Going for a Sunday drive is so very American, but who says it has to be in an automobile? The fact is that cheap gasoline and big cars have created a really bad habit for most of us: relying on our cars for everything when using our physical beings to move around will often do just fine. Using person power instead of gasoline power will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it's really good for our physical and mental well being.

What You Should Know

• Walking or biking instead of driving reduces air pollution and saves you gas money, but they are also quieter, safer, and cleaner. They lower our dependence on foreign oil imports, provide exercise, reduce stress, contribute positively to the economy, have a minimal impact on the natural landscape, and are more social than driving.
• Walking and biking are both statistically much safer than driving in a car. In fact, 86% more people die in car accidents each year than they do from walking, 50% more than in biking accidents--and 96% of those who died in biking accidents weren't wearing helmets. So if you bike, don't forget your helmet!
• The electric bike industry is one of the fastest-growing transportation markets in the world. That's because it has so many applications--for tourism, police patrols, and senior citizens to name a few.
• Bicycling burns approximately 400 calories per hour. And both biking and walking are lifelong forms of exercise that are not only free but also easy on your joints.
  
• Biking and walking not only reduces air pollution, it also reduces water pollution. That's because every year hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil, antifreeze, and brake fluid drip from our cars and get washed into our waterways, eventually making their way into lakes, and rivers, where they pollute our drinking water and poison our fish and wildlife.
• If you use an electric bike to commute five miles each way, one day a week, instead of driving to work, you'll prevent 515 pounds of CO2 from being emitted every year.
• Walking or biking instead of driving saves on parking, bridge tolls, and car maintenance, in addition to gas. If you go completely without a car you also save on insurance, registration and licenses.

Easy Things You Can Do

• Go for a walk. Walking is a zero-emissions mode of transportation, meaning it's completely pollution-free. Plus, it doesn't cost you a thing. If the weather is nice and the trip is under a mile, walk! You'll be helping your body, your wallet, and the environment.

• Dust off your bike. Forty percent of all automobile trips in the U.S. are two miles or less in length--perfect for a bike ride! Today's cargo baskets are larger and studier than ever making errands easier. Biking reduces stress and allows kids and seniors to be more mobile.

• Commute by bike. Can you bike to work? Over five million Americans do! You'll get a workout, skip traffic jams and parking spot battles and save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in gas and parking costs if you can make it a regular habit. Even biking to work one day a week will reduce your commuting costs by 20%. May is Bike to work Month and May 17th is Bike to Work/School Day, so get in gear and get on your bike!
  

• Bike without breaking a sweat. If you're excited about biking to help the environment but not about showing up at your destination drenched in sweat, consider a rechargeable electric bike. They are like regular bikes but with small, battery-powered motors to give extra power. You can adjust how much power you want to use--if at all--to help with hills or when hauling heavier cargo loads. While electric bikes do use electricity, they emit 99.5 less CO2 than gas-fueled cars. The good news is that electric bikes are available with batteries that are recharged by wind or solar power, check out www.electric-bikes.com for example.

• Travel electrically. Electric bikes are only one type of lightweight electric vehicle (LE ). Electric scooters and one-person electric cars are becoming increasingly popular with commuters. They do use more electricity than electric bikes do, but they also emit much less CO2 than cars. Try www.electric-bikes.com/lev.htm for more information.

• If you must take a taxi...take a pedicab! Many big cities like San Francisco and San Jose now have electric bikes pulling semi-covered passenger trailers. If walking to your destination is not an option, pedicabs are much more fun and environmentally friendly than taxis. For San Francisco, visit: www.sfpedicabs.com and for San Jose, try Tag-Along Pedicab at (408) 297-3915.