Electric Bicycles: Environmental Benefits

Gas-powered cars are the primary source of air pollution in the United States. In addition to their effect on our health, exhaust gases and particles from cars do extensive damage to crops, vegetation, and wildlife. In particular, motor vehicles are a significant source of water pollution. Oil, antifreeze, and small tire particles accumulate on roads and highways; during the rainy season, they are washed into our streams and waterways, causing damage to aquatic life. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the leading sources of metallic pollution in the bay is copper from auto brake pads. Finally, noise pollution from automotive traffic additionally stresses our lives.

Even after counting emissions from power plants, electric bicycles are factor 10 less polluting than gas vehicles. For every 500 miles an electric bike is used in place of a car, an average of 25 gallons of fuel is saved - and this much pollution is prevented:

• 3.42 pounds of hydrocarbons
• 25.28 pounds of carbon monoxide
• 1.77 pounds of nitrogen oxides

[Calculating emissions is an inherently tricky business. There are so many variables that there are no exact numbers in this game. The numbers here were calculated by David Swain, an engineer at the US EPA's Ann Arbor Mobile Emissions Laboratory. An alternative emission factor, listed as the "EPA Mobile 4.1 Model," that cites Carbon Monoxide levels emitted by the average car as 65.3 grams per mile. Using this number the CO savings after 500 miles would be approximately 70 pounds!]

Or you could go pollution free by fueling your Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) with electricity purchased from a "green" power company. Some electric companies supply most or all of their power from wind, sun, or falling water ("green" power). Starting April 1, 1998, Californians can choose their electric utility. You and I can "vote with our dollars" for green power. Here are two websites that review green power companies: http://www.ceert.org/links.html and http://www.nrdc.org/worldview/fwguid.html [The editor chosewww.greenmountain.com.]

Your investment in an electric bike can pay dividends beyond U. S. borders. Your purchase supports the growth of an industry that could make a big difference in developing countries. For example, as its economy prospers, China is in the unique position to skip the polluting gas moped and scooter phase altogether and leapfrog directly from human-powered bikes to clean electric vehicles. The pollution savings are staggering, far beyond what the U.S. could alone.

Scientific opinion is clear and close to unanimous that global warming is already happening. CO2 is the main culprit. For every mile a car travels, approximately one pound of CO2 enters the atmosphere. For background info on global warming and the process scientists used to conclude its truth, checkhttp://www.law.pace.edu/env/energy/debateintro.html.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988, to assess scientific information about climate change relevant for international and national policy formulation. More information on the IPCC structure and process is available from the IPCC web site (http://www.ipcc.ch) and the Working Group II web site (http://www.usgcrp.gov/ipcc/).

The Federal government's EPA site focuses on the science and impacts of global warming or climate change, and on actions by governments, corporations, and individuals that help address global warming issues. The site also features climate change related news, events, publications, reports, presentations, and links to other sites.http://www.onlineuniversity.net/earth-science/global-warming/

**** Building one car uses as much material as it takes to make 100 bicycles. (CA Bicycle Coalition)****

Short trips account for most of the cars on the road and most of our air pollution. So, for the health of the planet, leave your car at home and ride your electric bike. "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."Information on other sustainable businesses:

The Sustainable Business Network (SBN) is a focal point for the sustainable business community on the Internet. It includes The SBN Journal, Library, Sustainable Business Opportunities and, Green Dream Jobs. http://www.envirolink.org/sbn

Source: http://www.electric-bikes.com/envbenefits.html

13 reasons to start using an electric bicycle for transportation

We're continuing our look at smart ways to start saddling up and using electric bicycles for real transportation.

 

We've always taken the greenness of bike transport as a given. But if you're just getting started — or perhaps trying to convince an employer that bicycle commuting is a good thing — we've rounded up a dozen reasons to leave that car in the driveway and start covering pavement on two wheels. Let's ride!

1) It's easier to use an ebike! You use fraction of your body power compared to conventional bikes and you get to your destination in half the time.

