City and county employees spent the month of August improving the environment and improving their health in the process.
It the second year Douglas County held the annual awareness of energy and health.
More than double the number of employees participated in the awareness this year, said Deb Clasen, deputy director of health services for Douglas County. Contributing to the growth was the addition of city employee participation.
While 42 people signed up for the program this year, she said she anticipates more than that will be turning in log sheets in the next week.
Participants could walk, bike, jog and take the stairs to count calories burned or carpool and use public transit to calculate points for carbon dioxide gas reduced.
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For Supervisor Dave Conley, he said he's been interested in how people's lifestyles impact the contribution to carbon dioxide.
"Our contribution may be small, but when you multiple that by four- five- or six-billion people, everyone's small contribution actually becomes quite significant," Conley said. "Anytime we can do small, simple daily things that contribute to an avoidance of CO-2, we're making a difference.
On Tuesday, employees will be recognized for their effort over the last month in the atrium of the Government Center. In addition to improving their health and decreasing their carbon footprint, employees have an opportunity to win a variety of prizes from local merchants like North Star Health and Fitness, Northwest Outlet, Brule River Canoe Rental, Applebee's, Superior-Douglas County YMCA,
"I see more interest in the employee pool," Clasen said. "Then also the interest of city employees; we share the same work environment. They were eager to participate. Then I'm also seeing ... more employee groups joining fitness centers."
Conley said the body was designed to move.
"That lack of physical activity affects general health," Clasen said. "As people increase physical activity, they feel better. From a chemical standpoint in their body, they are better."
