Getting started… If you are interested in buying a road bike there a few questions you should ask yourself that will help you purchase a bike that will be the best fit for you. 1) Are you a new cyclist? What are you really going to use this bike for? 2) Are you training for an event? (Race, triathlon, or fun ride?) 3) Are you looking to commute to work or school? 4) What is your price range?... [More]

Today I decided to take a look at my environmental impact, also known as my ‘ecological footprint.’ There are several sites that measure your ecological footprint. I used the site linked to the Wellbeing page, www.myfootprint.org. The questions were easy to answer and for the few I didn’t know off the top of my head I used the national average, which was provided by the site. I learned that if every single person on Earth lived the same way that I do, we would use up 4.1 Earths! To be honest I was pretty shocked. I have become known to my friends as the eco-friendly fanatic and although I know that I am not perfect when it comes to being eco-conscious I do make a very strong effort. According to the website the average U.S. citizen leaves a footprint of 246.41 global acres. My consumption level was only 159.27 global acres. If my consumption was over 4 Earths this means that in reality U.S. citizens are living completely unsustainable lives that could consume over 6 Earths! [More]

For those who love to bike and want to take advantage of the weather while it is still sunny, then The Palouse has a treat for you! The Bill Chipman Palouse Trail (Chipman Trail) is an 8 mile path that runs alongside the Moscow-Pullman highway. The trail is a great location to run, bike, rollerblade, walk, etc. One of my favorite warm-weather pastimes is to spend a portion of my evenings out on the trail enjoying a workout outdoors. It is a great place to work out with a friend, go for a ride on your own or create a low-key family event. What I love about this past year is the number of Green Bikes that I have seen out on the trail. It seems that many people are taking advantage of the Green Bike program, http://greenbike.wsu.edu/greenbike_home.aspx, and are using their check out time to exercise out on the trail. One great combination of the Green Bikes and the Chipman Trail is a Saturday morning ride to the Farmer’s Market in Moscow. This activity is a great option while the weather is still so nice out. This morning ride combines using a sustainable transportation option to exercise in order to buy locally grown food…what more could you want! So, grab your bike, rollerblades or your running shoes and check out the Chipman Trail before the fall semester slips away from us!

Green Bikes, in my opinion, are one of the best programs to have arrived at Washington State University. Don’t believe me? Are you one of the many people who can’t get past their unique appearance?  Are you also one of the people who have not yet tried to use the Green Bike system? If so, please hear me out! I’ll say it again; Green Bikes are one of the best programs to have arrived on our campus. Here are a few reasons why.  First, by getting the Green Bike system, Washington State University is ahead of the pack! We are the first university in the ENTIRE United States to utilize the high-tech PBSC bike sharing program (yes, this includes the University of Washington).1   Secondly, the Wellbeing program went above and beyond to make it so that renting a Green Bike is FREE. It was made possible that all students need to rent out a bike is their student ID card rather than a special bike-sharing member key. Essentially, renting a bike requires only a swipe from a student card that most students carry with them at all times anyway! 1  Third, there are the multiple Wellbeing benefits. By riding bikes instead of driving, students are able to cut carbon emissions put out by their cars. Not only are you helping the environment by riding a Green Bike, but you are also positively impacting your life. You can save money on gas, while getting exercise, while relieving stress. The Green Bikes also provide a fun way to socialize with friends! Whether you’re going from one side of campus to the other or taking a trip to Moscow, Green Bikes can greatly enhance your experience! (For more information on Wellbeing please visit http://wellbeing.wsu.edu/).  And finally, need I mention the convenience? The loading docks used for the Green Bike system make it possible to pick up a bike in one location, ride it to your destination, and drop it off! Wellbeing has placed green bike loading docks all around campus (for a map of the stations g... [More]