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In an era where climate change and environmental degradation pose significant threats, it becomes increasingly crucial to explore sustainable alternatives for transportation. Bicycling is not only an efficient means of getting around but also offers numerous environmental benefits. This blog delves into the positive impacts of biking on the environment, highlighting how choosing two wheels over four can contribute to a greener, cleaner, and more sustainable future! 

Reduces Carbon Footprint

Bicycles are a zero-emission mode of transportation, releasing no harmful greenhouse gases (GHGs) during operation. In contrast, traditional automobiles are a major contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, a primary driver of climate change. By opting for biking instead of driving short distances, individuals can significantly reduce their carbon footprint, contributing to mitigating climate change.

Decreases Air Pollution

As bicycles rely on human power, they don't emit air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). In urban areas with high vehicular traffic, these pollutants can have severe health impacts, including respiratory and cardiovascular problems. By choosing biking, we can help alleviate air pollution levels, enhancing air quality and promoting better health for ourselves and our communities.

Conserves Energy

Compared to the energy-intensive process of manufacturing and maintaining automobiles, producing bicycles requires far fewer resources. The energy required to manufacture a single car can produce dozens of bicycles. Additionally, the energy needed to operate a bike is solely human-generated, making it a highly efficient mode of transportation. By cycling, we conserve energy and decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, which are finite and environmentally damaging.

Preserves Natural Spaces

Expanding road networks and increased urbanization often result in the destruction of natural habitats and ecosystems. Bicycling promotes the conservation of these spaces by reducing the need for additional road infrastructure and parking lots. By creating bike-friendly cities with dedicated cycling infrastructure, we can preserve green spaces and encourage biodiversity within urban environments.

Reduces Noise Pollution

The constant rumble of engines and traffic noise generated by motor vehicles can significantly impact our well-being and disrupt ecosystems. Bicycles, on the other hand, produce minimal noise, promoting quieter and more peaceful surroundings. By choosing biking over driving, we can contribute to a more tranquil environment for ourselves and the communities we inhabit.

The environmental benefits of biking are immense! By choosing bicycles over motor vehicles, we can significantly reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, conserve energy, protect natural spaces, and decrease noise pollution. Embracing cycling as a means of transportation not only benefits the environment but also contributes to our overall health and well-being. So, let's grab our helmets, hop on our bikes, and pedal our way towards a greener and more sustainable future. 

For more information on biking in Bellevue, check out our website! There you can find access to Bellevue bike maps, how-to videos, custom commute signups, and much more! 

-Choose Your Way staffer Jake

Sources: 

https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions 
https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/air-quality-and-health/health-impacts/types-of-pollutants 
https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/community-development/environmental-stewardship/climate-change
https://slate.com/technology/2011/08/how-soon-does-a-bike-pay-back-its-initial-carbon-footprint.html
https://www.environmentalscience.org/roads
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/38/8/550/3056923?login=false

Biking is a fun and healthy activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including children. Introducing your kids to cycling at a young age can help them develop healthy habits and a love for outdoor activities that will last a lifetime. However, teaching your children to ride a bike and keeping them safe on the road can be a challenging task. Here are some tips to help you introduce your children to the joys of cycling.

 
Start with a balance bike

A balance bike is a small bicycle with no pedals, designed to help children learn balance and coordination. It is a great tool for introducing your child to cycling, as it allows them to focus on the basic skills of balancing and steering without the added complexity of pedaling. Once your child has mastered the balance bike, they can easily transition to a regular bike with pedals.

Invest in the right equipment

When it comes to biking with kids, safety is a top priority. Make sure your child has the right equipment, including a properly fitted helmet, front and back lights, gloves, and comfortable shoes. You should also invest in a good quality bike that is the right size for your child. A bike that is too big or too small can be dangerous and uncomfortable to ride. To ensure a comfortable fit for your child, you can request a bike fitting by a trained staff at one of Bellevue or the surrounding region’s many bike shops. 

Teach basic road safety and bike security

Before hitting the road, teach your child basic road safety rules, such as always wearing a helmet, riding in the same direction as traffic, using hand signals to indicate turns, and stopping at stop signs and traffic lights. You should also teach your child to be aware of their surroundings and to look out for potential hazards, such as cars, pedestrians, and other cyclists. Go here for a link to Washington state bike laws and safety tips. Also, teach your child how to minimize the likelihood of bike theft. Go here for instructions. 

Start with easy rides

When introducing your child to cycling, start with easy rides on quiet streets or bike paths. This will help build your child's confidence and help them get used to riding in different environments. As your child becomes more comfortable on the bike, you can gradually increase the length and difficulty of the rides. The Bellevue Bike Map is a great resource to see what the streets and trails are like near you! 

Make it fun

Biking with your child should be a fun and enjoyable experience for both of you. Try to make the rides fun by planning a route that includes interesting sights, such as a park or a playground. You can also pack a picnic and stop for a break along the way. Encourage your child to set goals and challenge themselves, but also be sure to celebrate their accomplishments along the way.

