Do you remember ME? Possibly not! Yet! Thanks for speaking with me on-mind-line! This is wonderful! May we (mais we=but of course, in French) work together? How do our initiatives compliment one another? Very well from this perspective! Feel free to call or write anytime. i love language, it matters immensely and i love to play with the words like sword-seeds, soil-deeds and water-born-reads. Why?
We the People of these American Provinces and United States, need to use the First Amendment to enjoy our little blue planet for as long as possible (since 'sow many' think Mars is a 'life returning' option)!
Until then...Make Your Mark within. Pace the Peace within Patience!
REAL life, ATA, i'm! = REcycling A (One) Life; A Tired American (ATA). 'i am ME dia!' (Time),
This is a really great idea and I thank you for sharing the information with the community about the recently passed Bicycle Commuter Act. I wonder if you could explain a bit further how to expect to go about getting employers to sign up so that their employees can receive this benefit.
Thanks!
Chloe Feinberg
--
Ashoka
Full Economic Citizenship
The way we are working to do it is through our already-established networks, to keep costs down and reach as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. So, the League has more than 700 member organizations, and we'd like to produce forms (to explain the program and allow people to enroll) and encouragement cards (to be used to track receipts each month) and then offer them, free of charge, to our members and clubs. We would then rely on this network (which represents up to 300,000 people) to take the cards and forms to work and speak about the ease and value of the program to their employers. We know that this system works -- in 2006, we offered 10,000 posters promoting Bike to Work Day through our e-newsletter, and they were gone within a month. And our members are eager to understand and help their employers implement the program --- they just need tools to do so. Once a workplace has the program in place, the nudge is quick and easy to other, non-biking employees (company newsletters, colleagues, etc.). We are so excited about the opportunity to get this news out to everyone, and we have figured out a relatively inexpensive way to do so --- we just need a bit of funding to make it a reality. It's the perfect nudge!
This is a very interesting idea, and its odds of success seem good in large part because of the work you've already done through Congress. Your plans for building on pre-existing networks is one potential avenue for raising awareness, but I'd like to suggest another that is discussed at length in Nudge: Default rules. In essence, you are trying to help people opt-in to an existing tax-break program for biking. What if you tried to create an opt-out default rule in which bicyclists would be automatically given this tax break by their organization? If you find certain organizations that already ask new employees to select a parking or public transportation subsidy when they are hired, you might work with them to add bicycling to their lists. Not only will more people take advantage of the incentive who wouldn't before, but they might choose it over driving or taking a subway train. By trying to work with human resource departments at individual organizations, you might be able to change the behavioral habits of more people with fewer resources and in less time. Best of luck.
John
----------
John Balz
Changemakers Featured Commentator
We DEFINITELY hope that the behavior will become opt-out as this program evolves. The reason we are starting by trying to reach bicyclists and their employers is to get the word out -- a lot of the country doesn't provide parking OR transit benefits to their employees, because parking may already be free or there are little or no transit options used by employees. But bicycling can/should be used everywhere! Once we teach people, and we hope to reach them first through their bicycling employees, how easy it is to provide this service, we hope to see it grow into the program you outlined above. It is perfect for a nudge system ... we just have to spread the word first. Thanks for your insightful comment!
Rather than think about "behavior" as opt-out, what about thinking of "policy" as opt-out? As I read your comment, I see you focusing on employees first and then employers. Reaching bicyclists is one good way to build awareness and education that can leads to behavioral change. But it is not the only way. Focusing on employers, or organizations more generally, and persuading them to change default options can be a more effective way of producing behavioral changes in the broader population.
Here's an hypothetical example of how this ideas of yours could be implemented on a small scale. You note that many places already have free parking or no public transportation. These sound like ideal places to plant the seeds of your idea. Of these cities, which are the best candidates for your bicycling nudge, either because a series of bike lanes or trails are already in place for bicyclists to take advantage of, or because there are a large mass of bicyclists who ride for recreational purposes? You might target employers in this town and explain to them that this credit already exists (so there will be very little cost to them), and work to convince them to set up a default option for new employees to receive a bicycling credit that they would see in their paychecks. This default option might be part of a new hire package that employees receive.
By starting in places where bicycling is most likely to succeed, either because of cultural or physical infrastructure reasons, you might be able to generate some small, but powerful, changes quickly.
