The Wonders of Biking

Hello Everyone!!

Hopefully you had an exciting month of July considering that August is right around the corner. Most of us understand what August entails...a new session of school. Now how can one go about starting off their school year in the most eco-friendly way possible? By biking to school!

I plan to start off this year right, and by that I mean living a more environmental lifestyle. By biking to school everyday, you will receive countless benefits for not only our Earth, but for ourselves too. Here are some of the many advantages that come with riding a bike...

1. A bicycle has virtually NO carbon footprint. Unfortunately, we generate massive amounts of carbon dioxide which enter our Earth's atmosphere and meddle with the natural balance. Interested in comparing your carbon footprint from before you begin your biking lifestyle with after? Then Click Here.

2. Regular bicycling helps with personal weight management -- new full-time bicycle commuters can expect to lose an average 13 pounds their first year of bicycle commuting if they maintain the same eating habits.

3. Bicycles are a great means to see the world. Ever truly notice the architecture of a building you pass by everyday when you're driving? When you slow down your life, you get a better chance of experiencing every single moment to the fullest. Riding a bike will open your eyes to the little treasures our world offers.

4. Reduces deforestation for planting of rubber plantations and bio-fuel crops, because bicycles use very little rubber and fuel/lubricants. :)

5. Reduces noise pollution -- even without a muffler bikes are quiet, creating a quieter community.

6. Reduces water pollution -- bikes don't drip brake fluid, anti-freeze, transmission fluid, toxic dust, etc.

There are so many more qualities a bike can offer that a car can not. These are only a few of the countless benefits, and if you're interested on reading more on these advantages, then go to the link in the Works Cited section of this blog to check them out! :D

Peace&Love,
Dr. Green T

Works Cited:
Mozer, David. "60+ Benefits (Advantages) of Bicycling." International Bicycle Fund. ThinkHost, 2010. Web. 30 Jul 2010. http://www.ibike.org/encouragement/benefits.htm.

Transportation at Diablo Valley College

During these harsh economic times, it has become pretty difficult to think about how to aid the environment while managing one's wallet. Unfortunately, the fact that many organic grocery store products are more expensive than their cheaper counterparts doesn't help anyone. Not to mention that buying from a fast food chain costs nearly nothing compared to that of a more healthful restaurant. Basically what I'm trying to say is, the environment is truly suffering because of the poor financial situations that have struck our economy.

Nevertheless, it has come to my attention that being environmentally-friendly has not been rejected by all spectrums of America's society. The transportation process to my community college of Diablo Valley College(DVC) has become a lot more earth-conscious these days, yet this result came about not on purpose. Incidentally, the price of gas (which has recently begun to increase again-about $2.19/gallon?!) in addition to the need to save our money the best we can has pushed students to find cheaper means of transportation. Fortunately enough, such means include carpooling, bart, local buses, and even biking.

DVC Nursing Major, Chelsea Thommes, goes as far as to walk to the BART station fom her house, take the BART to Pleasant Hill, then ride the bus to DVC everyday. Her environmental methods are dramatically decreasing her carbon footprint in the long run as well as helping our economy by spending her money on the public transportation.

Chelsea explains that she goes through $35-$40 for a little more than a week on BART PLUS tickets which work for both BART and the local buses. This is quite a save seeing as how DVC student, Erik Granlund, admitted that he pays about $20 per week on his gas alone. This cost doesn't seem much until you add in the $20-$30 per week on car insurance which is another dent in his pocket to spend on transportation. Some great things to think about for those other individuals taking less Earth-conscious ways of traveling to their designated commitments.

For all the information on BART as far as station addresses, arrival & departure times and so on, check out: http://www.bart.gov/. On the other hand, the topic of buses differ between cities, so try going online to find out the bus schedule in your perspective area. It will not only aid the environment, but allow you to take advantage of the opportunities offered to you by your community.

Perhaps a more suitable way of acknowledging one's daily impact on their environment as far as CO2 emissions go is to calculate your Carbon Footprint. Go to http://www.carbonfund.org or http://www.carboncounter.org and take their test. These websites give a great outlook on what you have probably been staying naive to all this time which is how much you are personally affecting the Earth.

Another DVC student, Jordan Zetterbaum (Psychology Major), enlightened me on how he feels the desire to offer rides to other individuals because of the environmental issues that are facing us today. Fortunately, he is willing to pay for his own gas and provide his car to others for nothing more than the simple satisfaction of knowing that he did a good deed for not only his fellow peers, but for the environment as well. Good for you, Jordan! :]

As far as my transportation methods go, I'll either carpool with friends, bike, or drive with the possibility of giving others a ride in the process. All in all, it doesn't take much to help the environment and be financially responsible because there are many opportunities laid before us by our area (BART, local bus routes, bike trails, etc.) that make such a task much easier than it sounds.

Peace&Love, Everyone.
-Dr Green T