November 14th, 2008
One Bike and One Rider
“There’s only so much one person can do.” I hear this all too often. It’s usually a cynical comment about someone using cloth napkins, or composting, or using reusable shopping bags, or buying carbon credits to offset a car trip, or turning off a light, or recycling, or turning off a computer monitor, or riding a bike for transportation.
To me, the phrase exposes the idea, hidden just under the surface, that the big problems are for others to solve. I sense this attitude when people talk about their concerns over population growth and fossil fuel consumption in China and India. I sense it when people subtly roll their eyes when we insist upon reusable mugs at the coffee shop or reusable bottles at the gym. I sense it when I travel down a freeway full of seven-seat SUVs carrying only one occupant.
While the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world’s population, we consume 26% of the world’s energy. Let’s face it; we’re a nation of energy gluttons. We still believe there is no end to the energy supply, that we’re entitled to use as much of it as we please, and that science is going to fix the problem. We talk about drilling for oil in pristine wilderness, we wage wars for oil, and we build hybrid SUVs that are “best in class” but only get 24 mpg (as if that’s good enough), while we continue to harbor the hope that someone (who?) will get us out of this mess.
Well, I don’t think the cavalry is coming. If we’re going to solve this pressing issue, I believe each and every one of us must make a host of personal sacrifices. I believe we must immediately and dramatically cut our personal energy consumption and set an example for our friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and ultimately, the world. I believe that if each person does the right thing and makes a change, it will become a very big thing when multiplied by 300 million. And all it takes to get started is one bike and one rider.
26 Responses to “One Bike and One Rider”
Cheer! You are not alone!
Nice post. I agree, small things mulitplied by a 2, 100, 1 million mage a gigantic impact. Its tough to get people to realize this unless it impacts their lives in a major way and even then the stuborness and ignorance is a the biggest hurdle.
I agree. We’re not just a nation of energy gluttons, we’re a nation of complete gluttons. We use too much, eat too much, buy too much, spend too much, blame too much, expect too much. It’s time to kick ourselves in the butt and take responsibility for our own actions instead of waiting for miracle men and bailouts to fix the problems. I’ve “greened” our house and lifestyle as much as possible over the last few years; now I just need to find a way to “green” our wallets. That will mean a kick in the buy too much/spend too much categories. We all have room for improvement.
It’s like Nas said: “All I need is one mic…”
I’m going to start on the “One Bike” remix right now.
Well, I try to conserve energy, but as much as I ride I’m afraid I’m one of the worst offenders in the eating department. On a normal day I eat 4000 Calories a day, and I’m only doing about 60 miles a week running around town. On my worst day I ate 12,000 Calories (mostly in the form of PBH sandwiches and soda and sports drinks) and still lost 3 pounds over the day. I rode over 150 miles that day. My energy conversion is not very efficient, I’m only getting 250 miles to the gallon (equivalent) City, and about twice that out on the open highway.
FYI, there are a few sites springing up now that compile individual people’s actions to show how they make a difference:
http://www.doyourpartparks.org/ (this program is gradually being expanded to companies, not just the national parks)
and
http://www.onethingct.com/ (currently just for Connecticut residents but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it expand to other states).
And one thought on your post:
I’m not so sure “personal sacrifices” are necessary: the great thing about energy efficiency is that it involves achieving the same results for less energy. So you can have the same amount of light, keep your heating or air conditioning at the same level, but use less energy. The sacrifice is a short-term one of the expense to buy new equipment, insulation, etc., but that’s an investment that will pay off in short order (energy efficiency investments were more profitable than the stock market even when the market was booming). And as far as cycling versus driving goes, there’s not much sacrifice involved there either — cycling is so much more enjoyable!
Sorry, but volunteerism may give you a nice glow from that reflected shine off of your halo but it will NOT stop climate change. We will either move toward strong, ENFORCEABLE laws restricting (or taxing) carbon emissions at the national and international level, or we will face an environmental catastrophe. Of course, these approaches are not mutually exclusive but the former cannot succeed without the latter, and the reverse is not true.
@Dave
“Sorry, but volunteerism may give you a nice glow from that reflected shine off of your halo…”
That’s pretty funny Dave.
I agree, we need both approaches, but unless people get off their rears and accept the fact that they must do their part, we’re only half way there.
Alan
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
I think the point is that while one single person isn’t changing the world on their own, it takes each of us making those changes for the world to change. Laws generally follow social views, not the other way around. We’re not islands; never doubt that for each of us making changes, there are thousands of others elsewhere making those changes with you.
