Get rich and gorgeous--and save the planet

From the Toronto Globe and Mail, 06.04.07:

When I first started biking to my workplace, I found it slow, tiring, and strenuous. When I finally got there, I was always out of breath and sweating profusely, and so I had to spend even more time showering and changing. My new green commuting philosophy was unexpectedly difficult and costing me a lot more time than I had anticipated.

However, I also started to notice a side benefit. Notwithstanding all of the cars, I would still see a few other people on bikes or on foot, and eventually got to recognize some of the regulars who were there every day. Some of these people would wave or say "Good morning" as I passed, and I started to look forward to seeing them each day. Every so often I would stop to chat if I wasn't in a rush. And before long, I found that even though it took longer to get to work, I wasn't in a rush any more. My routine had adapted so that this extra commuting time was now just an ordinary part of my day.

I also noticed that I was getting to work much faster than at the start, and with less effort, because I was getting fit. Biking to work had led to a healthier lifestyle over all, so in the course of a year, I lost 20 pounds and muscled up considerably. Now it takes me only 10 minutes more than by car and I don't even raise a sweat unless I deliberately combine the commute with a workout by sprinting at intervals, or (believe it or not) taking a longer and more difficult route. When was the last time you did that in your car, on purpose? (Read more.)

This first-person article from Canada goes on to detail the financial savings of choosing a bicycle rather than a car as your commute mode.

Image: Web capture
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site