Got Bike?

I woke up on Wednesday to grey skies instead of the beautiful baby blue, cloudless skies of the past week, which I had gotten used to. The first thought that flashed through my mind was, “Maybe I should just drive to work today.” I like to think of myself as a bike commuter, preferring two wheels and man (or woman, I should say) power to four wheels and horse power (if I actually had a horse this might be different). Yet that day I found myself craving a comfortable seat and a heating system. In the end, due to guilt, I hopped on my bike and pedaled to work, instantly feeling better. This mornings debate got me thinking; the vast majority of us don’t even consider using alternative transportation. I’ve watched a friend hop in his car to drive to a park about two blocks away to play some basketball. I’ve seen shoppers circle the rows in the Safeway parking lot, waiting for one of the first five spots because spot six would be too far away. And all the while, we wonder why obesity, air pollution, global warming and a myriad of other problems continue to rise!

Every gallon of gas burned produces twenty pounds of carbon dioxide. Asthma rates have increased drastically due to air pollution; most air pollution having been shown to come from vehicles. Not to mention the habitats we have claimed with our roads and highways, viewing road kill as a smelly inconvenience rather than a consequence of our continuous global take over. How would you like a gofer to tunnel three or four exits up through your living room floor? Seeing as pest control companies seem to be doing fine, I would guess most people wouldn’t be big fans.
As if the future of the only world we have is not enough, let’s examine a problem that people seem more concerned with: obesity. America spends ridiculous amounts of money on diet books and pills. Everyone is looking for a ‘quick fix’ to lose weight. Well, that quick fix is sitting in your garage collecting dust (and I certainly don’t mean your new SUV). Why do we only concern ourselves with the intake half of the energy balance equation? Why not consider the output factor? Then, at least, you can still enjoy a cookie once in a while. Plus, you save the gas money, which you can always put towards diet pills if you’re still not convinced about the benefits of exercise. So next time you grab your keys, think about using the one belonging to your bike lock rather than the one belonging to your Bentley.