2)It's easier to finance a new electric bicycle than a new car. Thanks to the recession, auto loans are hard to find these days — even if you have good credit. But for the price of a single car payment, you can buy a well-made electric bicycle that should outlast most cars. Add a few hundred dollars more for rain gear, lights and accessories, and you have all-weather, anytime transportation.

 

3) An electric bicycle has a tiny manufacturing footprint when compared to a car. All manufactured goods have environmental impact, but electric bicycles can be produced for a fraction of the materials, energy and shipping costs of a car.

 

4) Electric bicycles produce no meaningful pollution when in operation. Electric bikes don't have tailpipes belching poisonous fumes into the atmosphere. They also eliminate the oil, fuel and hydraulic fluids dripped by automobiles onto the road surface — which means less toxic runoff into local waterways.

 

5) Ebikes save taxpayers money by reducing road wear. A 30-pound bicycle is a lot less rough on the pavement than a two-ton sedan. Every bicycle on the road amounts to money saved patching potholes and resurfacing city streets.

 

6) Bicycles are an effective alternative to a second car. Perhaps you're not in a position to adopt a bicycle as primary transportation. But bikes make great second vehicles. You can literally save thousands of dollars a year using a bicycle for workday commuting and weekend errands in households which might otherwise be forced to maintain two cars.

 

7) Using an ebike for transportation can help you lose weight and improve your overall health. The health benefits of regular aerobic exercise are well-known. Depending on your riding style and local road conditions, you could easily burn 600 calories an hour through brisk cycling. Most ebike commuters report losing 7 to 15 pounds during their first year in the saddle without changing their eating habits.

 

8) You can store a dozen electric bicycles in a single automobile-sized parking place.Parking lots have enormous environmental and financial impact, particularly in urbanized areas. The more ebikes you can get on the road, the fewer parking spaces you need to build.

 

9) Electric bicycles don't burn gasoline. Fuel is cheap compared to last year, and the economic downturn is likely to keep a lid on petroleum demand for a while. But we're not producing any more oil today than we were when it was more than $100 a barrel. A healthy bike culture will help ease pressure on supply once demand returns.

 

10) Electric bicycling may be faster and more efficient than taking a car. We're not talking about the crazy — and illegal — antics of New York bicycle messengers. But ebikes are often faster than cars in urban areas, especially when city designers have set aside proper bike lanes. There's nothing more satisfying as a bicycle commuter than breezing past a long line of gridlocked traffic.

 

11) Ebikes cost much less to maintain and operate than automobiles. You'll never throw a rod on an electric bicycle, and dropping a transmission on an ebike usually means replacing a bent derailleur hanger or worn-out chain. Electric bicycles do require service, but you can learn to perform most of it yourself. Even if you have a shop do things for you, costs will be trivial compared to a car.

 

12) Electric bicycles provide mobility for those who may not qualify or afford to drive. Not everyone can get a driver's license (or wants one), and the cost of purchasing, insuring and maintaining a car is out of reach for a lot of people. Almost everyone can afford some sort of ebike. Other than walking, electric bicycles are the most cost-effective transportation on the planet.

 

13) Studies show that electric bicycle commuters are healthier, more productive, and require less time off at work. This is why most enlightened employers are eager to accommodate commuting cyclists. Healthy workers are better workers — and that's good for the bottom line. Ebikes are smart business.

Safety Tips for ebike Riders

One of the most important things about electric bikes is often times neglected, that is your safety. As e-Bann we’d like to warn and inform everyone who owns an ebike or planning to get an ebike with the following safety tips:

• Riders AgeWe strongly recommend our riders to be at least 16 years old. Many countries and states have this law but sadly as us manufacturers work on the design to make these vehicles look more like regular bicycles, it is difficult for law enforcers to make differ an ebike from a regular bicycle.
  
• Rules
  Don’t forget that you’re subject to the same rights and duties as the driver of a motor vehicle, such as obeying all traffic lights and control devices
  
  
  
  
  
• Speed LimitsPlease do not forget that speed limits are determined by your government for a reason. Please do not try alter the speed limits set by your manufacturer. Don’t forget that no matter how careful you ride your ebike, that car passing you might not be as careful as you are…
  
• Lights:
  At night time please turn on your headlights and tail lights (if your ebike is equipped with one). Turning on your lights may not increase your vision a lot, but it helps you to be visible on the road. We as e-Bannespecially made light sensors a standard in all of our models. Even if you forget to turn on your lights, your e-Bann will turn headlight, taillight and screen backlight will turn on automatically when necessary.
  
