Alternative Energy

Alternative energy news, and information about renewable energy technologies.

May 21

The Bicycle: An Environmental Hero

Posted in Environment and Sustainability | Pedal Power

Bicycle sales have been booming in North America in recent years, with some sources saying high gas prices may be responsible for the trend. Bike shops are reporting high profits, bike lanes are expanding, and the web is exploding with useful blogs and websites designed to help cyclists. A few of our favorites are the Bike Forums, Bikely Routes, and the Bike Tutor. We’d like to see this trend continue as commuting by bicycle saves a lot of money, improves your health, and is probably one of the quickest and most effective ways to reduce carbon emissions!

http://imphatic.com/ Garrett

Actually, walking would be the greenest form of transportation. Since it takes energy and materials to produce a bike.

But, clearly, of the practical forms of transportation that could have a decent wide spread implication, a bike is the most green form of transportation.

Now that I think about it, would walking even be considered a form of transportation. Okay, then I want to change my answer to a skate board…..
http://positivespin.org/ Nick Hein

Good morning,
More importantly than whether bikes are the “greenest” form of transportation, they are sustainable – meaning that their fuel needs (food) can be met while maintaining liveable conditions for humans and all other living things. They do so without contaminating the air or water. If we used human power for all our short trips (<5 miles) we could afford less sustainable vehicles for some of our longer trips. I don’t think anyone really expects us to go completely over to bikes – although saying so is an often-used attack tactic. All we really need to do is use more forethought and grace to our vehicle decisions and how meet our needs to connect in ways that allow us to survive (sustainable) and thrive (which I don’t think anyone has given a name to yet).

Of course, there are ways to use bicycles and still destroy the planet but I don’t want to.
Tommy Sand

I don’t own a car. Instead I own two bikes. One for use in snowy/rainy conditions, and one for dry weather. The latter one being a very high quality mountainbike.
Riding one of those is amazing – it’s fun, energizing, eco-friendly, great for my health, and free. I ride it anywhere, also long trips (25+ miles), every day.

Public transportation and bikes could reduce harmful emissions by a lot.

Go bikes! 🙂