It is December in Boston Massachusetts. Temperatures are dipping below freezing making commuting by bicycle a cold proposition. Tonight the sun will set at 4:12pm and it will be dark before many people get out of work. So riding a bike home from work requires riding in the dark, not something many people are willing to do. And as of yesterday (December 1st of each year) the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Park&Pedal locations are no longer “in season”. DCR has found it may need its parking areas to deposit snow from local roads and can’t guarantee their availability.
Yet, despite all these reasons not to ride, today there were 62 people parking and pedaling to work from DCR’s Herter Park&Pedal hub, one of 20 Park&Pedal hubs in the greater Boston area. These 62 people are extending the season past what was once considered a date when no one would be willing to ride and use the program.
By parking and pedaling today, those 62 people saved 887 pounds of emissions of carbon dioxide that they would have burned driving all the way to work. That is a whopping 7,750 cubic feet of greenhouse gases! In one day! At one location!
Great job park and pedalers! As time goes on, I am sure that more and more commuters will join you in realizing the health, financial, environmental, and time savings benefits that Park&Pedal offers.
Thanks you!
David Montague
Founder
