In corporate real estate buzzwords like Sustainability, LEED, and Workplace are all the rage, and for good reason. We all care about the environment in which we live and work. New approaches and technologies allow us to alter our workplace for the better (unless you miss your private office!) and help protect the environment. So, we are on our way to having the destination covered, but what about the commute….
Although many of us are driving cars with greater fuel economy than ever, I still think we are miles from where we need to be as a commuting public. If we choose to drive cars to work everyday we aren’t moving the needle. In my opinion, the environmental cost of building even the greenest cars (and disposing of their batteries) is not the most sustainable practice.
So I Started to Ride to Work…
For the last six months I have been trying to ride my Trek Allant to work one day a week, usually on Fridays. But if I had a meeting scheduled I didn’t ride, until today. Today I had two meetings scheduled, one with a prospective client. I had my reservations about riding because I couldn’t wear a suit, but neither of the peole I met with minded the casual attire a bit. I felt really good about not starting my car today and getting a lot of work done to boot. I was inspired enough to write this blog and I am now going to try and ride to work two days a week!
For those of you that know me well, I cycle more than the average person, but my total mileage today was less than 18, mostly flat, miles. Anybody in reasonable shape can do it. Riding a couple times a day is an excellent way to break up the day and is awesome for you physically and mentally. I must admit that it helps to live only 4 miles from the office, which is one of the choices one can make to limit commute time. For those of you that need some inspiration there are some great resources at biketoworkinfo.org.
Enjoy the Commute… The best part of the day is the ride home. Driving a car at rush hour is not a great way to the end the day. Riding allows you to relax, take in all of the beauty around you, and enjoy the sunset. My ride home takes about 15- 20 minutes and puts me in a great mood to greet the wife and children.
