Eco-Living: Do the bike thing

Published on Saturday 7 June 2008 01:31

Good for the environment, cheap and excellent exercise… so what's stopping you?

THE back wheel is making an odd squeaking noise. I don't have a reflective vest or jacket. The battery in the front light has run down. If you're looking for an excuse not to cycle, you've come to the right place. I've spent the last few months conjuring up endless reasons not to venture into the shed, dust off the bike and hit the road. Why? Sheer laziness. Or, rather, the mental block that comes from knowing it takes a bit of time to build up cycling fitness. Those first few journeys, where you can't decide whether the pain in your calves, lower back or saddle region is worse, are enough to make a would-be cyclist quit before she's even begun.

But the winds of change are blowing. A house move that will leave me three miles from the nearest village means that nipping to the shops for the paper is no longer quite so viable on foot. A bike, on the other hand, would make light work of the journey. And what better time to get back in the saddle than Bike Week? This UK-wide campaign runs from this Saturday until June 22 (www.bikeweek.org.uk) and features some fantastically motivating language, describing itself as "a national celebration of freedom". The open road will be reclaimed for two wheels instead of four, and "cycling will be shown to help focus minds on the environment, enabling us to reduce our carbon footprint by reducing car usage and enjoying the great outdoors".

Suddenly I have images of an Enid Blyton-style family, gently weaving through lush summer countryside, stopping only to admire birdsong or enjoy lashings of pop. Of course, anyone who has ever tried cycling in a city or on a busy A-road will tell you the life of a cyclist is not always so rosy. But it is exceedingly green. First, cycling is the most energy-efficient form of transport (for the same amount of effort, you can go five times faster than walking). Unlike planes, trains and automobiles, cycling produces zero CO2 emissions (we will not include the laboured panting as you go uphill – the fuel you are using to power the journey effectively consists of food which absorbed CO2 while growing). So why are only 2% of the journeys we make in Scotland done by bicycle (compared to 27% in Holland)?

I would suggest that laziness, too many hills, bad weather, concerns about safety, lack of showers and bike stands at workplaces are all factors. But in health terms, cycling is a no-brainer: according to Cycling Scotland: "People who use the bicycle as a mode of transport on a regular basis are ill 50% less than those who always drive, and on average enjoy the health of someone ten years younger."

Cycling is the cheapest form of transport after walking, so with fuel prices rising, maybe the one in four car journeys that are less than two miles long might soon stand a chance of being completed by bike instead.

But are bikes really all sweetness and light? If we want to nit-pick, we could point out that steel, aluminium, carbon-fibre and titanium bike frames all use considerable energy in the manufacturing process. If you've got the budget, you might want to consider a bamboo bike (2,000, www.bikebamboo.com), an update on a model that was all the rage in the 1890s, and which is made from a genuinely sustainable resource (the fastest-growing plant on earth).

But really, the pluses far outweigh the minuses – bikes don't require an MOT, road tax, breakdown cover or fuel bills; they'll get you fit and seem the obvious choice for short journeys. Which is why I'll be getting straight back on to mine, just as soon as I get that squeaky wheel fixed.

Win bikes for the family

For the chance to win bikes for two adults and two children plus helmets and other equipment, see this week's 16-page Bike Week supplement inside Scotland on Sunday.

Clean up your act

If you're not saving the world by recycling your (empty) Rioja bottles, you're making sure your eggs are free-range and your chicken is organic. But have you considered what you put on your head?

"Just as you do with the foods you buy, it is important to read the labels on your beauty products," says http://bedoctor.blogspot.com.

They advise giving anything containing mercury, lead acetate, formaldehyde, toluene, petroleum, ethlyacrylate, coal tar and potassium a body swerve. "These toxins have not only been proven to be unsafe for human use, but some are also harmful to the environment.

The actress Kate Hudson was so concerned about the issue, she developed her own range of eco hair care products. Most of us don't have the same luxury, however. So what can we do? One brave blogger has decided to go without: "Seven days in and still not the faintest drop of shampoo has touched my scalp." exclaims http://theblogtometrist.blogspot.com.

"Dirty hair also helps the environment by absorbing more air pollution," alleges http://fabulously brokeinthecity.blogspot.com. But for those of a slightly less scruffy disposition, http://witchbabygirlpower.blogspot.com suggests washing your hair with beer, which gives it a lovely shine. It's also an excellent way to conceal that lunchtime drinking habit.

BE GREENER

Explore the national cycle network. 10,000 miles of it have been completed and nearly half of the population lives within a mile of it. Visit www.sustrans.org.uk to find out more about the routes near you.

Invest in some eco-friendly bike accessories. Try the Swallow wind-up bicycle lights and charger kit (14.99, www.ecotopia.co.uk) or a solar rechargeable light and Charger (24.95, www.naturalcollection.com)

HEALTHY PLANET

Tired of lugging vegetables and herbs back from the supermarket only to watch them die on the window ledge or fester in the fridge? Try growing your own indoors with a city garden, a vegetable rack arrangement made from 100% recyclable aluminium, that means fresh herbs and veg are always right there when you need them – and you're saving on transport miles and packaging too. (89.99, www.ecoutlet.co.uk)