Turning Skeptics into Believers Part II
The Results
The Car-Free Diet Skeptics Challenge was promoted with a minimal advertising budget spent mostly through non-traditional vehicles. The Skeptics were followed three times during the 30-day challenge by a camera crew — before, during, and after the Challenge.
Season I
The 2010 Skeptics Challenge ended May 21st on Bike to Work Day. Both Todd and Ross successfully completed the 30-day Skeptics Challenge. However, based on the judging criteria of frequency of updates, engagement and creativity, Todd was awarded the Grand Prize and Ross was awarded First Prize. 
And what were their personal results? Todd committed to biking to work several days a week during the 30-day challenge, which enabled him to commute to work 12-miles each way while exercising and to lose seven pounds. He saved over $200 during the 30-day Challenge by using Metrobus, Metrorail and by biking to work. While his commute time averaged 10-15 minutes longer by bus or rail and 25 minutes by bike, he had more free time to read, listen to music, update his social networks, and even to get a work out in – all with much less stress. Todd also left a much smaller carbon footprint — by car it would have been 501 lbs of CO2, but by going on the Car-Free Diet, he produced 88% less CO2.
Ross came through on his promise within two weeks of the 30-Day Challenge and sold his car. During the Challenge, he saved over $50, traveled over 400 miles, burned 6,400 calories while commuting by bike to work, and eliminated 408 lbs of CO2 that he would have emitted while driving to work. His former commute took him about 35 minutes in the mornings and about one hour in the evenings to travel 14 miles. Biking to and from work took him one hour and five minutes, and he was able to add on a workout while commuting. Moreover, when he took the Metro to work, he saved 20 minutes round trip in travel time.
Season II
Season II of Skeptics proved to be a more evolved version of the campaign as Skeptics Matt and Kyle embraced technology to an even greater extent. Both were provided with a Flip Cam to help document their experiences which nearly doubled the amount of videos produced for Season II. Car-Free Matt created his ownmock PSA’s modeled off of NBC’s “The More You Know” campaign with amusing insights and observations into the benefits of going car-free. Car-Free Kyle conquered his fears and made bike commuting a part of his regular routine and took MegaBus to the Barbeque Festival in Charlotte, N.C. And both Skeptics participated in Capital Bikeshare’s Scavenger Hunt and National Walk to Work Day documenting their experiences via video and challenged each other to gain “likes” on Facebook and “followers” on Twitter.
The Skeptics Challenge made Car-Free Kyle healthier, wealthier, and wiser in his transportation choices. His former commute from Arlington to Chantilly of one hour was significantly reduced once his office relocated to Arlington due to all the transportation-friendly options in the area. He now uses his bike as his primary form of transportation for trips under five miles, which has made him more fit and has kept his CO2 under 100 lbs per week. Not only did Kyle sell his car and pocket all the money, he also saved approximately $450 during the challenge in parking, gas, car maintenance, and insurance.
In 30 days, Car-Free Matt became “thinner, richer, calmer and happier” (his own words). By walking and biking more frequently, Matt lost five pounds. He saved $175 in gas alone. Matt turned the Skeptics Challenge into an adventure by documenting missed and made job interviews, defective bike chains, and trips to meet friends and family — all with a personalized musical soundtrack and his own unique view of the world. Matt’s 30-days became more of a journey of self-discovery that ended with a new job, a Grand Prize trophy, free transportation for a year, and a new focus on making the most of life’s moments.
In the end, Todd, Ross, Matt and Kyle are ALL winners.
They took on the 30-Day Skeptics Challenge with gusto and made it into an adventure. We hope that their stories will encourage others to go car-free or car-lite by showing how easy it can be in Arlington.
