Uride is turning trips into trees.
The Kelowna-based, app-based, ride-hailing company, which operates in 20 cities across Canada, will have a tree planted for every Uride booked and taken on Monday's Earth Day.
Being punny, Uride urges people to simply book a ride on Earth Day and 'leaf' the rest to Uride.
"Caring for our planet requires actions from all of us," said Uride founder and CEO Cody Ruberto.
"With this 'Ride for a Reason' initiative, we're leveraging our platform to make every journey count. Each tree planted is a step towards combating deforestation, supporting biodiversity and tackling the urgent challenge of climate change."
It's also a timely and apropos way for Uride to promote itself as a caring, grassroots, Canada-based ride-hailing company.
Uride differentiates itself from the worldwide juggernaut that is Uber by positioning Uride as providing service in smaller centres underserviced by Uber, public transit and taxis.
Uride also promises quick and safe service, affordability and being good to its drivers.
Uride is now in 20 cities including Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Kamloops, Prince George, Nanaimo (and coming soon to Comox and Courtenay).
"Join us this Earth Day," said Ruberto.
"Whether you're off to the office, catching up with pals or roaming around the city, choosing Uride is your way of rooting for the planet."
OK, another rhyme and pun: For every ride you take with Uride on April 22, you're not just getting from point A to B, you're planting a tree. Plus, you're not just navigating through the streets, you're sowing seeds of hope for our future and our forests.
Uride has partnered with innovative Canadian company Flash Forest for 'Ride for a Reason.'
Flash Forest merges drone technology, AI (artificial intelligence), GIS (geographic information system) and plant science to plant trees at record speeds.
Drones zip across the sky detecting the best spots to plant trees and then actually put the little trees in the ground with a precision and speed that humans just can't match.
Flash Forest concentrates in drone tree planting in forests hit by wildfires that are struggling to recover.
Flash Forest's goal is to plant a billion trees by 2028 to help forests bounce back, support biodiversity and battle climate change.
Other cities that Uride serves includes Grand Prairie, Medicine Hat, Red Deer (coming soon), Thunder Bay, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Peterborough, Chatham, Belleville, Sudbury, Timmins, Prince Edward County, Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton and Charlottetown (coming soon).
Uride was started in 2017 by former professional soccer player Ruberto in his hometown of Thunder Bay.
As the company grew and an epic battle brewed in Kelowna between Uride and Uber, Ruberto moved to Kelowna and headquartered Uride here.
Kelowna is also Uride's best market.
Thumbnail photos by Jannik Selz on Unsplash, Uride and Gravity on Unsplash
