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GOMANITOBA? GO FIGURE!
NEW COMMUTING TOOL HELPS CONNECT MANITOBANS LOOKING TO REDUCE CARBON BY RIDE-SHARING AND MORE
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f you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and connect with new friends in your community, the GoManitoba commuting tool might be for you. The GoManitoba platform is a phone app and website created by the Green Action Centre; a non-profit organization based in Winnipeg that promotes green living through environmental education and practical solutions. GoManitoba aims to resolve problems created or worsened, by our daily, weekly, and monthly commutes. It also provides solutions aimed at addressing Manitoba’s overwhelming reliance on cars for transportation. “For about 30 years, getting around solo in a vehicle has just been something that we do without even really considering our options,” says Mel Marginet, Green Action Centre’s Workplace Commuter Options Program Coordinator. “Even within the City of Winnipeg, where there are other opportunities to bus and bike, it has not been a priority. The City just hasn't made it a priority and we haven't invested in good opportunities for people to have another viable choice. We want to encourage people, and meet them where they're at.” Users can download the GoManitoba app through the App Store or access the GoManitoba tool through a web browser on any computer with an internet connection. Users sign up and join the network of thousands of ‘ridesharers,’ with the hopes of coordinating all types of travel; from
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carpooling and ride-sharing, to finding a friend to accompany you on the bus, a person to go on walks with, or a group to cycle with. A recent grant from The Foundation supports GoManitoba’s annual technology platform fee, allowing Green Action Centre to provide free access for all Winnipeggers who want to use the tool. Another component of the tool encourages mentors with high levels of experience cycling or navigating the transit system to self-identify and then match up with users who may be uncomfortable with the logistics of cycling trails or the confusion of transit schedules. GoManitoba also features a data tracking component that shows how much money is being saved in one’s commute. With this personalized data, users may also be notified of calories being burned in the process of transportation. Further, this feature provides an overview of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, based on the chosen mode of transportation.
GoManitoba in action! File photos courtesy of Green Action Centre, taken prior to the COVID pandemic.