I love what ben harper says/sings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9WB3KTX0rQ
When I think about what one person can do, I know that the difference IS significant. It depends on perspective. Think about saving one animal - what is one animal to the billions killed every year, right? Well, to that one animal, it is everything.
well, animals hibernate, estivate (summer hibernation underground), migrate, do not legislate,
are never late (for meetings..”march of the penguins”)
so can we translate “animal language”
forrest gump was a physical genius
a book called “thinking in pictures” by temple grandin, says that autistic folks think quite a bit like animals, in pictures that is
getting people to see a bigger picture is like giving a rat-a-tat drummer a GONG..just ONE, VERY BIG SOUND..not a bunch of rat-a-tats (no offense rats)
because MUSIC and SOUND paints a PICTURE..like sonar.
governments don’t pay lots of attention or spend a lot of dollars on oceans, or what’s swimming in the ocean.
before visiting alaska, i had a real crisis of conscience over going there, knowing i’d probably end up working in a fish processing plant,
and me being a swimmer and all, and swimming had become this awesome healing force in my life, even in a local, chlorinated pool.
sorry about the rant-a-tant-tant.
i’m a little fish hitching a ride on a shark. there’s plenty of motorized sharks out there.
i’m just a unicyclist hitching a ride on the city bus.
just the crushing weight of imagining ONE day’s city buses worth of consumption just frazzled my thinking-in-pictures autistic brain, and had me just in terror, wishing i was far, far, away..aka alaska.
well now that i’ve been to alaska, i know that they oughta put a few wind turbines up (homer, ak is a very windy place..as well as a very artsy place, attracting lots of artists. maybe these are the thinking-in-pictures crowd..i got a great feeling of hope being around the artists,
a calm in the storm feeling, like when i put coltrane in my walkman while on my unicycle in homer traffic
crazily,
-andy
Our standard of living in the US will change, shoot it’s changing right now. Those of us that are ok with the change will be way ahead of the curve. Those that fight it will either be unprepared, broke, unhappy, all of the above, or much worse. :)
“….the man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready, and it may be a long time before they get off.”
While many much of the data presented here is true or contains much truth, I just would like to add the one thing. We buy the energy we consume from people who desire to sell it to us or anyone else who will pay. Many of those who sell us energy have no other product to offer the world, so they are glad to exchange it for dollars, euros clam shells and they then use those funds for housing food and the like.
Yes, we consume far more, and I agree that our culture should try to adopt more helpful habits to lower medical costs if for no other reason(there are many). But we should not forget that we buy it and they sell it. We are not stealing anything from anybody. Compared to most dominant world powers over the course of history we are gentle, and kind.
I do not intend for this to offend anyone, so please don’t take it as a personal insult to anyone. It is just easy for the ‘we are gluttons’” thing to turn into “we are evil gluttons’ and I think a fair acconting wouild say we are nice gluttons who are now suffering from our gluttony as are those who adopted our gluttonous lifestyle.
With Conservative Bike Commuting Love for All,
Tim
Tim, the main problem with the point you are making is that it isn’t the people of Iraq (for one example) who are making money off the oil, it is the transnational oil companies. Big OIl is getting rich, the iraqis are lacking basic health care, potable water, livable cities…
Furthermore, we lived in a closed system. Period. There is just no getting around this. There are limited resources on this earth, and oil is one of those limited resources. It won’t last forever. Doesn’t matter if you are conservative or liberal or if you believe in global climate change or think that it’s a figment of the imagination majority of the world’s leading experts. Oil will only last until it is gone, no matter how tightly we wring out every last corner of the earth. Other solutions are a necessity, and it is better (and cheaper! for the fiscally conservative point of view) to get the other solutions in play before it is an emergency.
Misery and self-righteousness aren’t usually big persuaders so how about revising your sales pitch from “personal sacrifice” and accusatory finger wagging to “lifestyle changes” and examples of how good choices can lead to better quality of life.
For example, using a ceramic mug over a paper cup isn’t really a “sacrifice.” Your coffee stays warmer longer, you save money on cups, you look way cooler at the coffee shop, and you don’t miss a minute of hauling that extra trash to the curb. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Instead of calling your neighbors “gluttons,” which they’ll hate you for, wear a fashionable sweater to their holiday party and tell them that with it on you “can’t even tell” that your thermostat is now set at 68 degrees instead of 72. And with all the money you saved on heating, you’ve got a ski weekend planned. Or better yet, talk up how great your programmable thermostat is. How smart you feel not wasting money on heat when you aren’t even home.
