Bike for a Better Future

Upon my hours of wandering through the world wide web, I stumbled upon the 2 Mile Challenge hosted by Clif Bar. Basically it's calling people all over the world to join hands and start a...I mean ride their bikes instead of driving. There are some pretty interesting statistics - apparently 40% of trips taken are less than 2 miles and 90% are taken by car. If we make the effort to reduce our short trips by riding a bike instead then we could reduce carbon emission by 25 million tons a yr. That's a lot.

Personally I'm advocate of biking instead of driving. It's so much more fun, promotes activity, and is very green. Actually being able to do it, takes some effort. For one you have to change your comfortable habits, and second you have to face the weather. The first thing will take time, but can be done once you figure out how to make bike trips efficient and effortless for you. Going on bike rides used to take me 30 mins to get ready for, but now I can be out the door in less than 10. The weather is another beast. Especially living in a hot/humid city like Houston. The Summer is brutal and unforgiving. The Spring and Fall are short and sweet. The Winter isn't bad, but few Houstonians know how to exercise in the cold.

Sometimes weather is just a mental hurdle you have to man-up and jump over, but there are legitimate occasions where a car is needed. Examples include grocery shopping day and avoiding getting your work clothes dirtied in the commute day, which is coincidentally every work day. Of course if you have the means to get around these hurdles - a big basket on your bike/not that many groceries or a shower close to your work place - then you should definitely consider buying a commuter or hybrid bike. I think you will find that the feel good result of riding a bike outweighs the comfort of the car and is totally worth changing your habits.

Anyway, check out the 2 mile challenge. Clif bar is donating money to 3 charities that help advocate and work towards bike riding for all. You can pick the one you like best, sign up, and log your miles to help that charity win even more money.

I joined the Red Team.