Ditch the car Wednesday and get free coffee, treats on Osborne

Winnipeggers can get free coffee and cinnamon buns for walking or biking to work on Wednesday.

To celebrate Clean Air Day, Winnipeg's Green Action Centre is handing out treats on the north side of the Osborne Bridge from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The centre has events planned all week to mark Canadian Environment Week, which runs from Monday to Friday.

"We do it, in a sense, to just create awareness around the simple choices we can make daily that'll help the environment, help ourselves, help the community," said Christey Allen, the commuter challenge co-ordinator for the Green Action Centre. "The more we generate a little bit of buzz around it, the more we get people aware that this is a great thing and really commend them for doing it, I think it helps — every little bit."

Anyone who is using a green mode of transportation — skateboards and roller skates included — can get a treat, Allen added.

The group will also give prizes to people who register to ride the bus, walk, cycle, carpool or telecommute this week through their commuter challenge.

"We have great prizes. We have $500 VIA Rail passes, passes to pretty much every festival in the city — Folklorama, Fringe Fest, Folk Fest," said Allen.

So far, 460 businesses have signed up.

Last year, Winnipeg and Thompson were the Manitoba cities with the most participants in the active-transportation drive.