| 05/07/2001 | May is Bike Month, Get Out and RideNATIONAL BIKE MONTH STUDY: BICYCLING CAN CUT 3,764 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS PER YEAR IN EACH TYPICAL AMERICAN METROPOLITAN AREA
In its annual proclamation of May as National Bike Month, the League of American Bicyclists announced new findings indicating strong environmental benefits from increasing the number of trips made by bike. If each resident of an American community of 100,000 replaced a car trip with a bike trip just once a month, it would cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 3,764 tons of per year in the community, in metropolitan areas like Altoona, PA, Iowa City, IA, and Yuma, AZ.
The League’s analysis of the potential for CO2 emission reductions from an increase in bicycling in metropolitan areas is based on data from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Federal Highways Administration’s National Personal Transportation Survey. Some 20 pounds of CO2 are emitted per gallon of gasoline used for driving a motor vehicle, according to the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality. For details on the calculations, contact bikeleague@bikeleague.org.
Beyond its enormous potential for reducing air pollution, bicycling has a wide range of benefits for both the individual cyclist and the community at large, including saving money and time, reducing traffic, and improving health and fitness. Biking to work instead of driving can save a small fortune in gasoline. According to the New York Times, AAA now predicts that consumers in many areas will have to pay more than $2 a gallon this summer, which may mean a $20 billion increase in the $125 billion Americans already spend per year on fuel. Bicycling is an ideal solution to the need for moderate physical activity. A 130-pound cyclist burns 402 calories while pedaling 14 miles in an hour. A 180-pound cyclist burns 540 calories while pedaling 14 miles in an hour.
The year 2001 marks the 45th consecutive year that the League has declared May to be National Bike Month. The League is also promoting Bike to Work Week from May 13 - 19 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 18. The League invites communities, corporations, clubs, and individuals to join in sponsoring bicycling activities during the month of May in order to increase awareness and acceptance of bicycling throughout the country.
Visit http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/factsheets.htm to learn how easy it is to make bike commuting a healthy and clean alternative to driving and for other ideas to make bicycling better for you. For more information on Bike Month and to enter your event in the League’s “Best of Bike Month” events competition, visit http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/bikemonth.htm. To learn more about bike commuting or the League, e-mail bikeleague@bikeleague.org or call 202-822-1333.
SARIS, DEALERS AND DISTRIBUTORS SUPPORT THE LEAGUE
To highlight their commitment to bicycle advocacy, Saris, a division of Graber USA, and its dealers and distributors have created a program to generate financial support for the League of American Bicyclists’ advocacy and education programs from the sales of a special edition of the Saris 801 Bones Racks. The company is donating a significant portion of the proceeds from the bike shop sales of the highly rated rear racks to the League, as part of the company’s “Sales to Support Trails” Campaign. For more information on the Saris 801 Bones Rack or other leading Saris and Graber products, visit http://www.sarisproducts.com and http://www.graberproducts.com.
AMTRAK LAUNCHES BIKES-ON-BOARD PROGRAM
On May 5, Amtrak will celebrate the launch of its “Bikes–on–Board” program, providing service for Amtrak riders with bicycles in the Northeast Corridor. With “Bikes-on-Board,” travelers simply roll their bikes into a new specially outfitted baggage car, where a member of the train crew secures the bike in the rack.
Expanding on service already in place on the Vermonter, Adirondack and Ethan Allen trains, Amtrak is adding bicycle carriage on the Twilight Shoreliner(Newport News, VA – Boston). To celebrate this expansion of service, a group of bicyclists will board the Vermonter train in Washington, DC’s Union Station at 7:30 am on May 5th, load their bikes onto the baggage car, and roll off in New York’s Penn Station at 10:55 am in order to ride in the world renowned Bike New York event on Sunday. A media event is planned for Penn Station’s Metro Lounge shortly thereafter.
The Bikes-on-Board program is a product of Amtrak’s partnership with the East Coast Greenway Alliance (ECGA) and the League of American Bicyclists. The ECGA has been working since 1991 to develop the East Coast Greenway, a 2600-mile long trail network for non-motorized users, connecting cities of the eastern seaboard from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida. “We want to be as inviting as possible for people who want to use rail,” said Amtrak Vice-Chair Michael Dukakis. “This is a wonderful opportunity to get people out of their cars and onto trails and trains when they are vacationing. It makes good sense for Amtrak to respond to a growing market for ecotourism and adventure travel.” Added Pat King, ECGA trustee and liaison to Amtrak, “This is just the first step in a long-range plan to it make it easier and more convenient for travelers to bring their bikes on Amtrak trains.”
Elissa Margolin, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists, said, “We’re very excited about Amtrak’s new Bikes-on-Board program and confident it will contribute to the continued growth of commuting and vacation travel by bike. It is particularly appropriate that Amtrak is inaugurating the service during National Bike Month.”
Space for bicycles can be reserved when guests make ticket reservations. Unlike airlines, Amtrak charges only a nominal fee ($5) for reserving a space in the bike rack. Some airlines charge as much as $75 to transport a bicycle – and the airlines require that the bike be broken down and boxed. In the future, Amtrak also plans to expand Bikes-on-Board service to other Northeast Corridor regional service trains where practical. Such expansion could include the Carolinian, which provides service between the ECG cities of Raleigh, Richmond, Washington DC and New York. To make your reservation or for schedules and information, call 1-800-USA-RAIL and ask the reservation agent about traveling with your bike on Amtrak.
THE OVERWEIGHT EPIDEMIC WORSENS AMONG CHILDREN AND TEENS
New findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show a continued increase in the overweight problem of American children and teenagers. The number of overweight children and teenagers nearly doubled during the past two decades. The survey indicates that, in 1999, 13% of children ages 6 to 11 were overweight, up from 11% according to the 1988 to 1994 survey. The number of overweight teens ages 12 to 19 increased from 11 to 14% in the same time period.
"Overweight children are at risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other serious health problems. They are part of an epidemic of overweight and obesity that must be addressed so that they can lead healthier lives," said Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan, Director of the CDC. "This survey provides the critical information we need on overweight, diet and physical activity to help develop the strategies for healthier children and families."
Instead of pointing exclusively to diet, the CDC is also attributing this rise in obesity rates to sedentary lifestyles, poor community design and an unhealthy reliance on the automobile for both children and adults. The CDC is now encouraging people to integrate more bicycling and walking into their daily routines. The CDC also recommends that schools offer more physical education that encourages lifelong physical activity; that urban policymakers provide more sidewalks, bike paths, and other alternatives to cars; and that parents should reduce their children's TV and computer time and encourage outdoor play and activities like bicycling and walking. For details on the CDC study, visit http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r010312b.htm.www.bikeleague.org/
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