Eco-Rider
Tired of walking? Grab a free bike on the spot
Cities like Paris have made a bold move to lower carbon emissions with a revolutionary bike rental service. In 2007, more than 10,600 bikes were placed at 750 stations located throughout Paris. Since then the number of bikes has grown to 15,000 with a total of 42 million users. This service or, “Velib” as it is called, works in this way: the first half-hour is free; after the first half-hour there is a charge of one euro, then two Euros for the second and four Euros for every extra half-hour from then on. The idea is to keep riders in motion, which is easy with Paris’s 230 miles of bike lanes and stations every couple hundred yards. While this program has had its share of issues including vandalism, it has inspired other cities in France plus London, San Francisco and Singapore. Stockholm, Vienna, Barcelona, Brussels and Copenhagen which already offered similar services.
Maybe it’s time for our cities to take similar action? But, until that time comes, buy or rent a bike and cycle your carbon footprint away.
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Top tips
- Start out slow. Don’t try to do the Ironman (110 miles!) your first day. It’s best for your health and your muscles to start slow, cycling only a couple of miles. Once your muscles adapt to the motions and your stamina builds, gradually increase the daily amount of exercise you do.
- Be safe. Cycling can be dangerous if you do not take the necessary precautions.
- Always wear a helmet.
- Wear bright-colored clothing and reflectors
- Wear gloves, arm and knee pads
- If possible, cycle during the day
- Follow traffic laws
- Don’t cycle in the middle of the road when cars are nearby
- Recycle your bike. If your bike is broken beyond repair, doesn’t match your cycling needs anymore, or is just plain old, donate it or recycle your bicycle. Go to SCGH’s Recycling Center to find a location close to you that accepts bicycles.
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Benefits
- To your health. Bicycling is an effective cardio exercise for people of all ages. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, along with other health problems. Cycling also improves mental health, as exercise releases endorphins in the body which make people feel happier.
- According to the League of American Bicyclists, a 150 lb person can burn 410 calories cycling 12 miles in an hour. You can calculate how many calories are burned when cycling with the International Bicycle Fund’s Cycling Calorie calculator.
- To your wallet. Bicycles range in prices, fitting all different budgets.
- A new bicycle can cost as low as $100 or as high as $1000, depending on type.
- An average bicycle costs $385 in the US compared to a car that costs an average of $13,532.
- You don’t spend money on gas and expensive car maintenance
- Possibly reduce healthcare costs associated with obesity, an estimated $117 billion per year.
- To the earth. Bicycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions, air, water and noise pollution, and road wear. Check out this fuel cost calculator, to see how much your will save on gas and how many non-renewable resources you can avoid.
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Common mistakes
- Don’t rush. When purchasing a bicycle, don’t just look at the price tag but notice all of its capabilities. If you invest in a bike that will be difficult to fix or is simply cheep, then it is probable that you will end up having to buy a new one soon after. So, take a few extra moments to compare models, instead of wasting money and resources on a new product later.
- Carry the burden. Make sure to find a bike that will fit your frame and your lifestyle. If you are looking for a casual bike that you can use for your ride to college or the grocery store look for an attachable basket area. Focus on the bike’s overall weight, this will be beneficial for college and especially if you live in an apartment tower and prefer to avoid your building’s Energy Monster, the elevator.
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Getting started
- When shopping for bikes, consider the design you are looking for and its weight. If you are going to be carrying the bike up stairs you may when a lighter model.
- If you are limited on space, you may want to fork up a little extra change for a foldable bike. These bicycles use light material and are constructed with few resources.
- Want to really go green? Shop for a bike made out of recycled content, like steel bars or aluminum rims. These models may cost more; however, the resources saved from producing new bike parts are quite significant.
- You can lower your carbon footprint by purchasing a bicycle with recycled rubber handles and tires.
- How about the cool bike designs? Custom bicycle paintjobs may cost a lot, but if you paint with a zero or low VOC paint then it’s worth it.
- Before purchasing a bicycle, of course consider the cost, but be aware of your options. There are many different types of bikes out there, even those that are more eco-friendly than others. Do the research before you reach for your wallet.
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Learn More
October 14th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
O!! I’ve always wanted to go to work on a bike.
October 14th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Why can’t we be more like Europe…at least they drive small cars and ride bikes. We ride Hummers.
October 14th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I ride a bike everyday cause its fun and good exercise. Also, cause Lance Armstrong is one of my heros.
October 14th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Had to check out this site after seeing it in the WSJ. This is a nice article, I’m gonna go check out the composting section.
October 14th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
This is a really great idea. If those were available here I would definitely ride more.
October 14th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I love riding my bike around town! I have a beach cruiser with a basket, and it’s so nice to go grocery shopping with it.
October 14th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I can imagine that there would be problems with vandalism with this sort of thing, but hopefully that will stop once the novelty of it wears off.
October 14th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Of course Europe is the first to do something like this. We should definitely try to incorporate more exercise like this into our daily lives here in America.
October 14th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Why do Americans pay way too much money to go to spin classes, yet cringe at the idea of riding a bike to the store?
October 16th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I love this site! The articles aren’t like the articles in other green sites. I want to go buy a bike now.
October 16th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
yet another reason to make the move across the pond…
October 20th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
As Americans, we definitely need to get away from the convenience of the way we live. Convenience isn’t always healthy…just look at our obesity and heart attack rates, they’re going up! So are our stress-levels. That’s not very convenient. I think our country should start promoting exercise in a way that doesn’t involve expensive gym memberships. Biking as transportation would be the perfect start.
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:07 am
I hope people do start riding bikes more. For those people who can’t ride much because of health reasons or something, there’s an e-bike. It’s actually pretty cool. Here’s an article about them, you should check it out.
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/15/electric.bicycles/index.html
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:21 am
I was a little skeptical about the e-bike when I first read about it because it seemed like the lazy way for people to ride bikes. But, because it gives people a little extra boost, I think more people will be willing to bike to work. In the article you posted, a guy mentioned that he rides his e-bike to his work that’s 22 miles away, but would never be able to on a regular bike. I think more people who thinking biking to work is too much work should definitely look into these.
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Maybe if more people biked, the obesity rate in this country would plummet.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Meredith, I definitely think this as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to see people riding on bikes to go to work. I think portland residents do this.
October 28th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
I need to go get a bike when going to work. Sounds like a great idea.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
i ride a bike to school from my house, but it’s only 5 minutes away by car. but with this coming winter, i don’t know if ill ride a bike anymore.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I’ve been to paris before and, it’s true, i’ve seen more bikes there in a day than i have my whole time in the US (of course, highly exaggerated). Riding a bike is a great idea.