For my first post here on the Energy Refuge blog, I thought it would be fitting to start with something that I’m really passionate about in terms of green living.
Cut to a pedal bike.
Cycling epitomizes in many ways the new green mentality: it’s a no-impact form of transport, a great replacement for repetitive workout sessions at the gym and it can save you hundreds of dollars per year. With less than $200 you can gear yourself up (with a second hand bike, which gives you extra green points) and voilà , no more parking tickets, expensive and unreliable public transport and the aggravations that come with it. Of course, the joy of cycling will vary according to the conditions offered by the city you live in, as well as its geography, but once you get into it, you’ll find alternative routes that you didn’t know about and you will also realize that the office is not as far as you thought.
Cycling home from work is a great way to make that daily transition from your professional to your personal self smoother because you have to focus on your body and the landscape around you (as opposed to sitting in traffic stewing over office politics and the work waiting for you the following day). You’ll also find yourself a healthy hobby because, yes, cycling is addictive. But it’s one addiction well worth yielding to.
For the record: The average cost of using a pedal bike in London, England, the city I live in, is about $6 dollars per week, or $288 per year. The underground (subway) sets you back about $2,400 yearly, so there! I’m $2,112 better off, I help the environment, I keep my sanity (has anyone tried driving or using public transport in London? It’s a nightmare!) and you’re getting great legs into the bargain. It’s a total winner.
I am in New York city and commute about 20 miles. I can definitely, use the bike to go to the Metro North train stations, which are far from where I live in the Bronx. But I have no place to leave the bike safely.
New Jersey, does have parking for Bikes in many of the bus and train stations. Namely, Hoboken where it is quite popular to ride a bike to the subway.
I’ve seen in New York City, a lot of people commutting for 90% of their trips. As new york city is like a small apple if you live and work within that tiny island, you can pretty much depend on biking and walking.
Cycling to work is a great idea and the faster it spreads from the metropolis’ to the backwaters (where I live) the better. The cultural and social perception of biking as being a step down from driving has to change. I’m trying to do my little bit at tredzblog.co.uk by providing lots of friendly info and links to help persuade your employer/employees that cycling to work is a no brainer.