, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

So it’s “Bike to Work Week”… 5/12-5/16 – If you haven’t already put down the car keys and started to “Go By Bike,” What are you waiting for?

I bike – it’s easy here –  and here’s what I figure – if I can do it, and my first grade son can do it – (rain or shine, all year around) why can’t we get a few others of you out there doing it? I’m talking about those of us that live 5 or 6 miles away from our work place. Give it a try during the seasonable weather – or maybe just once a week… I have to say I’ve had some pretty great conversations with my son on our morning rides – that alone is worth it. I know biking isn’t the only answer and it may not be a realistic option all the time for everyone. This is a call to those of you that could but choose not to.

I’ve been keeping track of my commuting miles this year ( since Jan 17, 08 – to be exact) – here’s where it stands:

763.5 mi as of 5/12/08

Here’s some more figures based upon my car’s rated est. 22 mpg:

Avoided using: 34.70 ga of gas
Saved: ~ $121
Kept over three times my body weight of carbon out of the air  – 678.76 lbs CO2 offset.

You can find more about how to figure your emissions factors here: http://www.epa.gov/autoemissions. My figures are based upon the emission factors of 19.56 lbs CO2 / gallon of gas – from the EPA . The tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks account for almost a third of the air pollution in the United States.  – source

Drive less.  It’s really pretty simple.

Here’s another interesting fact, this year, I have had to purchase about 45 gallons of gas for a total of $150.36. This by the way means about 890.30 lbs of carbon alone have come out of my tailpipe among other not so great things to breath.

Right now we’re lucky perhaps – we still have the opportunity to choose. Do what you can. We all breath the same air.