Bike More – Drive Less

By Lisa J. Chadderdon

May 12-16th this year was official Bike to Work Week. Here at greenfeet, we strongly encourage the trend toward biking more and driving less. Why? Because by biking to work (or to the store) a few times a week, you’ll reap personal health benefits, as well as save money, reduce traffic congestion, and reduce the emission of toxic pollutants into the air. So we thought we’d pass along some quick, fun facts about biking -- and about the dramatic impact that biking more and driving less can have on our environment.

According to Specialized Bicycle Components, a cycling company that supports Bike to Work Week (and where most of the employees ride their bikes at lunch):

• Only 1.67% of Americans commute by bicycle.
• 100 bicycles can be produced for the same amount of energy and resources that it takes to build 1 medium-sized automobile.
• According to Bicycling magazine, more than half of all Americans live less than five miles from where they work.
• The average cost of a new car in the U.S. is $13,532.
• The average cost of a new bicycle in the U.S. is $385.
• Commuting by bicycle produces zero pollution.
• About 12 bicycles can be parked in the space required for one automobile.
• On average, the commute to work accounts for only one out of five auto trips taken by drivers each day.
• In China, bicycles outnumber cars 250 to 1.

According to the non-profit corporation Rides for Bay Area Commuters, if Americans regularly biked to work twice a week, we would eliminate our dependence on foreign oil.¹ Not bad for a little extra exercise! And the League of American Bicyclists estimates that if 100,000 Americans in a given city replaced a car trip with a bike trip just one time per month, it would cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 3,764 tons per year.²

Many of you may live too far from work to bike there. Or your company dress code (or lack of an on-site shower) may preclude biking to work as a viable option. If that’s the case, consider all of the other ways to cut down on your driving by biking more often. The 1995 National Personal Transportation Survey found that 40% of all car trips are less than 2 miles in length.

Think about it: how many quick trips to the local convenience store do you make each week? How often do you drive to the library, pharmacy, or bank? Most of us live within a few short miles of the local businesses that we frequent. Just imagine how much money you could save on gas, and how much pollution you could prevent from entering our environment, if you hopped on a bike a few times a week. (Not to mention the health benefits you’d reap: A 130-pound cyclist burns approximately 402 calories while pedaling 14 mph. A 180-pound cyclist burns approximately 540 calories while pedaling the same speed.³ And it’s a lot easier on your joints than walking or jogging.)

So do a favor for your body and your environment -- grab your helmet, hop on, and ride! We’d love to know what you think – do you ride to work? To run local errands? Why or why not? E-mail us and let us know!