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I'm a soon to be graduate student who will be working at a National Lab in a few weeks. I'm thinking about bike commuting for the summer (~25 miles each way) just to say I did it and because I have the opportunity. I ride enough now that this is not a lofty goal. The thing is, though, I may be doing more 'environmental harm' than good. A coworker has offered to pick me up in his car each day, so that is an option. The question is, carpool or bike? My heart says bike, my head says I'll be eating more food and actually using more oil by biking (food gets on my table with oil and my coworker will be burning his car-oil anyway). Thoughts?
Oh and one interesting tidbit, due to the traffic biking only takes about a half hour longer.
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Yeah, that's a bit of a pickle. Since your friend will be driving anyway, you won't be saving much oil by biking. On the other hand, there's the health issue - biking 25 miles is great cardio excercise. As for the extra food, I wouldn't worry about it. Each truck-load hauls several thousand pounds of food, so the little extra you consume won't make much difference.
Got to agree with AlanK. But if you've really got to worry about the slight amount of extra fuel that food deliver would cost, try to do some of your shopping at a local farmers market. Local food takes less fuel to get to your door.
ride some days, carpool others.
25 miles each way is a long way to commute 5 days a week, especially if your work is demanding. You may lose interest altogether.
if you feel strongly enough about it, get a job closer to home.
Ride, but have you're co-workers phone number handy. A half-century everyday is a lot of riding.
I'd probably look at riding 3 days a week.:)
You're going to be working at Argonne? Why not take the Metra to Lemont? Getting across the canal is a little crap but after that it's just a few miles to the lab.
Ride, but have you're co-workers phone number handy. A half-century everyday is a lot of riding.
I'd probably look at riding 3 days a week.:)
I think that's what I'm leaning towards doing. He already said that would be OK.
This is only a ten week gig, so I'm looking at it as more of an adventure than anything else (then I'll be back to my measely 7 mile commute :)). If I had a permanent job 25 miles away I think I'd move closer or get a folder and do some public transit, too.
[. . . . ]
(food gets on my table with oil and my coworker will be burning his car-oil anyway). Thoughts?
OTOH, the truck that brings your food will be burning fuel anyway.
Good grief, a few mouthfuls of food is not going to melt the Greenland icecap! Ride your bike if it's more fun and challenging. Carpool if you want to have a summer you'll never remember. :)
Carpool some days but try to talk to your friend into riding with you occasionally.
As far as gas usage, I think it's a wash- if you eat more, then more gas will be used to stock the store where you buy groceries. If you ride in the car, it'll use more gas. Adding 150lbs to the weight of a car is enough to raise the vehicle+passenger weight by 2%-5%, which probably means reducing gas mileage by 1%-4%.
The question is, carpool or bike? My heart says bike, my head says I'll be eating more food and actually using more oil by biking (food gets on my table with oil and my coworker will be burning his car-oil anyway). Thoughts?
Good Grief!
In terms of total oil use, the food you get might cost some oil and the extra shower you take will cost some oil (or gas), but on the other hand, if you don't cycle, the cardiac operation you'll get in 20 years will cost A LOT more oil in medical supplies, taxis you'll then need after the operation, etc.
Good Grief!
Hey that's what I said!! I like the way your mind works...
Good grief, a few mouthfuls of food is not going to melt the Greenland icecap!
OTOH, the truck that brings your food will be burning fuel anyway.
Good grief, a few mouthfuls of food is not going to melt the Greenland icecap! Ride your bike if it's more fun and challenging. Carpool if you want to have a summer you'll never remember. :)
And that's what they said about the automobile in the early 20th century. A few cars polluting is like throwing a candy wrapper into the ocean -- in the bigger picture, it doesn't mean anything.
But, once you have millions and billions of people throwing their candy wrappers in the ocean, then we have a problem...so, does it sound foolish now?
i agree, the health benefits are good--but i'd do it 2-3 times weekly, at least at first.
as mentioned above, your body in the car will make the car get worse gas mileage. I'd say more so than the effect of getting food to your table.
The "best" option is grow all of your own food, or ride your bike to locally grown farmers markets AND ride ur bike to work.
Hey that's what I said!! I like the way your mind works...
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