----------
John Balz
Changemakers Featured Commentator
You're right, and I appreciate the points you make. As an individual membership organization, our main strength is with individual cyclists, who are already passionate and motivated to nudge their employers -- we just need to give them the tools to explain how. We are targeting employers, through the people we can reach and already have contact with: the enthusiastic cyclists who want to see it happen. We see these cyclists delivering the nudge that will then spread, through adoption, within the company (and then from company to company). We also very much appreciate your points, and your comments. We are working directly with employers though our Bicycle Friendly Business program (which is talking to employees directly), the Network for Employee Transportation Safety, and other avenues. We just wanted to do an additional reach out to employers through our members -- passionate, dedicated cyclists. And the example you gave above is actually a great idea for us to do through our already established (in part through funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) Bicycle Friendly Community program -- we can reach out to our Platinum communities and encourage them to adopt it. This would be in addition to the campaign this grant is for, though --- we'd love for this grant to be to reach our members with detailed information about this exciting development.
Congratulations! On behalf of RWJF and the Changemakers team, we are honored to declare you a winner of the Early Entry Prize for the “Designing for Better Health” collaborative competition! As a reward, you will receive a camcorder and a digital camera!
We hope that by submitting your innovation early, you have been able to generate feedback, dialogue, and insight about your initiative. Showcasing your blueprint and the challenges involved in creating social impact advises potential investors about how best to improve funding/investing patterns for the sector and to maximize the strategic impact and effectiveness of their future investments.
Please remember that your selection as an Early Entry Prize winner does not preclude you from winning the competition in any way, or guarantee finalist status—all entries will be equally evaluated per the Changemakers criteria at the completion of the entry period.
Congratulations, again!
Best wishes,
The Changemakers Team
----------
The Changemakers Team
Ashoka's Changemakers
On May 11, 2009, the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Designing for Better Health” competition and would like to pass on the following feedback (listed below) for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of innovators who are seeking solutions that help people make better choices regarding their health and the health of others. We wish you continued luck with your innovative, sustainable, and socially impactful initiatives.
All the best, The Changemakers Team
“Great idea! It could be turned into a default rule at organizations: New employees who ride bikes are awarded a tax break by default rather than having to ask for one. This pilot might benefit from working with a few key large employers to encourage their employees.”
“Great incentive structure and an emphasis on health! For $20/month benefit, I would bike to work! But will this incentive get other people to bike to work? Also, what about those that already live a one hour drive from work? Do they receive a greater benefit?”
- Changemakers “Designing for Better Health” Judges: Doutores da Alegria, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Cornell Food and Brand Lab: Cornell University, Innovations in Health @ Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Pediatrics: University of California San Francisco.
Comentarios
++++++,
~Mental up-loads mirror physical up-roads.
=Elizabeth,
Do you remember ME? Possibly not! Yet! Thanks for speaking with me on-mind-line! This is wonderful! May we (mais we=but of course, in French) work together? How do our initiatives compliment one another? Very well from this perspective! Feel free to call or write anytime. i love language, it matters immensely and i love to play with the words like sword-seeds, soil-deeds and water-born-reads. Why?
We the People of these American Provinces and United States, need to use the First Amendment to enjoy our little blue planet for as long as possible (since 'sow many' think Mars is a 'life returning' option)!
Until then...Make Your Mark within. Pace the Peace within Patience!
REAL life, ATA, i'm! = REcycling A (One) Life; A Tired American (ATA). 'i am ME dia!' (Time),
å.b.
inione.
PS: ~ http://www.answers.com/ata ~
Nothing happens by accident ~ accidents (ignorance) buy (sells) happy (sadness) emptiness (empathetically)
Hi Elizabeth,
This is a really great idea and I thank you for sharing the information with the community about the recently passed Bicycle Commuter Act. I wonder if you could explain a bit further how to expect to go about getting employers to sign up so that their employees can receive this benefit.
Thanks!
Chloe Feinberg
--
Ashoka
Full Economic Citizenship
The way we are working to do it is through our already-established networks, to keep costs down and reach as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. So, the League has more than 700 member organizations, and we'd like to produce forms (to explain the program and allow people to enroll) and encouragement cards (to be used to track receipts each month) and then offer them, free of charge, to our members and clubs. We would then rely on this network (which represents up to 300,000 people) to take the cards and forms to work and speak about the ease and value of the program to their employers. We know that this system works -- in 2006, we offered 10,000 posters promoting Bike to Work Day through our e-newsletter, and they were gone within a month. And our members are eager to understand and help their employers implement the program --- they just need tools to do so. Once a workplace has the program in place, the nudge is quick and easy to other, non-biking employees (company newsletters, colleagues, etc.). We are so excited about the opportunity to get this news out to everyone, and we have figured out a relatively inexpensive way to do so --- we just need a bit of funding to make it a reality. It's the perfect nudge!
