If your school offered you a free bike and lock, would you agree to leave your car off the campus. For 60% of the incoming student body at Ripon College in Wisconsin, the answer is a resounding yes. The details of this creative “get green” campaign are detailed by USA Today. Similar programs are in effect at campuses in New York, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Alabama, to name a few.
I asked myself if I would agree to this program if it were offered at The University of Oklahoma. The answer is a conditional yes. As a meteorologist who has knowledge of the current anthropogenically derived climate change, I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t practice what I preached. Reduced driving would certainly help in cutting our so-called “greenhouse gasses” (Stay tuned for an entry as to why the greenhouse analogy is flawed, and thus a pet peeve of mine). Given the opportunity, riding a bike as opposed to driving our automobiles is the responsible thing to do.
As evident as that is, there are still some caveats that would prevent the bike campaign from taking off here at Oklahoma. One reason is that the city as a whole is so spread out, making some journeys unfeasible. Complicating matters is the lack of dedicated bike lanes in Norman. With most streets being two-lanes, and narrow at that, riding a bike is rather perilous. In fact, a high school student was recently killed riding her bike in Norman. Safety and size are just a couple of complicating matters for University of Oklahoma students.
If we as Americans want to truly reduce our need for oil and the resulting carbon emissions, some steps have to be taken. Public transportation is vital, especially in places like Oklahoma where everything is so spread out. The U.S. needs to create and maintain transit systems that rival those found in Europe. During a trip to The Netherlands this summer, I was greatly impressed by their transportation options and found them to be enjoyable and convenient. We can also take note of their bike lanes system. Bike riders had dedicated lanes, apart from the street and sidewalk, which made everything much safer. If we can address these issues, more and more students would jump on board, me included. Until then, I say bravo to those at Ripon College.
Carless Campus?
If your school offered you a free bike and lock, would you agree to leave your car off the campus. For 60% of the incoming student body at Ripon College in Wisconsin, the answer is a resounding yes. The details of this creative “get green” campaign are detailed by USA Today. Similar programs are in effect at campuses in New York, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Alabama, to name a few.
I asked myself if I would agree to this program if it were offered at The University of Oklahoma. The answer is a conditional yes. As a meteorologist who has knowledge of the current anthropogenically derived climate change, I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t practice what I preached. Reduced driving would certainly help in cutting our so-called “greenhouse gasses” (Stay tuned for an entry as to why the greenhouse analogy is flawed, and thus a pet peeve of mine). Given the opportunity, riding a bike as opposed to driving our automobiles is the responsible thing to do.
As evident as that is, there are still some caveats that would prevent the bike campaign from taking off here at Oklahoma. One reason is that the city as a whole is so spread out, making some journeys unfeasible. Complicating matters is the lack of dedicated bike lanes in Norman. With most streets being two-lanes, and narrow at that, riding a bike is rather perilous. In fact, a high school student was recently killed riding her bike in Norman. Safety and size are just a couple of complicating matters for University of Oklahoma students.
If we as Americans want to truly reduce our need for oil and the resulting carbon emissions, some steps have to be taken. Public transportation is vital, especially in places like Oklahoma where everything is so spread out. The U.S. needs to create and maintain transit systems that rival those found in Europe. During a trip to The Netherlands this summer, I was greatly impressed by their transportation options and found them to be enjoyable and convenient. We can also take note of their bike lanes system. Bike riders had dedicated lanes, apart from the street and sidewalk, which made everything much safer. If we can address these issues, more and more students would jump on board, me included. Until then, I say bravo to those at Ripon College.