Dear Jen,
Good for you for being the advocate in your workplace to put the power to the pedal, Jen. Better than an onslaught of statistics, the trick to getting hooked on biking to work is to make a goal of trying it just once. That's all it takes to learn how easy and fun it is to get around, and doing it as a group for Bike to Work Day is just the ticket. June is Bike to Work month in Colorado. June 24th-30th is Bike to Work Week, and the big day, Bike to Work Day, is June 28th (always the fourth Wednesday in June in Colorado). Bike to Work Day is an effort by cities, counties, transportation planners, community organizations and others across the state to educate commuters about the benefits of using two wheels to get to work instead of four.
There are a host of great reasons to get out of the car and onto a bike, not the least of which is that in a car you're burning gasoline that is increasingly expensive, polluting, imported, and a non-renewable resource that some are willing to kill for. By contrast, on a bike you're burning fat, which is cheap, clean burning, very locally produced, in my case renewable, and to date there have been no wars over fat supplies.
Here in the U.S., encouraging commuters to try biking, walking, or alternative transportation for even one day of the work week is critical since we are more car crazed than any other country. According to the Worldwatch Institute, the average car in the U.S. travels 10 percent more per year than a car in the U.K., about 50 percent more than one in Germany, and almost 200 percent more than one in Japan. The total distance traveled by Americans exceeds that of all other industrial nations combined. Our cars and light trucks contribute about as much to climate change as the entire Japanese economy-the world's fourth-largest carbon emitter.
Bike to Work Day is a great opportunity for us to see what it's like to kick the car habit, get a free breakfast out of the deal, and join thousands of bikers throughout the region (18,000 last year, according to the Denver Regional Council of Government) in making our region the most biker friendly in the state.
To fully participate in Bike to Work Week and Day and to take the Bike to Work Day Commuter Challenge, go to DRCOG's website at www.drcog.org/btwd2006/ to register as an individual or as a work group. While you're there, find out about prizes you're eligible to win, locate stations that will be serving a free breakfast to participants the morning of the 28th, and connect with resources for route planning, bike safety and more.
City of Boulder residents should visit www.goboulder.net for the GO Boulder program signup and access to maps, safety information and a calendar of events. In the city of Longmont, go to www.ci.longmont.co.us/planning/maps for maps of trails and bikeways throughout the City of Longmont. If you're commuting to Denver, check out the U.S. 36 Regional Bike Map at www.us36tmo.org. For those combining rides and looking for information on bus bike racks and bike permits for light rail, visit RTD's Bike-n-ride site at www.rtd-denver.com.
There are too many great Walk and Bike to Work Week events going on from now until the end of the month to list here-including $10 bike tune-ups at the Boulder Farmers' Market, group rides, bike swaps, silent auctions, and entertainment galore-so visit the DRCOG or GO Boulder websites for all the happenings or drop by the Walk and Bike to Work Week information booth at the Boulder Farmer's Market today or next Saturday.
Hopefully that'll get them going, Jen, and once they get started they'll never forget how to do it. It's just like...riding a bike.