You get a compliment. “Gee, Alan you look great! Have you been working out?” (Go for it!) “Well, I’ve decided to commute to work by bike…”
These approaches make people like you and have a good chance of winning converts who will think, act, and eventually vote green — which leads to sorely needed government-led regulations and incentives.
I used to be preachy and found it useless. Now, I try to lead by example and friendly persuasion. It’s working much better.
@Sean
I’m pretty much where you’re at in my day-to-day life - I’m anything but preachy to my friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. As a matter of fact, if you had read my post a little more carefully, you would have noticed this line: “…set an example for our friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and ultimately, the world.” If the post came across a little preachy it’s because I’m preaching to the choir here (that’s what my stats tell me anyway), and if my passion regarding this subject truly came across as “self righteous finger wagging”, please accept my apologies.
Alan,
I’m sorry. I’d didn’t intend for my post to be a comment on you personally. I don’t know you or how you interact with your friends and neighbors. I enjoy reading your blog and the work that you do. And, I did see your line about setting an example and agree with it.
As you mentioned, on a blog like this readers are generally like minded and so posters can be a little more liberal with their commentary. My concern is how an approach (used by anyone) that stresses “personal sacrifice” and tries to convert Americans by showing the error of their ways, goes over with the general public.
At my workplace, for example, which tends to be rather right wing, this kind of talk made people ballistic. But, I noticed when I changed my approach from “you need to do this” to “see how beneficial it is to do this,” the reception was greatly improved. That was my motivation for posting.
Sean,
Regarding your approach, like I mentioned above, I’m in total agreement with you. Setting a good example and answering questions politely and appropriately is far more effective than trying to force ideas on someone.
I usually try to follow the same approach on the blog, but every once in a while I get in the mood for a good rant (this morning for example), and every time I succumb to the urge, I end up with at least a little negative feedback. This would not be an issue if it weren’t for the fact that my skin is far to thin to be a confrontational blogger. I suppose I get what I ask for… :-)
Thanks for your comments-
Alan
Alan: Seems like we’re all in general agreement here, and most of us get into rant mode from time to time. I certainly do, and I like a good rant, especially when it reinforces my own rantiness. : )
I think Deb’s approach and your idea of setting an example are the way to go, although I have to agree that big changes are coming our way whether we like it or not. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out. GM and other makers of big cars/trucks are certainly hurting, and I wonder where that will end. Will lower gas prices signal the resurgence of the SUV market? God, I hope not. RIP on that junk.
But the lifestyle that you and others here advocate is not, as far as I can see, much, if any, sacrifice. With cycling, we IMPROVE our lives, have more fun, get fit, have improved emotional lives, think more clearly. I can only hope that blogs like this and the movement around the country they represent are more than just a flash in the pan.
Personally, I’ve resolved to get involved in my community to try to get young people into cycling, with touring being my special focus but cycling in general being the over all point. It’s pathetic how few young people I see on bikes around here, and we live in a very dry, moderate climate where cycling can be done virtually year round. We only have a few days of ice/snow in the winter–and fewer with global warming. The old-timers talk of much heavier winters back in the day.
So what am I rambling about? The change is coming; oil will run out; we can still have an interesting, vibrant life while doing “less,” which, as we know, is often about more. If we can anticipate these changes, we (as a society and as individuals) will be much happier.
Okay, I’ll shut up now.
Scott
G’morning, Alan.
You are not just preaching to the choir here. I live in northern Ohio, far from the wonderfully bicycle friendly cities featured on your blog, and my own lifestyle reflects very poorly. While my programmable thermostat is functioning well and my fluorescent light bulbs fill every available light socket, I still drive a cage to work almost every day throughout the winter. I drive an old, polluting Tahoe for the 13 mile trip any time there is too much snow, rain, or simply too cold to ride my motorcycle. My route is through exceptionally narrow country backroads posted at 55mph but lacking any shoulders, bicycles lanes, or runoff areas. It does have blind hilltops every mile or so, for excitement don’t you know. A commute on these roads will see vehicles pass waaaaay too close as they speed by at 60-70mph. I’m talking about maybe an 18inch gap. Perhaps a braver person than myself would have no problem with that. Oh yeah, my return from work would be at 11pm, in the dark.
The solution for me personally would be to find a route which has an acceptable safety margin, and there is one…several miles longer through two busy downtown areas. I am not sure what the safest route would be on my bicycle. Either one spooks me. So I am not conserving any energy because I am scared. There, nice and cowardly, but true.
