Buses may have a few extra passengers and the bike racks may be a little bit more full today thanks to a service leadership project led by several Penn State students.

As a final project for Science, Technology and Society 497E (Creativity, Innovation and Change), a group of students convinced more than 400 people to take a "Pass on Gas" pledge to not drive their cars today in honor of Earth Day.

Participants are encouraged to use other forms of transportation, such as walking, biking or riding the bus, group member Matt Rokita (senior-chemical engineering) said.

Donald Horner, the class's professor, said the group's project fits well with the concepts of the class.

"The goal is to do something that benefits someone other than yourself and to have fun," he said. "The key is [the students] have learned how to be leaders and to plan events."

Rokita said the group hopes some people will permanently change their lifestyles after taking the pledge, but the project is more about getting information out.

"The primary focus is to raise awareness for issues about the environment, because obviously the number of people we're going to reach in State College isn't going to save the environment," he said.

Molly Goodman (junior-elementary education) signed the pledge, and said she does not expect it to be an inconvenience.

She added the project could have a long-term effect.

"People always say we can't stop the pollution, but it's the little things," Goodman said.

"If the people who signed the pledge actually follow through, maybe people will realize it's not that bad to not drive and then it could make a difference."

Horner said he thinks the group members could change some minds and get people thinking when they realize there are other ways to travel.

The project's goal was to get 500 people to take the pledge, Rokita said.

Much of the advertising was done online and more than 200 of the pledges were taken on the group's Web site www.passongas.com.

"We didn't put fliers up all over campus because that would kind of go against what we're going for, with the environment," Rokita said.

The Web site also includes other information and links about the environment, alternative transportation and Earth Day.

Horner said two other groups are planning service projects as part of the class, which is the final course for the engineering leadership development minor.