Did you know that 2.3 billion gallons of gas are idled away each year by
Americans sitting in traffic? What about the fact that 25% of the carbon
emissions going in to the air comes from the tailpipes of our vehicles? It
wouldn't matter if every person in America switched from their current ride to a
hybrid, our automobiles would still be the main cause of the warming of our
globe.
So what can we do? Luckily there is an answer, and a simple one at that! The Bicycle. Going to work or taking the kids to school will honestly be a more enjoyable experience if you include the outdoors. It is better for your health, it is more fun, less expensive and will change the way you see the world and the health of our planet. The people of Denmark are noted to be the happiest people in the whole world, maybe it is because 33% of their commuters travel by bicycle. If we put our minds to it, a large portion of our travel can be done by bike, for most people 40%f of all our commutes are less than two miles, and two miles is an easy bike ride! But, if you are in need of going farther, you can just pop your bike on to the front of a bus, or other public transportation, as they are very accommodating of bikes, and get where you are going! One bus can carry as many people as fifty cars, and subways, and trains double and triple that number, making public transportation a good alternative and resource to accompany bike riding.
So what can we do? Luckily there is an answer, and a simple one at that! The Bicycle. Going to work or taking the kids to school will honestly be a more enjoyable experience if you include the outdoors. It is better for your health, it is more fun, less expensive and will change the way you see the world and the health of our planet. The people of Denmark are noted to be the happiest people in the whole world, maybe it is because 33% of their commuters travel by bicycle. If we put our minds to it, a large portion of our travel can be done by bike, for most people 40%f of all our commutes are less than two miles, and two miles is an easy bike ride! But, if you are in need of going farther, you can just pop your bike on to the front of a bus, or other public transportation, as they are very accommodating of bikes, and get where you are going! One bus can carry as many people as fifty cars, and subways, and trains double and triple that number, making public transportation a good alternative and resource to accompany bike riding.
I know what you might be saying as parents…how can I incorporate bike riding
with kids? Well, from first hand experience having two young boys myself, you can
walk or bike with your children to school, to the library or park, and to run
errands. To make it easier to walk or bike with young children, you can purchase
a jogging stroller or a trailer that attaches to your bike. My family joined the
attach-a-bike to the bike trailer on the back of my bike, and then we go about
our business traveling in a large bike train. You should see the looks we get,
and the honks and waves, people really get a kick out of seeing us cruise by.
And because of the money we save on gas, we can afford to shop at the local
health food store that is only a mile from our home. By teaching your children
from a young age to bike around, you will promote healthy habits that they can
enjoy throughout their lives. Not to mention that just by using your bike as
transportation, you can cut out that daily trip (and expenditure) to the gym and
that long boring trek on the treadmill and join the natural outdoor gym, because
spending a half an hour bicycling each day can increase your life expectancy by
up to four years!
So, next time you go to get in your car, ask yourself if what your about to go do is necessary. Do you really need to go make that purchase? And if so, can you ride your bike instead? If you have children but don't have the necessary equipment to go biking, scour craigslist.org , garage sales, freecycle.org and bike shops sale racks for trailers and bikes! We found our bike trailer at a garage sale for $15! By using your bike as transportation you will be promoting a new way of life, demonstrating to others that biking not driving is the wave of the future, and the wave that we need to start riding in order to heal our ailing planet!
So, next time you go to get in your car, ask yourself if what your about to go do is necessary. Do you really need to go make that purchase? And if so, can you ride your bike instead? If you have children but don't have the necessary equipment to go biking, scour craigslist.org , garage sales, freecycle.org and bike shops sale racks for trailers and bikes! We found our bike trailer at a garage sale for $15! By using your bike as transportation you will be promoting a new way of life, demonstrating to others that biking not driving is the wave of the future, and the wave that we need to start riding in order to heal our ailing planet!
