Taking the Low Carbon Commute Challenge

I bought my first 'real' bicycle - a second-hand road bike - when my daughter was about a year old, so I could attempt to get back into shape. Now, two years later, I am a road warrior, commuting at least three times a week to classes at UW, day and night.

Both my husband and I were captains of our respective bike-to-work teams this year, and we are committed to biking in rain or shine... although I do draw the line at snow!

The kids aren't quite old enough to bike on their own, and our schedule is as chaotic as any other modern Seattle family's, so we do drive to various kid activities. Generally, however, we stay local and walk - they'll walk 15-20 blocks each way to get to the zoo or their favorite park, with the bus as an option for when their little legs get too tired. Bus trips, always a treat, are our primary mode of transportation for any downtown trips.

An added bonus of low carbon transportation is getting exercise on the way to errands/school/work, which is important, given the limited time we have for squeezing in workouts in our 'spare time'.

While we're not a car-free family, we are proud to say that our car battery has died several times in the last year due to lack of use, and we pledge to be as carbon-neutral wherever we go. I encourage everyone to try bike commuting once; you'll be hooked, too!

Lexy Relph
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