“The best way to advocate for bicycle lanes and bike safety is by getting on our bikes and being visible. Bike to Work Day was a great reminder that there are many folks who also commute via bike.” – Tacoma bike commuter

101 Reasons to Kick Your Car to the Curb

REASON #11: No Parking

Driving downtown and making it to work on time can be challenging enough. Then you have to park. Playing the odds to find the perfect spot can become a game, but it’s a game you’ll never win as long as … Continue reading

REASON #10: Know your neighbors

When you walk in your neighborhood, whether you’re walking to a bus stop, to work or to the local grocery store, you get to know the people in your neighborhood and discover spots you might not have known. You’ll connect … Continue reading

REASON #9: Socialize

Ever wish you had more time to do those things you never get to do just for you? Or wish you could spend some face-to-face time with people instead of just checking their status on Facebook? The average Puget Sound … Continue reading

REASON #8: Employee Well-Being

Why should employers encourage their employees to kick their cars to the curb? Employee well-being, according to a recent study using the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. The study finds that employees with long commutes are more likely to have back and … Continue reading

REASON #7: Carbon Emissions

The United States holds 5% of the world’s population, yet drives 1/3 of its automobiles, and emits almost half of the world’s automotive CO2.* As well, transportation in the U.S. is the fastest growing source of U.S. greenhouse gases at … Continue reading

REASON #6: Fitness

Have you recently walked or rode your bike for exercise?  Did you do so during your commute?  If you can answer ’yes’ to the first question, chances are, you cannot answer ’yes’ to the second.  And yet, for the vast … Continue reading

REASON #5: Storm Water Quality

Though you may not realize it, motor vehicles are one of the leading contributors to stormwater pollution of rivers, lakes, and in our case, Puget Sound.  Motor vehicle exhaust, leaks, and heavy metal residuals are captured by rain showers, resulting … Continue reading

REASON #4: Congestion

Traffic—a source of frustration and heartache for many enduring a single-occupancy vehicle commute.  Individual traveler’s time, money, and energy are annually consumed in large amounts by vehicle congestion in the Puget Sound area. The 2009 Annual Mobility Report by the … Continue reading

REASON #3: Sprawl

Cars have many advantages over other forms of transportation.  They move from point A to B faster than most other modes (when congestion is not a consideration) and therefore offer the flexibility to live farther away from the necessities of … Continue reading

REASON #2: Air Quality

Did you know that cars and trucks typically produce more that 700,000 pounds of smog-forming pollutants each summer day in the Puget Sound region?*  Created when vehicle emissions and other toxic emissions combine with sunlight, ground-level ozone (smog) is typically … Continue reading