Stay Healthy, Save Money and the Environment - Bike to Work

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 10:40

Incorporating cycling into your work week will keep you strong and healthy, save you money and gives the added bonus of being easy on the environment. Environment week in Canada (June 3-6) is coming up soon and we would like to encourage all of you to get on your bikes and ride to work that week!

We all know that cycling has many benefits that include improved muscle tone, increased stamina and reduced stress, but did you realize just how much cycling to work can help save you money? If you currently drive your car to work every day, getting on your bike could help you:

  • Save up to $50 a week on gas 
  • Eliminate parking fees 
  • Lower cost tune-ups for bike and vehicle 
  • Lower your car insurance rates 

Even if you commute only a handful of times, it's better than none at all because:

  • Cycling uses no fuel 
  • Bicycles take a lot less energy to make a than a car 
  • Bikes don't require toxic batteries or motor oil 
  • Cycling significantly reduces transportation emissions and traffic congestion

If you’re still uncomfortable with the idea of riding to work, recruit a friend to ride with you or go for a dry run on the weekend to map out your route to get an estimation of how much time it will take. If you live too far from work, commute for a portion of your trip and keep your bike at a public transportation stop.

Commuting by bike is first and foremost supposed to be fun! There are many reasons people start cycling to work but it’s the daily enjoyment that keep people getting on their bikes day after day.

If you would like more information on cycling to work, check out the included links and resources from the SIRC collection.

References from the SIRC Collection

1. Dewey A. Why Your Business Should be Bicycle Friendly. American Bicyclist [serial online]. July 2009;:9.
Hamilton A. Take heart and bike to work. Cycling Weekly [serial online]. March 2012;:41.
2. Hawkins K. Bikes: The "Green" Machines that are Moving Vancouver toward Sustainability. Bicycle Paper [serial online]. August 2011;40(6):1-8.
3. Panter J, Jones A. Attitudes and the Environment as Determinants of Active Travel in Adults: What Do and Don't We Know?. Journal Of Physical Activity & Health [serial online]. July 2010;7(4):551-561.
4. Shephard R. Is Active Commuting the Answer to Population Health?. Sports Medicine [serial online].

5. Stuart P. Turn your commute into a training ride. Cycling Weekly [serial online]. January 19, 2012;:42-45

Tags: 
SIRC
SIRC Collection
Exercise
work place health promotion
Sustainability
cycling
environment
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Comments

Charlie replied on

For sure! Love the topic! commuting is the best way to be healthy and keep I world heading!

Knoji replied on

In today’s generation, there are many foods and recipes that have been introduced to many people around the world. This is because eating is our endless basic needs to make our body stronger and healthier. However, eating alone doesn’t make all things good especially when we talk about our health. It is very important to consider the foods we eat if these are nutritious or could cause health problems. We are aware that there are many health problems caused by having unhealthy eating as well as unhealthy lifestyle. We can always prevent these diseases if we eat nutritious foods and perform regular exercises. Thank you for this healthy information you have shared on this article. (SHARED TO SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES)

Mark Cruz
STDTestExpress