Celebrate Bike to Work Week

DAVENPORT, Iowa - Need a reason to bike to work instead of drive? Dean Mayne, a physical therapist at Genesis, can give you several: It will help your health; lessen your carbon footprint; and, save gas money at a time when gas is about $3.50 per gallon. And don't forget the fitness benefits and the invigorating effects of the morning’s fresh air.

He is one of numerous bicyclists promoting Bike to Work Week on May 10-16. The week encourages people to try bike commuting; increases cycling awareness; and, promotes a healthy alternative mode of transportation. At Genesis, the WellPower employee wellness program also has encouraged biking to work and more bicycle racks are being installed to accommodate an increase in staff commuting by bike. To learn more about Bike to Work Week, go to quad.cities.tag.googlepages.com.

Mayne, who is active in the Quad Cities Bike Club, has been riding his bike to Genesis for the past eight years. “I did a lot of biking when I lived in Japan, where people ride their bikes to catch the trains,” he says. “There are fitness and economical benefits to biking to work, but my biggest reason is to create less of a carbon footprint. To combat global warming, just biking to work once a week can reduce your carbon footprint by 15-20 percent.”

Employers benefit, too, when their employees bike to work. “They have healthier, happier employees and don’t have to provide as much parking,” Mayne says.

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