weight off. Contrary to popular belief, cyclists actually breathe in less pollution from traffic than car drivers.
The average UK household spends one in every six pounds on travel. It’s not expensive to buy a decent bike, and it will only cost you around £75 a year on maintenance. If you learn basic maintenance yourself it costs even less.
Around 2kg of carbon are saved for every short journey that is made using a bike instead of a car. Switching even one journey a week from car to bike makes a big difference to our environment.
Why Walk?
Walking regularly is great for your health. For adults, 30 minutes of walking five days a week dramatically cuts the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, obesity and some cancers. Walking also reduces cholesterol, lowers high blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. Although 30 mins is the daily recommended amount of exercise, any bout of 10 minutes or more counts towards this so walking is a great way of achieving the target.
It’s good for your heart and lungs, and great for strengthening your muscles, bones and joints. As you get older regular walking helps maintain flexibility and co-ordination. Walking is also good for your sense of well-being, improves your mood and boosts self-esteem. About a third of the journeys we make are less than one mile. If we all swapped one car journey per week for walking instead, car traffic levels would reduce by at least 10%.
Why use Public Transport?
By using public transport, you can:
- Get a bit more exercise by walking to the station or bus stop, or getting off the bus one stop early
- Help reduce the congestion on our roads at peak times
- Read a book and enjoy the journey
- Reduce the amount of CO2 emitted as part of your journey
- Safeguard the environment by reducing your reliance on fossil fuels
Why Car-Share?
By car-sharing, you can:
- Help reduce the congestion on our roads at peak times
- Reduce your reliance on your car and save money on fuel
- Reduce the amount of CO2 emitted as part of your journey
- Help to safeguard the environment by reducing your reliance on fossil fuels