Looking for a way to exercise?
Want to help make the Earth turn green, especially in Hawai'i?
Its time to change the mundane and go for a healthy change!
Try riding a bicycle to and from your destinations.
The benefits are healthy!
You get to sight see, ride past trees and look at the environment around you.
Its like a mini stress reliever and you can be thankful for the serotonin that helps keep your mind strong and healthy too.
So how does riding a bicycle relate to the ecosystem?
The comparison between bicycle VS. car.
Here are some answers.
Facts on car vs. bicycle:
- Car pollution affects with noise, damages air, and pollutes water.
- Cars release carbon monoxide, which causes smog and is extremely dangerous in thin air areas. Pregnant women and people with heart and lung conditions can be affected the most. Carbon monoxide can cause death.
- About 51% of car carbon monoxide air pollution affects the environment.
- Cars release carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.
- About 31% of car carbon dioxide air pollution can contribute to the greenhouse effect (greenhouse effect is the process of thermal radiation that gets absorbed by the Earth's greenhouse gases and is then emitted in all directions).
- Cars creates damage to the water, by oil, soot, metals, gasoline, brake dust, car exhaust, dirt, rust, car tires, etc. by rain, these affect the water sources.
- Cars create noise pollution, by ways of muffler, engine, car problems such as the fan belt and or brakes; stereo, and etc.
VS.
If you ride a bicycle:
- Bicycles increases better health.
- Bicycles save money on repairs.
- Bicycles creates therapeutic exercising for the cardiovascular system.
- Bicycles tones the body, creating muscle tone, clearer skin, and strengthens bones.
- Bicycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
- Bicycling does not create air, water, and noise pollution.
- Bicycles are easy to park.
- Bicycles saves you money from health fitness membership places.
And this list can be endless!
What areas are good for bicycling?
- Pearl City has a nice bike route near Cutter Ford.
- Waikiki, near the Convention Center.
- Kailua has bike routes on the streets. You can also rent bicycles near Kailua's Cold Creamery Ice cream parlor.
Want more bicycle routes in the Hawaiian Islands, here is an interactive website with the current bicycle routes.
Website: http://hawaii.gov/vid_temp/dot/bike/bikeplan/maps/index.html
Looking for more bicycle websites?
Here are some websites with info:
State of Hawai'i Department of Transportation Bicycle routes:
Website: http://hawaii.gov/dot/highways/Bike/oahu/
Hawai'i Bicycling League (HBL): Helping bicyclists with safe road ways, safety tips, bicycle meetings and more.
Website: http://www.hbl.org/
Trails.com: A guide to the outdoors nationwide.
O'ahu Road Biking Website: http://www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=13722
Hawai'i Road Biking Website: http://www.trails.com/stateactivity.aspx?area=10271
Bicycle registration in Hawai'i:
Scroll to where the 'Bicycle and Moped Registration' is and there will be information on how to register your bicycle.
Website: http://www.co.hawaii.hi.us/vrl/mvrgeninfo.html
Getting ready for a bicycle ride?
Always have safety bicycle tips in mind!
- Wear a helmet.
- Be attentive on your surroundings.
- Have a bicycle mirror, if by chance can't see behind you.
- Have a bicycle horn.
- Follow the bicycle guidelines.
- Wear bright colored clothing.
- Pay attention to the road and avoid oil slicks, potholes, grates, glass, painted lines, asphalt grooves.
- Yield to traffic.
- Do not ride a bicycle on the freeway! It can be very dangerous, as cars are speeding over 50 mph! Riding a bicycle on the freeway is also against the law.
- Always make sure that the drivers see you, by making eye contact.
- Make hand signals when turning to the right or left and or when making a stop.
Link to bicycle guideline:
Website: http://hawaii.gov/dot/highways/Bike/bikeplan/rrhb.html
More information on Bicycle safety tips in Hawai'i?
Visit the State of Hawai'i Department of Transportation bicycle tips:
Website: http://hawaii.gov/dot/highways/Bike/bikeplan/index.htm
The Bus also has ways to help transport your bicycle and take you to and or from your destination.
Website: http://www.thebus.org/
Now that you have information on riding a bicycle, you can help keep Hawai'i and the environment clean. You can start by starting a new adventure today and becoming healthy!
And remember Hawai'i to be safe, Recycle and to think Green!
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