If we want to save the planet, we'd better plan it. And the Morris K. Udall Foundation's 26-city, 10th anniversary tour via green motorcoach would make the former Congressman proud.
For a decade, the Udall Foundation (www.udall.gov [1]) has offered education programs and scholarships to help foster environmental stewardship. Now, Motor Coach Industries is teaming up with Vermont's Lamoille Valley Transportation in the Udall Legacy Bus Tour, a 26-city journey starting June 12 in Washington and concluding August 4 in Tucson.
A group of 13 riders will participate along the way in local public service projects, such as revegetation work along the Bronx River in New York, replanting trees in New Orleans, campground development on the Grand Ronde Reservation in Oregon and exploring national parks through photography with local youth in Acadia National Park in Maine.
The Morris K. Udall Foundation is an independent federally created agency based in Tucson that awards merit-based scholarships, fellowships and internships for environmental studies.
As part of the tour, MCI will be promoting motorcoaches as the energy efficient way to travel. Motorcoaches are ideally suited for the environmentally conscious trip, as each full coach takes 55 cars off of the roads, saving fuel and cutting emissions. Motorcoaches offer the best passenger miles per gallon of any form of transportation, so if people want to travel green, motorcoaches are the greenest choice out there.
For more information, including specific activities at each stop, and a list of sponsors, visit www.udall.gov [2]. For more information on MCI's "Go Coach, Go Green" education and awareness campaign, visit http://www.mcicoach.com/goGreen.htm [3].
When the tour hits your town, what are your plans to help get the "motorcoach as green travel choice" message to policy-makers and the public? I can't wait to share the message of "stop fueling around -- go via motorcoach and kick gas!" I'd love to hear your ideas.