• Helmet:
  
  
  We cannot express this enough. Even tho wearing a helmet is now forced by law in your country/state, please get one and actually use it. We strongly recommend all of our dealers to sell helmets to their clients with ebikes.
  We learned it the hard way. Ok, helmet might mess up your hair, but you should decide in between messy hair or a messed up life…
  There are lots of nice and fashionable helmet models available in the market. If you need any recommendations, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’d be more than happy to assist you.
  
• Car Doors:
  Be prepared for anything while cycling. Watch out for the unexpected, like sudden opening of car doors. We are not kidding, it happens more often than you think.
  
• Bicycle Clips:
  If you’re planning to pedal your ebike, use bicycle clips if you are wearing loose fitting trousers. It is important to keep loose fitting clothes away from the bicycle chain at all times. If your cloth gets stuck in the moving part you could easily end up in an accident.
  
• Always Rear Brakes First:
  Do not apply front breaks first as this will cause you to topple. It is always better to apply the rear brakes first. Once your bicycle has slowed down considerable you can apply the front brakes.
  
• Last Note:
  ENJOY YOUR RIDE!

Commute with an ebike!

After a long day at the office, wouldn't you want to have a relaxing commute back home instead of commuting in crammed subways or being stuck in traffic for hours?

This video shows, how your life can be every day after work!

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This is how your morning commute to work should be!

The top 10 reasons to buy an electric bike

We've found a great blog post the other day, thought it's worth sharing.

"I've made up my mind to do my bit for the environment. After doing my research I went out and splashed out on a beautiful electric bicycle. It's a nice shiny piece of machinery that not only does the job, it looks great too. While I bought the bike mainly to help me reduce my carbon footprint, I've since found many more good reasons to have one. Here are 10 of the top reasons I could think of - I would be interested in hearing others you may come up with!"

 

 

1. REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND DO SOMETHING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT:
   
   Yes this is the one that started it all, which is why I've called it number one. What I am trying to do is to try and use the car a little less and enjoy the bike a little more. As someone who has been driving a car for over twenty years the habit is a little hard to break, so if you are like me don't try to boil the ocean in one go. Start small.
   
   "Fifty per cent of all car journeys are of less than five kilometres' duration, which means that there is considerable potential for at least some of those journeys to be made safely and in a much healthier way by bike."
   
   Think of all those small trips that you do on a daily basis. Like down to the newsagent to get a paper. Or a quick trip to the video store, or to the corner shop to get a loaf of bread? I'm getting into the habit of using the bike for these little trips and keeping the car in the garage. I've also found that I'm enjoying riding the bike. I may not be a great cyclist like Cadel Evans but I can now ride up hills as confidently as he can. The rush of wind in my face reminds me of when I was thirteen and did a chemist delivery run on my bike - so that I could save up for a car would you believe?
   
   Have you noticed how many bicycle lanes and cycleways there are nowadays? Before long there will be a lot more of us cruising to work carbon-less. One of the main reasons people don't ride to work is that they need to get changed when they get there. There are some who argue that riding an electric bike means that you can suit up and not get sweaty (see Suitable Transport), what do you think?
   If you are interested in a completely Carbon Free transport solution, why not charge your electric bike with Green Energy (either wind or hydro generated) or a Solar Panel?
   
   Hey it looks like someone's now invented a hydrogen bike: Hydrogen Powered Bike
   
   Renew magazine has just published an Electric Bike Buyer's guide: Electric Bike Buyer's Guide
   
   A BEAUTIFUL COMMUTE TO WORK: WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DRIVE A CAR TO WORK?
   
   This is a beautiful video of a bike commute to work in Sydney. Compare this to sitting in a traffic jam or huddling with hundreds of people on a train or bus and it's a no brainer that communities will benefit from more bike commuters and better infrastructure to cater for them.
   
   
   

To read more on this article please check here.