May is Bike to Work Month! The Coastkeeper team has joined SANDAG’s Bike to Work Corporate Challenge. As part of the challenge, we’re biking to work and are eligible to win prizes as we enjoy the benefits of bike commuting. How about joining us by biking to work or better yet, getting your whole company to sign up?
- You save money. I calculated that between gas and wear-and-tear on my car, I save about $5 every time I commute by bike. Your savings will depend on how far you commute and what kind of gas mileage you get in your car. I encourage you to do the research and see how much you can save.
- It will help you get in shape. Depending on how much you weigh and how fast you ride, an hour round-trip bike commute can burn around 600 calories. That means you could lose almost a pound a week just from the calories you burn on your commute. And have you seen the great leg muscles on cyclists?
- You’ll reduce your carbon footprint. Last year, Coastkeeper staff avoided huge amounts of air pollution by biking to work. In May alone, we saved 315 pounds of carbon dioxide and 8,670 pounds of carbon monoxide. That’s a breath of fresh air!
- It’s a great excuse to buy new gear. While you bike safely in the daytime with little gear, if you like to shop, commuting is a great excuse to buy new cycling clothing and gadgets. For women, Terry Bicycles has some great options. There are tons of great local bike shops in San Diego, including my friends at Moment Cycle Sport in Liberty Station.
- You’ll be more aware of cyclists next time you’re in a car. Too many cyclists have died in San Diego over the last few years. Sadly, these deaths could have been avoided if both the cyclists and the drivers are aware and respectful of the other’s rights to the road.
