Blog My Ride
Posted on May 16th, 2008 - 3:30 PM
About the author: Jonathan Shradar is EPA’s Press Secretary.
Of all the days they can pick for bike to work day, they pick one that it is raining. Of course, for two weeks I have been telling my office that I was riding in and they should join me, so I had to follow through.
Giving an impassioned speech during a staff meeting, I even mentioned the three E’s of cycling; protecting the environment, getting some exercise, and benefiting your personal economy. But when it came time to raise your hand if you were riding in… I was still the only one.
It appeared as if I would be riding “alone” if I made the journey, but my word has to be worth more than an excuse to get out of a wet ride to work, so I saddled up and headed to the office.
I live about four miles from work, if that, so my commute is not long anyway but the bike is much faster than taking the bus and depending on how well I obey traffic signals, a bit faster than driving. And this morning in the rain I made pretty good time.
But I didn’t just save time, I got to enjoy the beautiful city I live in. I rode by the Capitol reminding me that the things we do can impact the whole nation and the world. I rode by museums making me think of our role in history and how we will be remembered. And I rode by the IRS reminding me to pay my taxes. Okay so maybe it wasn’t all that great.
The key is that I took a step. I rode my bike to work for one day. I have no idea how much carbon I saved by not driving for ten minutes but one ride will lead to others. That is how change is started anyway, by one act.
What step are you willing to take to do your part? Maybe it is the first ride into work, or is it changing light bulbs. Whatever it is if we are going to truly protect the environment we need individuals to be responsible and change the way we live, one pedal at a time perhaps.
Tags: bike to work
| Permalink | TrackBack
Question of the Week
May 16th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Sorry about the rain, but I imagine the ride. Reminds me of some very scenic bike rides when I lived in Monterey, CA. At this point–I guess I’ll live the Great Bike Day vicariously.
[Reply]
May 16th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Thanks for riding in, Jonathan, despite the rain. I’m going to ride this summer, esp. since I’m lucky enough to have trails all the way and a shower and bike room at the end.
[Reply]
May 16th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
I rode my bike today (every day - rain or shine). I got wet. I smiled as I passed the sign at the gas station showing $4.10 per gallon for regular gasoline. I am dry now, and still happy.
Some ideas that would help: Strong leadership and better transportation and energy policies to develop bicycle infrastructure. Education policy to dispel myths about bike commuting and bike riding. Tax gasoline like cigarettes to help change human behavior.
Jim S.
Environmental Scientist and,
Instructor of Environmental and Safety Programs at a major corporation.
[My commute into New York City: bike, 1 mile/train, 20 miles - time door-to-door, 1 hour]
[Reply]
May 20th, 2008 at 7:55 am
If the view were always this good on the bike trail, I’d ride more often!
[Reply]
May 20th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I live in Southeast Alaska, which is a rain forest (some towns get as many as 200 inches of rain in a year). We have a saying, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.” If we waited for sunny days to do things, we wouldn’t get much done. I actually enjoy my bike commutes better on the misty days, because I don’t overheat on the ride.
[Reply]