Why Bicycle Racks Are a Sign of Environmental Progress

It’s not uncommon to see bicycle racks around large cities in America. On most college campuses, it’s impossible to go more than a few yards without seeing one. In heavily populated areas, biking is an efficient and cheap way of avoiding traffic jams when getting from point A to point B.

What some don’t realize, though, is just how impactful the increase of biking can be.

Nowadays, many cities have organizations that advocate for bike lanes and other systems that facilitate biking as a safer option for commuters. There’s really no question as to why. Biking is good for your health, great for the environment, and it even decreases traffic congestion. For all these reasons, growing numbers of bike lanes and bicycle racks are signs of positive change and progress.

Driving a 4×4 or SUV causes nearly two tons of CO2 emissions per year. To put that number into perspective, most cars weigh about half a ton. Effectively, by switching to biking, commuters can reduce their carbon footprint so much that the carbon they save can actually weigh as much as three or four cars!

Biking also saves your wallet. When considering gas, maintenance, and parking, bicycling comes out as the clear forerunner when it comes to economically efficient ways to get around. Investing in a good bike, a bike lock, a helmet, and a few other basics may cost a few hundred dollars at most-less than some pay for gas, maintenance, and parking. Bicycling to work is also an incredibly simple way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

To understand how seeing more bicycle racks in an area is a sign of progress, just look to some examples of the systematic increase of biking as an option. In cities such as Paris, New York, and London, companies have improved upon the idea of standard bicycle racks by creating a bike sharing system. Patrons can pick up a bike at one rack and drop it off at another for a commute that would otherwise involved waiting, paying for a cab, and consuming unnecessary fuel.

Forward thinking doesn’t happen all at once-it happens with small changes. Even if it comes down to commuting by bike once per week, the good thing about environmental change is that every small step can make a difference, which is why even seeing one or two more bicycle racks in a city can mean that a big change is in store.

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