Facebook keeps students from hitchhiking home for holidays
By: Jill Quarles
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: News
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Both Zimmer and Green attributed the application's seemingly instant popularity to its practicality and convenience. "It is providing a useful and convenient service to students while allowing them to make a sustainable and financially affordable decision," Zimmer said.
"The natural incentives of making money, having better transportation options and participating in a community will encourage more and more students to join."
Based on calculations and analysis of application usage within the student body of Cornell University, group creators found substantial personal and environmental benefits from use of the service. The average ride distance posted by students was approximately 200 miles and used eight gallons of gasoline. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a trip of this length would cause a car to release 155 pounds of carbon dioxide and would cost $106.
Carpool creators project that regular service users could save 620 pounds of carbon dioxide, 32 gallons of gasoline and $422 annually.
"All of us consider ourselves environmentalists," Zimmer said of the group's founding members, "but that isn't our only selling point. This application has the ability to affect the way we look at transportation, the environment and the larger national community.
"We hope that using the service will demonstrate to students that being environmental doesn't have to be inconvenient and involve making a sacrifice but can also improve one's quality of life."
Zimmer believes the continued success of Carpool will rest largely on the involvement of campus leaders nationwide. The organization networks to any college or university with Facebook access and has published a starter kit for those interested in promoting the services at their own campuses.
The kit contains literature regarding application implementation strategy, frequently asked questions and information from the Cornell case study. It also includes sample business cards and flyers, sample press releases and national member contact information.
The Carpool group is seeking students from all colleges and universities to promote the service within their own communities. "It's not a big time commitment," Zimmer said. "It just takes someone who really believes in the project."
Group creators say they hope that on a large scale, the application will not only reduce the national CO2 emissions by millions of pounds, but will also demonstrate the power of an individual in a collective community built around trust.
SFA students interested in obtaining more information can visit www.zimride.com or search for the application through Facebook.
"The natural incentives of making money, having better transportation options and participating in a community will encourage more and more students to join."
Based on calculations and analysis of application usage within the student body of Cornell University, group creators found substantial personal and environmental benefits from use of the service. The average ride distance posted by students was approximately 200 miles and used eight gallons of gasoline. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a trip of this length would cause a car to release 155 pounds of carbon dioxide and would cost $106.
Carpool creators project that regular service users could save 620 pounds of carbon dioxide, 32 gallons of gasoline and $422 annually.
"All of us consider ourselves environmentalists," Zimmer said of the group's founding members, "but that isn't our only selling point. This application has the ability to affect the way we look at transportation, the environment and the larger national community.
"We hope that using the service will demonstrate to students that being environmental doesn't have to be inconvenient and involve making a sacrifice but can also improve one's quality of life."
Zimmer believes the continued success of Carpool will rest largely on the involvement of campus leaders nationwide. The organization networks to any college or university with Facebook access and has published a starter kit for those interested in promoting the services at their own campuses.
The kit contains literature regarding application implementation strategy, frequently asked questions and information from the Cornell case study. It also includes sample business cards and flyers, sample press releases and national member contact information.
The Carpool group is seeking students from all colleges and universities to promote the service within their own communities. "It's not a big time commitment," Zimmer said. "It just takes someone who really believes in the project."
Group creators say they hope that on a large scale, the application will not only reduce the national CO2 emissions by millions of pounds, but will also demonstrate the power of an individual in a collective community built around trust.
SFA students interested in obtaining more information can visit www.zimride.com or search for the application through Facebook.
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GishiGo
posted 11/15/07 @ 5:38 PM CST
GishiGo - Ride Share Network
www.GishiGo.com is a very good website for ridesharing. It significantly helps filter out the annoying people who use those "free and anyonymous" type websites. (Continued…)
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