Go by Bike

While I was at The Pathfinder, Manhattan's local outdoor living shop, this week, I picked up a neat little flier about a movement going on to promote bicycling in America. It was full of a bunch of interesting figures:

Just 3 hours of bicycling per week can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%.
The U.S. could save 462 million gallons of gasoline a year by increasing cycling from 1% to 1.5% of all trips.
In 2003, cars stalled in traffic wasted 5 billion gallons of fuel.
25% of all trips are made within a mile of the home, 40% of all trips are within two miles of the home, and 50% of the working population commutes 5 miles or less to work.
60% of the pollution created by automobile emissions happens in the first few minutes of operation, before pollution control devices can work effectively.

And on the back, they have a website where you can check out some how-to videos on starting to bike, keep updated on important issues and events, and pledge miles of your own.

Since I've been in Manhattan, I've been really very good about biking when I can, even going so far as to ride in the rain (with my fancy rain jacket on of course so as not to catch cold). So far, I've ridden to every class, ridden to Planet Sub to steal food (shh, don't tell), and ridden to the UPS store on the opposite side of town to send my Europe phone back. I haven't been to the grocery store yet, but I'm planning on going tomorrow to stock up on things.

By the way, if you're wondering what to get me for my birthday, a giant Chrome or Timbuk2 bag for carrying books/groceries/Target goodies is very high on my list right now.

So anyway, since I've been so good, I thought I'd make it official and pledge my own miles. I figured out that if I rode to campus 7 times a week (figuring in multiple trips a day or going in on the weekends), made 1 trip to the grocery and 1 miscellaneous trip a week, then I'd travel a total of 121 miles a month. I was amazed to find out that I would save about $26 a month in gas. That's about $230 over the course of my last year at K-State. That's pretty significant.



I've attached a widget to my blog (to the right) that will follow Manhattan's "Go by Bike" contribution.

Even if you don't plan on biking, I suggest checking out the Go by Bike website. It's refreshing to see so many people pledging so many miles. And to see a response to the energy crisis that isn't a hybrid SUV.