The pictures I see here of dedicated bicycle lanes looks like a bit of heaven. But until I have them here I will continue to commute on my motorcycle and in the Tahoe, all the while dreaming of a better world and doing little about it. Oh yeah, and feeling guilty about it, too.
Hi Matt,
I can certainly understand why you don’t commute by bike - given your circumstances I wouldn’t either. Nobody’s perfect (I’m certainly far from it), but you’re doing *what you can* - that’s what counts, right? Whether it’s installing a programmable thermostat and using CFLs as you’ve done, or going car-free like some of my readers, the important thing is that we all pitch in to do what we can within the confines of our particular circumstances.
Regards,
Alan
Deb,
90% of the Worlds oil is controlled by COUNTRIES not Companies. The big oil companies get a % of the profits over a certain price per barrel. The Country of IRAQ did make the money as it was recently pointed out that the country had a $80 billion surplus from oil sales.
Nobody cried for the oil companies in the 90’s when oil was $30 a barrel, and thier profits were slim to none. My guess is over time the recent ‘record’ profits of oil companies will average out long term to just that, average.
The earth is not a closed system, we get massive NEW doses of solar energy everyday. Every carbon based fuel source, and every food energy source started with sun’s energy reaching earth. This energy source is for all practical purposes limitless, and no doubt will become more important in the future. See any recent “Technology Review” magizine. We both may long for that day when everyone has cost effective solar panels for roofing, cycling to the grocery is the norm , and suburban residents are permitted by zoning regulations to have a small flok of chickens. Maybe just I long for that last one.
I believe, like most (if not all) here on Alan’s excellent blog, that cycling and other human powered oppotunities have massive, culture changing potential that can benefit most all of mankid. I also don’t think our culture arrived at this point through a wicked plot from those trying to addict us to fossil fuels. We got here by folks 150 years ago trying to make the hard, difficult lives people led then, a little easier. The problem is we never stopped making our lives easier, and now we have a different set of problems.
With Warm Reguards for my Cycling Brothers and Sisters,
Tim
This may have been stated in a comment above, sorry for the duplicate if it has.
The issue isn’t really about how much energy the US uses, but how effeciently we use it. We may consume the most energy, but we also have the most productive economy in the world. Though it doesn’t feel that way right now. :(
There is definietly room for improvement, e.g. the 7 passenger SUV’s out there that are being used as 1 passenger commuters.
However, making sacrifices is wrong. It must be a value judgement. People must decide on what coarse to take based on their values. If you think their values are wrong, try to educate them and persuade them with reason and logic, but not force.
Think of it this way, what if the majority decided that it was Right to make everyone drive a 7 passenger SUV. You would feel terrible every time you were forced to do it because for you it is Wrong. It is the same thing when you force someone else to change their life to suit your values. It is WRONG.
Tailwinds,
Tom
@Tom
No one’s saying people should be forced to do anything. As I stated in the OP: “set an example for our friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and ultimately, the world.“
I live in Davis, CA (bike city USA) and teach 3rd grade…I commute to work on my bike (about 40 miles round trip) as much as possible to “do my part” for reducing greenhouse gasses while helping myself stay fit. My friend and I created a free website
http://www.saveagallon.org/
to track our savings. He works at home and in only 6 months logged over 1,000 miles on his bike with just trips to the store and other errands. I also encourage my students to ride their bike, walk, or carpool to school so they can see how simple and easy saving energy can be.
@ Matt -
I’m not sure where you are in N. Ohio - but I grew up in the big town on the lake… and Ohio can be a frustrating place to ride a bike - esp. for things other than ‘training’ and ‘fitness’.
When I got back into commuting I had an 18 mile commute through hilly terrain. I didn’t much feel physically capable of it, and I was jarred into reality with traffic passing.
My solution was to build up both my physical capabilities and commuting know how by starting small. I found a great place to park 8 miles from the shop. I’d leave early, ride in the 8 miles on the safest route I could put together… eat an early breakfast, shower (we had several bike commuters in the office - so we put in a shower) and work. I’d sometimes work late - after dark and into the rain - and I’d make that 8 mile trip. The more I did it - the more confident I became. I eventually learned to feel comfortable on the local roads with traffic - and with the terrain - and started doing the full ride. 3-4 days a week, shuttling clothes as needed and planning drive days to include errands that went further afield than my simple ride… and I was driving a full size Chevy pickup, complete with tool box and tool rack (modified to hold my MTB and my commuter, of course).
So, you can make little steps… keeping that Tacoma running and making smart use of it is certainly better than dropping the $$ on a new hybrid and driving it 3-4x as much as you do now… so take pride in little steps.
-Mike
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