Chicago - push is on to bike to work

I waited so long on this article that it is no longer available on the Chicago Sun Times website. Luckily it is still on C.I.C.L.E.

Sign-up begins today for the Bicycle Federation's "Commuter Challenge" for Bike to Work Week June 7-13. Businesses and organizations compete to see who can get the most workers on their bikes.

More than 200 organizations participated in the challenge last year -- a 58 percent increase from the year before, Geraci said. The Federation is hoping this year to
persuade five City Council members to bike to work.

"It's pretty much the only manner of exercise I've ever really stuck with," said Underwood, who also writes freelance articles about biking.

He says it's harder to convince people to bike in the suburbs, but he sees more people trying it. "Gas prices and the green movement are getting people into it," he said.

Oh and if you're moving to Chicago because your fiancee is starting grad school at the University of Chicago, you can't use the weather as an excuse to not bike commute

Borzo said the main objection he hears from people is the weather. "That's because they don't try," Borzo said. "Once you get on a bike and start pedaling, you warm up . . . . People are so fixated on being cold for a minute or two."

just FYI.

Comments

[Jeff]

Hi. Please join the Bicycle to Work! LinkedIn networking group. Members pledge that they will try to ride their bicycle to work or on an errand at least once a week. Although the benefits should be obvious, let me outline them here.

Right now people in the industrialized world are facing two very grave problems: obesity and a growing scarcity of oil. Compounding this problem is the new food shortage brought about, in part, by the conversion of food cropland to bio-fuel crop production. Most people feel powerless to help, but there is one thing that we can do. Ride our bicycles to work.

If everyone would agree to ride their bikes to work one day per week we could cut oil consumption by as much as 10-15%. No one would argue that riding a bike burns more calories than driving the car. Although popular politically right now, most bio-fuels consume more energy than they produce. We would be much better to eat those bio-crops then use our own energy to transport us around.

So spread the word. Make it a movement! Bicycle to work one day a week and do your part to cut back obesity and the overuse of oil and precious cropland.

Just go to my profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreylstevenson and you can click on the group to be included. While you are there, don't forget to ask to link to my network of more than 9,000,000 like-minded professionals. I accept all invitations and look forward to meeting you.

Jeff