by Larry Lagarde

Bike Tour Video
This is the latest bike tour video from the bicycling duo that are the Riding for Climate USA team (David Kroodsma & Bill Bradlee). Currently, they're in Wisconsin and are riding westward toward Minnesota, South Dakota and points beyond.



Along their tour, the riders have spread word that global, potentially catastrophic, environmental change is coming; yet, there are tangible steps that anyone can take now that are cost effective and will make a difference.

Given how the riders have been able to juggle riding across the continent with speaking engagements, interviews with members of the media and rides with local politicians and community activists along their route, this has to be one of the best planned, non commercial bike tours I've witnessed.

For more about this bike tour for environmental and climate awareness or to learn more about steps that you can take to reduce carbon emissions from your lifestyle, visit Ride For Climate USA.

Labels: Ride_for_Climate

On Sunday, I reported that the Ride for Climate bike tour is raising awareness of steps that individuals can take to reduce carbon emissions now. Among the steps being suggested were increasing the use of bicycles for transportation as well as the use of Energy Star rated appliances. Given that bicycles are humanity's most efficient form of land transportation, I was wondering why bikes are not included in the Energy Star program.

Energy Star is a labeling program that was introduced in 1992 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging use of energy-efficient products. Although there are Energy Star ratings for products from dish washers to roofing materials, there is no category for transportation. Considering that transportation vehicles are among the greatest producers of greenhouse gases and other forms of pollution, it's disappointing that vehicles are left out of the Energy Star program and here's why.

The EPA rates motor vehicles for miles per gallon but a mpg rating is only part of the story. What about the energy consumed to create motor vehicles, the huge caloric consumption motor vehicles require, the heat & chemical pollution generated by burning all those calories and the poisoning of food stuffs and ground water caused by the chemical pollutant that motor vehicles generate (both while the vehicles are in use and after the life cycle when the vehicles are discarded and in a landfill somewhere)?

Studies by various researchers have proven that there are many reasons to encourage bicycle usage. Just look at the following examples.

Dr. Marcia Lowe's figures of energy consumed per passenger mile (as published in "The Bicycle: Vehicle for a Small Planet" (Worldwatch Institute, 1989)

Calories Burned Per Mile Of Travel:
Automobile (1 occupant) - 1,860
Transit Bus - 920
Transit Rail - 885
Walking - 100
Bicycling - 35

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Study Comparing the efficiency of various modes of transportation for the US Department of Defense:

Transportation Efficiency Comparisons
Means of Transportation	Load Capacity	Daily Range	Speed	Daily Fuel Requirements
Walking	50 pounds	25 miles	@ 3 MPH	3 lbs. MRE for rider 24 lbs. H2O for rider
Bicycling	50 pounds	75 miles	@ 10 MPH	3 lbs. MRE for rider 24 lbs. H2O for rider
Horseback	100 pounds	100 miles	@ 15 MPH	40 lbs. Hay 150lbs. H2o 3 lbs. MRE for rider 24 lbs. H2O for rider
Motorcycle	100 pounds	300 miles	@ 40 MPH	55 lbs. Gas ? oil + pumping/storage Equipment 3 lbs. MRE for rider 25 lbs. H2O for rider
5-Ton Truck	10,000 pounds	300 miles	@ 40 MPH	710 lbs. Dsl. ? oil + pumping/storage Equipment 3 lbs. MRE for rider 25 lbs. H2O for rider
Armored Personnel Carrier	10,000 pounds	240 miles	@ 30 MPH	1,234 lbs. Dsl. ? oil + pumping/storage Equipment 3 lbs. MRE for rider 25 lbs. H2O for rider

For a dizzying variety of stats that demonstrate the growing & dangerous impact of fossil fuel consumption, visit the Transportation Energy Data Book, a project of the US Dept. of Energy. Another interesting resource I found is the Victoria Transport Policy Institute's Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis or for something a bit less scientific and at times amusing, try Mrk.'s 469 and counting.... Reasons We Must Eliminate Automobiles.

Labels: bicycle_efficiency, bike_stats, Energy_Star, Ride_for_Climate

by Larry Lagarde

Yesterday, global warming experts David Kroodsma and Bill Bradlee embarked on the Ride for Climate USA, a bike tour to raise awareness of global warming. As did Paul Revere over 200 years ago, David & Bill started their ride from the steps of Boston's Old North Church but they're riding much further, pedaling 5,000 miles around the USA.

Along the bike tour, David and Bill are making time to speak at presentations about global warming, encouraging everyone they meet to reduce fossil fuels usage and promoting workable suggestions for doing so. Among the solutions they propose are driving more fuel efficient motor vehicles, exchanging incandescent light bulbs with more efficient fluorescent or LEDs, using energy star rated appliances and commuting to school or work by bicycle.

David & Bill are encouraging locals in communities along their route to host events that tie into the theme of their tour. This afternoon, the Northampton Cycling Club hosted 2 group rides to welcome the cyclists into Amherst, MA. Tomorrow, there will be a private global warming presentation at an Amherst area school followed later in the day by a public presentation at Amherst's First Congregational Church. The presentations will include stories and photos from the Ride for Climate: The Americas, the 15,000 mile international bike tour David just completed from California to the tip of South America.

For more about the Ride for Climate USA bike tour including news updates or suggestions how you can help or participate, visit RideForClimate.com.

Labels: bicycle_advocacy, bike_tour, climate_change, Ride_for_Climate