The Better World Club (BWC) provides services to motorists in the United States and supports organizations seeking to reduce the environmental damage done by automobiles. BWC, which describes itself as "the nation's only

environmentally friendly Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that c ...

auto club", offers a

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a ...

membership and caters to

hybrid vehicle A hybrid vehicle is one that uses two or more distinct types of power, such as submarines that use diesel when surfaced and batteries when submerged. Other means to store energy include pressurized fluid in hydraulic hybrids. Hybrid powertrai ...

owners. Nationwide membership was just under 20,000 people as of June 2006. In comparison, the rival

American Automobile Association American Automobile Association (AAA) is a federation of motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a privately held not-for-profit national member association and service organization with over 60 million members in the United States and Cana ...

has 53 million members nationwide.

History

Better World Club was founded by longtime friends Mitch Rofsky and Todd Silberman. It began signing up members on June 4, 2002. Rofsky and Silberman grew up as friends in Ohio and each pursued separate careers related to environmental responsibility and travel before coming together to form Better World Club. The idea initially came from environmentalists who reported that AAA used anti-environment lobbying practices. When they approached Mitch Rofsky with the idea, he realized that there was an opportunity to successfully compete with AAA.

Services

;Emergency roadside assistance Emergency roadside assistance is available to drivers of both

automobiles A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...

and bicycles. A bicycle membership can be purchased separately or added onto an auto policy for a smaller additional fee. Services are available across all 50 states and DC the USA and Canada. Automobile membership includes 4 service calls per year (defined as: towing, battery assistance, lockout assistance, flat tire assistance, fuel delivery or extrication) – if bicycle coverage is included these 4 calls can be split between auto and bike calls. Basic auto membership includes towing up to 5 miles, while the premium membership increases the limit to 100 miles. A bicycle-only membership provides service up to 30 miles annually with a limit of 2 service calls. ;Travel products and services Through TravelCool, Better World Club offers discounted travel with

eco-friendly Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that c ...

travel partners. Partners must emphasize sustainable practices such as

recycling Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the propert ...

and building environmental awareness.

Carbon offset Carbon offsetting is a carbon trading mechanism that enables entities to compensate for offset greenhouse gas emissions by investing in projects that reduce, avoid, or remove emissions elsewhere. When an entity invests in a carbon offsetting ...

s are included in the travel planning fee if a travel consultant is used. Discounts are available at eco-friendly lodgings, as well as at larger more well-known hotel chains. Discounts are also available on hybrid and

biodiesel Biodiesel is a renewable biofuel, a form of diesel fuel, derived from biological sources like vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled greases, and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made from fats. The roots of bi ...

rental cars, available in select cities. Trip route planning as well as maps covering

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

from the city level up through the national level are available free to all members. Maps and travel planners are ordered by phone or email and delivered by mail within 7–14 days. ;Insurance products and services Better World Insurance, headquartered in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

, offers

auto insurance Vehicle insurance (also known as car insurance, motor insurance, or auto insurance) is insurance for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other road vehicles. Its primary use is to provide financial protection against physical damage or bodily injury ...

as well as

travel insurance Travel insurance is an insurance product for covering unexpected losses incurred while travelling, either internationally or domestically. Basic policies generally only cover emergency medical expenses while overseas, while comprehensive policies ...

. Carbon offsets are included free with the first year's auto insurance and offered for a nominal fee after that. Better World Insurance also advocates for pay-as-you-drive auto insurance, and offer it to customers in the limited locations where it is available. ;Other benefits Other member benefits include gas rebate coupons and discounts at other environmentally friendly companies both online and off. Hybrid car and biodiesel car owners receive a discount on membership (with gas-guzzlers that get less than 10 mi/gal being charged an additional surcharge).* Gonzales, Cristine
Where the gas is greener – New auto club aims to take on AAA and offer environmental kickbacks
, ''Portland Tribune'', April 26, 2002, retrieved January 31, 2007 All members are eligible to receive the monthly newsletter, ''Kicking Asphalt'', which includes news and information about environmental and travel related topics, new member discounts, and occasional calls for member activism. In order to preserve natural resources, this newsletter is distributed by email only.

Partners

Better World Club partners include:

Adventure Cycling Association Adventure Cycling Association is a nonprofit member organization focused on travel by bicycle (bicycle touring). Headquartered in Missoula, Montana, Adventure Cycling develops cycling routes, publishes maps, provides guided trips, and advocates ...

, '' Car Talk'',

League of American Bicyclists League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football * ''League of Legends'', a 2009 multiplayer online battle a ...

National Wildlife Federation The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is the largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization in the United States, with over six million members and supporters, and 51 state and territorial affiliated organizations (i ...

, Organic Consumers Association, Washington Area Bicycle Association, and Working Assets.

References

External links

*{{Official website, http://www.betterworldclub.com/ Emergency road services Companies based in Portland, Oregon Financial services companies established in 2002 Automobile associations in the United States 2002 establishments in Oregon

History

Services

Partners

See also

References

External links