Outside Steps: Bike Instead of Drive

Courtesy of www.earthhero.org.

Ease: Ambitious
Impact Rating (1-5): 3
Influence Beyond You: 4
Types of Impacts: Health, Money saver, Biodiversity, System change

Does it help with making your community resilient to disasters and emergencies? No

Tags: Urban, Community, Visible action

Money Saved (1-4 $): $$$$

Description: Car travel is one of the biggest carbon dioxide (CO2) emission sources and creates harmful particulates, nitrous oxide, ozone, and other pollutants. Cycling is a great alternative for many car journeys, bringing significant health benefits and saving serious money.

Further, cycling is a visible action that helps other people see that regular people can bike – and you do not have to wear spandex. Your trips also show your community that the infrastructure needs changing; more bikes can thus mean fewer wide tar roads and large cement parking garages and instead more bike paths and stands. Tar and cement are big greenhouse gas emitters.

Tips:

• Start with one short trip. You can even bike part of the way, and take public transportation the rest.

• Get an experienced biker to go with you the first few times.

• If you are in an urban environment, consider joining a bikeshare – this way you do not have to buy and store a bike, but instead will send a message to your community that bikes and bikeshares are desirable.

• Bikes can be purchased affordably second hand.

• A bike tuneup by your local bike pro or co-op will make a huge difference and make you feel more confident.

• Carry a spare tube and a portable pump.

• Ask your local bike pro about puncture-resistant tires.

• Consider an electric bike or cargo bike depending on your needs.- Strapping a milk crate to a bike, or using panniers (bags slung on both sides of the bike) is much more comfortable than a backpack.

• Join or start a bike train to your workplace.

• Join city bike journeys for fun.

• Use good lights and reflective clothing if riding at dusk or in the dark.

• Become an advocate for bike lanes in your town.

• Try running an errand with your bike, not just commute to work. It can make errand-running more fun!

• Other trips could include a school run, a short food trip, visiting a friend nearby, taking the kids to the park.

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Image credit: Photo by Adrian Williams on Unsplash