Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Bicycle Garage Built for 2

I've been thinking a lot lately about DIY weekend projects that will have substantial impact for green minded people. (I've had a lot of time to think, since its been a while since my last blog, sorry!)

My favorite is the bicycle garage. If you live in a suburban neighborhood like I do, chances are you have a modest house with a garage or driveway designed to accommodate your oil-addicted vehicles. For those of you who have given up your four-wheeled oil albatross, hats off! Most of us have bicycles, left forlorn in far recesses of our garage, hidden behind holiday decorations and yard equipment. Sadly, for many of us, retiring our cars may not yet be possible.

However, we can reduce our natural tendencies to jump in the car for local driving. The Danish use bicycles this way very effectively. For local trips to the market and around town, they jump on their bicycles, reserving a trip in the car for longer commutes.

I propose that if you want to do a weekend home improvement that will reap big Green rewards and reduce your carbon footprint in a big way, build a bicycle garage.

It doesn't have to be big. A lean-to style shed attached to the side of your garage to house 2 bicycles can be built in a weekend for less than $200. Even less, if you recycle the materials from an old deck or a fence (Always recommended).

The benefits of making your bicycles more accessible:
  • Less dependency on fossil fuels & a lower carbon footprint
  • Increased excercise (the good cardio-vascular kind)
  • Improved community engagement - riding bicycles allows people to be more connected with their surroundings
  • Fuel savings
The Bicycle Garage Built for 2 is a home improvement with exponential environmental benefits. Its also a project that you can feel good about having built as well as a project that will make you feel better as you begin to ride. Green building is often holistic, involving responsible building practices as well as lifestyle changes.

Good luck and thanks for staying sustainable!

p.s. If you'd like some ideas for how to make your own bicycle garage, send me a comment and I'd be happy to chat with you about it.