4 Benefits of Commuting with a Bicycle as an Eco-Friendly Consumer

There are a lot of things that you can do to live an eco-friendlier lifestyle. One of these is to start riding a bicycle instead of driving everywhere.

There are a ton of reasons why you might decide that owning a car just isn’t for you – financial reasons, environmental considerations, not having a far distance to travel regularly and a number of other important reasons. More and more people are opting to ditch vehicle ownership and opt for using public transport or other methods instead.

This trend has been going on for a while. In 2011, the number of families without cars rose to 9.3%. This was the highest figure in 50 years. It has continued to go up since.

One such popular method is using a bicycle. While bicycle accidents can happen, this mode of transport is safe, fun and offers so many benefits.

Costs

Riding a bike is as easy as… well, riding a bike. Also, on top of that, it’s one of the very few modes of transport that don’t cost you a cent once you’ve paid for the bicycle. Opting for a bicycle for your daily commute will save you hundreds of dollars on gas, maintenance and insurance, not to mention the gigantic loan on a snazzy car.

Environment

Of course, the real kicker here is how eco-friendly a bicycle commute is – opting for this mode of transport will make a huge impact on your carbon footprint. Ditching the car and the bus cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change.

Riding a bike also reduces the general pollutants in the air and makes the air we breathe cleaner and healthier overall. To top it all off, the fewer cars there are on the road, the less busy and noisy the city will feel – leading to a healthier and more peaceful environment.

Physical Health

On top of all these benefits, riding a bike is good for you! Even if you’re too busy to make it to the gym, you can know for a fact that by cycling to work (or anywhere else you need to get to) you’re getting in a fantastic workout. Riding a bike has awesome health benefits, and is a great way to get your heart pumping, burn some calories and build strength in your legs and core. Cyclists are also known for being more flexible and more balanced. Finally, let’s not forget all the wonderful benefits we get from being in the great outdoors. Your daily commute on your bike will give you a much-needed shot of Vitamin D and a breath of fresh air.

Mental Health

Yup, you’re going to feel the benefits of cycling in your mood too. Any form of exercise is going to make you feel good. It gives you a boost of confidence and makes you feel good about yourself, acts as a great way of managing stress and can even boost your energy levels throughout the day, leaving you feeling more capable and energised to fulfil your daily obligations.

Summary

Whether your reason is being kind to your wallet, kind to the environment or kind to your own body and mind, there’s no reason not to consider switching over to a two-wheel commute. Even if you don’t ditch your car entirely (or perhaps invest in an electric car), opting to take your bike on certain trips or certain days will already be making a massive impact.