This week is also The Spring 2023 Bellevue SchoolPool Challenge!, which involves a student art contest. Students at participating Bellevue schools are encouraged to use the modes mentioned above to get to and from school, and draw a picture of their trip. Drawings may be selected to be used for future SchoolPool promotions. Click here to see if your school is participating, and if so, watch for the student art contest flyer in your child’s backpack.

Choose Your Way staffer- Jake

Sources:

WSDOT

Washington Area Bicyclists Association 

With the March Service Change right around the corner, you’re probably wondering how bus routes running through and out of Bellevue will be different? Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s coming, starting on March 18.

KING COUNTY ROUTES

• ROUTE 245
  • The Houghton P&R will permanently close on March 18 and Route 245 will no longer serve stop 72314 inside the park–and–ride or operate on 116th Ave NE. Route 245 will operate on NE 70th Pl and serve a new westbound stop on NE 70th Pl just west of 116th Ave NE, stop #72311.

SOUND TRANSIT ROUTES

• ST 550
  • Schedule times will be adjusted to improve on-time performance.
• ST 566
  • Schedule times will be adjusted to improve on-time performance.

For a full breakdown of the March Service Change, you can check out both King County Metro’s and Sound Transit’s pages on the matter.

- Choose Your Way staffer Jake

Sources: Sound Transit and King County Metro

Have you ever wanted a personal, written guide for you to get from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible? We are here to help! If you want to commute into, out of or within Bellevue using a non-drive-alone mode, we’re the one-stop transportation shop for you. Our services include:

• Transit
  • We’ll provide you with a detailed stop-by-stop commute, listing bus routes that will make your travel the most efficient as possible. Often, we utilize the King County Metro Trip Planner to provide the most up-to-date information on routes and revisions.
• Carpool/Vanpool
  • We’ll give you resources to start a carpool or vanpool using our Choose Your Way Bellevue portal to the RideshareOnline regional ridematching service, or, the Choose Your Way Bellevue Vanpool Widget.
• Biking
  • We’ll help you with using resources like the Choose Your Way Bellevue bike map, which you can download here, and Google Maps.
• More Resources
  • Not only will we give you a detailed commute plan, we’ll also provide you with links and resources for better commuting. This includes access to non-drive-alone information on our website, details on using RideshareOnline, how ORCA works and more!

Of course, remember that you can always go to www.ChooseYourWayBellevue.org and click on a transportation mode to learn more about it.

-Choose Your Way staffer Jake

It’s App Time!

If you were ever wondering what it would be like to use the brand new Choose Your Way Bellevue app, “Commuter Carl” is here to help! In this blog post, we’ll dive into a week of commuting and how our brand-new app can help you with all of your Bellevue transportation needs:

Monday
•    Carl needed to take the bus to his hybrid job, so he pulled out his handy dandy app, selected “Actions” on the lower left, and clicked on the Puget Sound Trip Planner to plug in his origin, destination and timing information of find his bus route.
        
 



 
Then he used One Bus Away to find out when his bus would come!

Tuesday
•    Carl wanted to see what biking options were available to him, so clicked on Modes in the bottom menu and selected Bike. After scrolling down just a tiny bit, he saw a link to the most recent Bellevue Bike Map! He pulled up the map by clicking Download, and scrolled around to where he needed to go. This allowed him to successfully maneuver through Bellevue by learning where the city’s bikeways and lower-volume streets were located.

    
Wednesday
•    Carl was curious what carpooling tools were available to use in Bellevue. So he clicked on the bottom menu’s Modes icon again and then clicked “Share the Ride .”
•    By scrolling down just a little, he found the Choose Your Way Bellevue for ridematching, and an infographic telling him how to find a ridematch in the regional RideshareOnline system! He was able to find a carpool to his workplace to try out by the following Wednesday! 
      
Thursday
•    Carl works from home and checks on the status of the homepage thermometer, excited to know that he is doing his part to reach our goals
 

  
Friday
•    As Carl walks, he logs his trips for the week. With a single click he reaches the Choose Your Way Bellevue portal to RideshareOnline by clicking the “Log Trips” icon on the upper right of the app. He hadn’t logged trips in a while so he had forgotten his password, but it was easy to reset it using the app because RideshareOnline is mobile optimized.
      
 


 
•    Once he reset his password, he got busy doing something else and closed the app. Fortunately, his phone kept him logged in. So when he clicked on the app’s calendar icon again, he was immediately taken to the RideshareOnline home page/dashboard. With a click of the blue “Log Trips” button, he was off and running!

    
•    He now knows that he has an easy way to qualify for Choose Your Way Bellevue Rewards for using modes other than solo driving, which he also knows helps ease strain on the transportation system. So handy!
 
These are just a few reasons why you should be like Commuter Carl, and download the Choose Your Way Bellevue app today, available on the App Store and Google Play!
 
-Choose Your Way staffers Alex and Jake