----------
Ohm shanti santi Harih
Elizabeth,
This is a very interesting idea, and its odds of success seem good in large part because of the work you've already done through Congress. Your plans for building on pre-existing networks is one potential avenue for raising awareness, but I'd like to suggest another that is discussed at length in Nudge: Default rules. In essence, you are trying to help people opt-in to an existing tax-break program for biking. What if you tried to create an opt-out default rule in which bicyclists would be automatically given this tax break by their organization? If you find certain organizations that already ask new employees to select a parking or public transportation subsidy when they are hired, you might work with them to add bicycling to their lists. Not only will more people take advantage of the incentive who wouldn't before, but they might choose it over driving or taking a subway train. By trying to work with human resource departments at individual organizations, you might be able to change the behavioral habits of more people with fewer resources and in less time. Best of luck.
John
----------
John Balz
Changemakers Featured Commentator
We DEFINITELY hope that the behavior will become opt-out as this program evolves. The reason we are starting by trying to reach bicyclists and their employers is to get the word out -- a lot of the country doesn't provide parking OR transit benefits to their employees, because parking may already be free or there are little or no transit options used by employees. But bicycling can/should be used everywhere! Once we teach people, and we hope to reach them first through their bicycling employees, how easy it is to provide this service, we hope to see it grow into the program you outlined above. It is perfect for a nudge system ... we just have to spread the word first. Thanks for your insightful comment!
Rather than think about "behavior" as opt-out, what about thinking of "policy" as opt-out? As I read your comment, I see you focusing on employees first and then employers. Reaching bicyclists is one good way to build awareness and education that can leads to behavioral change. But it is not the only way. Focusing on employers, or organizations more generally, and persuading them to change default options can be a more effective way of producing behavioral changes in the broader population.
Here's an hypothetical example of how this ideas of yours could be implemented on a small scale. You note that many places already have free parking or no public transportation. These sound like ideal places to plant the seeds of your idea. Of these cities, which are the best candidates for your bicycling nudge, either because a series of bike lanes or trails are already in place for bicyclists to take advantage of, or because there are a large mass of bicyclists who ride for recreational purposes? You might target employers in this town and explain to them that this credit already exists (so there will be very little cost to them), and work to convince them to set up a default option for new employees to receive a bicycling credit that they would see in their paychecks. This default option might be part of a new hire package that employees receive.
By starting in places where bicycling is most likely to succeed, either because of cultural or physical infrastructure reasons, you might be able to generate some small, but powerful, changes quickly.
----------
John Balz
Changemakers Featured Commentator
You're right, and I appreciate the points you make. As an individual membership organization, our main strength is with individual cyclists, who are already passionate and motivated to nudge their employers -- we just need to give them the tools to explain how. We are targeting employers, through the people we can reach and already have contact with: the enthusiastic cyclists who want to see it happen. We see these cyclists delivering the nudge that will then spread, through adoption, within the company (and then from company to company). We also very much appreciate your points, and your comments. We are working directly with employers though our Bicycle Friendly Business program (which is talking to employees directly), the Network for Employee Transportation Safety, and other avenues. We just wanted to do an additional reach out to employers through our members -- passionate, dedicated cyclists. And the example you gave above is actually a great idea for us to do through our already established (in part through funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) Bicycle Friendly Community program -- we can reach out to our Platinum communities and encourage them to adopt it. This would be in addition to the campaign this grant is for, though --- we'd love for this grant to be to reach our members with detailed information about this exciting development.
Congratulations! On behalf of RWJF and the Changemakers team, we are honored to declare you a winner of the Early Entry Prize for the “Designing for Better Health” collaborative competition! As a reward, you will receive a camcorder and a digital camera!
We hope that by submitting your innovation early, you have been able to generate feedback, dialogue, and insight about your initiative. Showcasing your blueprint and the challenges involved in creating social impact advises potential investors about how best to improve funding/investing patterns for the sector and to maximize the strategic impact and effectiveness of their future investments.
Please remember that your selection as an Early Entry Prize winner does not preclude you from winning the competition in any way, or guarantee finalist status—all entries will be equally evaluated per the Changemakers criteria at the completion of the entry period.
Congratulations, again!
Best wishes,
The Changemakers Team
----------
The Changemakers Team
Ashoka's Changemakers
On May 11, 2009, the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Designing for Better Health” competition and would like to pass on the following feedback (listed below) for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of innovators who are seeking solutions that help people make better choices regarding their health and the health of others. We wish you continued luck with your innovative, sustainable, and socially impactful initiatives.
All the best, The Changemakers Team
“Great idea! It could be turned into a default rule at organizations: New employees who ride bikes are awarded a tax break by default rather than having to ask for one. This pilot might benefit from working with a few key large employers to encourage their employees.”
“Great incentive structure and an emphasis on health! For $20/month benefit, I would bike to work! But will this incentive get other people to bike to work? Also, what about those that already live a one hour drive from work? Do they receive a greater benefit?”
- Changemakers “Designing for Better Health” Judges: Doutores da Alegria, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Cornell Food and Brand Lab: Cornell University, Innovations in Health @ Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Pediatrics: University of California San Francisco.
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