Taking the eco high road may be an intrinsic part of how some tree-hugging souls operate, but for the rest of us, a carrot dangling on the end of a stick is perhaps the most effective way to garner our attention and regular participation. Even if we know that embracing an action might very well save the world, human nature squeezes the words, "What's in it for meeeee?" right out of our selfish little faces. We loveeee getting goodies, but in these cash-strapped times, we love our ka-ching a little bit more and up-and-coming rewards programs have taken note. Green-themed incarnations like RecycleBank give consumers a pat on the back for the environmental strides they make by taking the heat off our wallets, but aren't you curious who's waiting in the wings?
How about NuRide, the free eco-rewards service that offers up to $350 in yearly incentives to participants who regularly choose "greener" modes of transportation, whether they travel personally or professionally? NuRide users earn points that can be redeemed in the form of retailer discounts, restaurant coupons and tickets to local attractions and events. When registered participants log onto the NuRide site, they have access to tools which help them to:
- keep track of all trips they make
- calculate reduced emissions levels
- see how much money they've saved
- tally NuRide points and review incentives
Any motorized trip involving 2 or more participants (a driver and at least one passenger) qualifies for points -- and while carpooling, vanpooling and public transportation all qualify, walking, biking and telecommuting are also reward-worthy. Supported by business, government and employer sponsors, the program can be offered at no cost to the consumer because specific user-supplied data enables them to offer highly-targeted advertising which defrays operating expenses. Available in the Washington and New York metro areas, Houston and San Antonio, Texas, Connecticut, and Hampton Roads, Virginia, points are awarded for the first 2 trips of at least 1 mile in length that are scheduled in advance on the NuRide web site or recorded on the NuRide web site each day.
So, what do you think? Does NuRide provide enough of an incentive for you to want to jump on board?
jen w
said on June 02, 2009
Tracey Shrier
said on June 02, 2009
It also seems like people can scam this program too. Unlike <a href="http://www.greenwala.com/community/blogs/all/299-WALLET-FRIENDLY-RECYCLING-BEING-GREEN-JUST-GOT-KA-CHING-IER?f=true">RecycleBank</a> which puts a chip in their recycling bins to keep track of who is actually recycling and will kick out those who try to cheat the system, what is stopping people from just claiming that they are riding a bike to run their errands and then posting the mileage in NuRide to gain points?