Submitted By: Dana Wilson (dsimi@comcast.net)
Challenge
How to get my kindergartener to school without contributing to global warming.
Solution Details
For 2 years my 6 year old daughter and I have biked to school on a tandem bike. It seemed crazy to be taking my SUV to school when we live so close, so we decided to ride. We wanted to do something for our environment and thought biking would be great. What better way to chat and laugh than to ride together. When it rains we carpool. I have taken it a step further showing real estate on bikes! Some clients love it. It is a great way to get to know the neighborhoods. Your green realtor Dana Simi-Wilson.
Benefits & Payback
The average car produces one pound of CO2 emissions per mile, so taking my daughter to school close to two miles each way prevents about 20 miles of driving per week, and roughly 600 pounds of CO2 per year (vs. driving a car). The savings is probably closer to 1000 pounds if I take our truck. It also saves me about $150 in gas costs (for 40 gallons of gas).
This is one of those small things that makes a big difference when a lot of people do it. For instance, if 100 people in Lamorinda took a child to school on a bike (vs. driving) it would prevent 100,000 pounds of CO2 emissions per year and 4000 gallons of gas (vs. an SUV).
The other benefit is that it's great exercise for me and more fun than going to the gym.
Informational Links
Most common models:
- Adams Trail-A-Bike or Adams Shifter (at REI)
- Trek Mountain Train
- Burley Piccolo - highest end
Since families outgrow these, there are many used ones available. One good place to look is craigslist.com.
Bicycle Tag-a-Longs Reviews and Prices
bikeforums.net - for people considering buying a tag-a-long.
