Steamboat Springs-based nonprofit Yampa Valley Sustainability Council will kick off the summer with an environmentally friendly commuter contest called CARbon-Free Challenge on Wednesday, June 1, that will continue through June 30.

Challenge participants can log miles for commuting, running errands and traveling around the community while using an alternative form of transportation, such as walking, biking, long-boarding or rollerblading. Participants track miles traveled via various cleaner and greener forms of transportation to compete for prices as a solo rider, family or adult team.

During last year’s challenge, participants collectively avoided 4.6 tons of CO2 emissions while doing their part to form new traveling habits and reduce transportation emissions. Transportation is the largest sector of carbon pollution emissions in the U.S. at 27% of overall emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Riders who commit to taking alternative transportation at least once per week can earn prizes from local sponsors. More information is available online at YVSC.org/carbon-free-challenge.

The local challenge month will encompass the statewide Summer Bike to Work Day that is set for June 22 with more information available at Biketoworkday.co.