why I ride a bike - reason #1 - it's good for the planet

There are so many reasons why I like to ride a bike as my principal form of transportation. And there's really no pecking order to my reasons; they are all equally important to me every time I put my butt in the saddle and start pedaling somewhere. So, because I was reminded just yesterday of one very important reason, I'm going to start this series with that very reason:

RIDING A BICYCLE IS GOOD FOR THE PLANET



Yesterday, I joined judy b. and approximately 1,000 protesters at the corner of Broadway & Divisadero to remind President Obama that the Keystone XL Pipeline is NO solution to our energy crisis and downright BAD for the environment. Plain and simple.



Just days after the horrific photos of the pipeline spill in Arkansas were released, I pedaled to the top of this hill in the chic neighborhood of Pacific Heights where Obama supporters paid $32,500 a plate for dinner at the Getty mansion. I felt a sense of pride that no petroleum products brought me to the protest against the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline. It was just me and my bicycle, and my own energy fueling my ride.



I know where my fuel comes from. It comes from the food that I eat and my own personal commitment to creating a better world for me, my community and future generations of humans, animals, plants and other forms of life.



By choosing to ride a bike instead of driving a car, you're creating fewer carbon emissions, and you're not using fossil fuels, whose production, distribution and consumption all contribute to the destruction of the environment. So do the right thing! Even if you start small! Start by making one trip per week by bike instead of using a car. Then make two trips per week by bike. You'll notice a few things - your gas bill will go down considerably, and you'll ride with pride in knowing that you are less dependent on dirty oil.