Eco-Biking

Great things happen when you put on a helmet and start pedaling. You save on gasoline, wear and tear on your vehicle, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution while helping your body through a good cardio-workout. Bike, and know you’re promoting one of the most sustainable forms of transportation and health. Within the realm of biking, there are steps you can take to shave off more and more of your eco footprint.

• Do Your Homework on Durability. If you’re in the market for a bike, think about this: the manufacturing footprint for a cheap bike with a short lifespan is on par with a bike built to last, and in the long-run you’ll save on materials and energy, not to mention the gas you end up using when the bike is broken and have to drive Owning a good bike that will last doesn’t have to be expensive. Check online bulletin boards like Craigslist (www.craigslist.com), www.freecycle, yard sales and thrift shops. Also ask around at bike shops for used cycles.
• Maintain The Health of Your Bike. Store your bike inside or covered and keep it clean, which can extend its life more than 10 times, experts say. Whenever possible, consider repairs versus replacement. Taking measures like using patching cement instead of buying a new inner tube saves on costs and stress on the environment from manufacturing, packaging and shipping.
• Little Things Make a Difference. Don’t over-lubricate chains, experts advise, so that you aren’t wasting resources and contributing to leakage onto pavement, which ends up as a pollutant in streams and waste water systems. Avoid use of aerosol cans which are problematic from manufacturing intensity through disposal.