My favorite week of the year!!
Its national bike to work week. I thought I would share some fun facts about the american culture in relation to travel.
Bicycles and Clean Air
• Commuting by bicycle produces zero pollution.
• If people rode a bicycle instead of using a motor vehicle for trips of less than two miles, the majority of motor vehicle pollution would be prevented.
• Motor vehicle emissions represent 31% of total carbon dioxide, 81% of carbon monoxide, and 49% of nitrogen oxides released in the U.S.
• Approximately 40% of all trips are less than 2 miles in length – which represents a 10-minute bike ride or a 30-minute walk.
• A short, four-mile round trip by bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.
Bicycles are Better than Cars
• 100 calories can power a cyclist for three miles.
• 100 calories can power a car 280 feet.
• About 12 bicycles can be parked in the space required for one car.
• Traffic jams in the 29 major cities cost commuters an estimated $24.3 billion annually (and makes them grouchy).
• The number of US bicycle commuters doubled between 1983 and 1990.
• More than half of all Americans live less than 5 miles from where they work.
I’m proud to say I do ride my bike to the office every day. It allows us to maintain a single (awesome) vehicle, I have fun riding to work, and I kind of like keeping my bike in my office. Odd I know. I’m sure it helps that I live 2.21 miles from the office.
I’m also pretty proud of Stephanie riding her bike to the post office, bank and grocery store. The grocery store is a big one, since it requires more planning, and extra pedal effort to get home with bags on the back.