By Team Planet Green | Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:25

Did you know that in the United States 40 percent of all urban trips are 2 miles or less? That's a lot of short trips that could easily be done by foot or bike, yet statistics show that we make 90 percent of these trips by car. Ninety percent! If we changed that, imagine the positive impact we could have on problems such as climate change, air pollution, and health problems such as obesity. Are you willing to get out of your car, and onto your bike? If so, you could help generate $100,000 for non-profits dedicated to greener travel and transportation ans climate change.

Important Biking Facts To Know
Did you know that if just 1 out of 10 car commuters switched to a bike, CO2 emissions in the U.S. would be reduced by about 25.4 million tons per year? And what about all the money saved: The cost of operating a car is about $5,170 per year on average, while the cost of operation of a bike is about $120.

Americans already own more bicycles per capita than most countries. Now's the time to start using them!

Taking the 2-Mile Challenge
Here's how it works: To highlight its commitment to bike advocacy and the fight against climate change, Clif Bar has decided to donate $100,000 to three great non-profits -- The Alliance for Biking and Walking, Trips for Kids, and the Alliance for Climate Education.

The way it works is that the first $75,000 is split evenly between the three organizations, but the remaining $25,000 will be allocated to the non-profit who's team earns the most points. How do they earn points? By having you participate in the 2-Mile Challenge, of course! When you register, you select which of the three non-profits you'd like the extra money to go to by joining their team. Whoever has most points when the challenge ends on on October 31, 2010 at 11:59:59 PM PT will win. Learn how to sign up at 2-Mile Challenge.

We're Taking the Challenge, Too
Are you up for the Challenge? Over at our sibling site, some of TreeHugger's contributors are. They'll be hopping on their bikes and reporting on the highlights and trials of trading in the car and hauling their own cargo. Watch this space to find out how they fare, and let us know how you're doing, too, in the comments on our posts.

Looking for biking tips, gear, and news? Check out our features Better Biking

Source: planetgreen.discovery.com