It is with some trepidation that I write my next installment. How can I possibly match the mystery and intrigue of spy calculators with my next blog entry? I know... I must include something even more fantastic- something like Hobbits.
I will warn you in advance, before we get to the Hobbits there may be some mathematics involved and there may even be talk of the dreaded metric system. Seems silly, I know, that someone would want to have a standardized measurement system based on multiples of ten.
Today the odometer on my bike crossed the 600km threshold. That is my "kilometer-age" since arriving here in Switzerland. We have been commuting (can I call it commuting if i am not actually working?) daily (Mon-Fri) by bike to our German class. It is about 16km each way and it takes roughly 40 minutes. The route winds up a wide river valley and alternates between bike paths and roads as it also alternates between small towns and farm fields. It is a very peaceful ride and is sufficiently varied to keep things interesting. The terrain is slightly rolling but no real steep or long hills are encountered. I can't say that it is uphill both ways but, let me tell you kids, we pedal into a headwind BOTH ways. Yes, that's right, on the way up the valley in the morning the cool air is moving down from the mountains towards us; on the way home, around noon, the winds have typically shifted to blow up valley towards us again.
We began bike commuting for several reasons 1) we don't have a car 2) the trains are expensive for those of us who are accustomed to spending USD rather than CHF (Swiss Francs) 3) we like the idea of not being dependent on fossil fuels for our transportation 4) It is good exercise and 5) Don't forget what happens if you ride on the trains. Go here for 40+ other reasons why someone might want to bike commute. One of my favorites is "Cycling improves self-esteem." Up until now I thought the repeated mantra of "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and gosh darn it people like me." was working just fine. In regards to number 2, one interesting thing we discovered is that due to the timing of the train schedules, we can actually leave home at the same time by bike or train and make it to class on time and can also get home just as fast by bike (no waiting for trains).
Now let's talk about #3. Bike commuters like to think that they are reducing the use of fossil fuels by not driving cars, and it is true that bike commuting can be a great alternative with a low environmental impact. However, one thing I started thinking about is the increase in food consumption that occurs with bike commuting. I checked out some calorie computers, like the one here back at the 40+ reasons site (scroll down) and discovered that I burn a whopping 448 calories EACH direction. I think that calculation may be a bit high, some estimates might put it at 350 based solely on mileage. I've lost a bit of weight so I am probably not eating a full 900 calories more per day, but my consumption had increased I am certain of that. Now let's consider that there are significant fossil fuel imputs involved with our highly-industrialized food production system. Any additional food I eat means more fossil fuels used to produce and transport that food. Am I really reducing my fossil fuel consumption? And what about this, what if I took the train? The train runs already whether I am on it or not. Wouldn't that be a better way to reduce my consumption? The only problem there is that I wouldn't get to work on my self-esteem too. Train travel does not strike me as an esteem-boosting activity.
It turns out that, at least according to sites that promote biking, biking is a very efficient means of transportation. I'm still a little skeptical when it comes to the public transportation figures, because it is running anyway and I doubt one extra person adds significantly to the energy consumption.
Judge for yourself. From the website linked to above comes the following "egg-planation"...
How efficient is Bicycling? Here is an egg-planation.
A bicyclist burns about 25 Calories per mile. One large egg supplies 80 Calories. A cyclist can travel about three miles on the energy of one egg.
0 (symbol for one egg)
A person walking would require three eggs to go the same distance.
000
A loaded bus requires the equivalent of two dozen eggs for each person it carries three miles.
000000000000000000000000
A train requires the equivalent of three dozen eggs for each person it carries three miles.
000000000000000000000000000000000000
A car that gets 12.5 miles per gallon requires the equivalent of seven dozen eggs to carry one person three miles.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Even if you double the miles per gallon and double the occupancy a car will still use the equivalent of twenty-one eggs to make the trip -- more than twenty times a bicycle.
000000000000000000000
Thank you for your patience. Now back to the Hobbits. There is a connection here, I assure you. Hobbits are those charming little halflings from the Lord of the Rings series. They are simple agricultural folk who live in hobbit-holes built into the sides of small hills. One of the great things about my bike commute is that I ride through a picturesque pastoral landscape and it just so happens that I also ride right by the hobbit-hole pictured above. I have yet to see any Hobbits there but I am sure they around. As we speak of lowering our environmental impact, it is interesting to note that Hobbit holes are very energy efficient because the earth is such an effective insulator and very little heating or cooling is needed. You too could live like a Hobbit or bike commute once in a while. Or just eat a lot of eggs. It is your choice.
4 comments:
How mechanically efficient is the bicycle in the above equation, and do we know the rider weight and average pitch to the supposed rides elevation changes, combined with the average pitch and yaw angles of the wind, not to mention the average overall maintained speed of the ride? That twenty five estimate? This is getting to complicated...I think I will just drive the hummer. Later...b
I have too much self-esteem, so I think biking would push me over the edge.
That webpage also says that Urban cycling keeps you humble. That sound like another way to say that commuters will try to run you over on a daily basis. I'd give up a few eggs to stay alive!
The energy savings you create by commuting by bicycle will be negated by the extra energy you use by living longer from being a physically (and mentally) healthier person according to a recent study "The environmental paradox of bicycling" by Karl T. Ulrich. If you want to save the planet, kill yourself. If you want to save yourself, ride your bike. We Hobbits live a long time anyways...
The A-Chain
Grow your own food, raise your own chickens to get the extra eggs you need to power your bicycle, feed the chickens your table scraps, use their poop to fertilize your garden, and compost the eggshells. I'm pretty sure that math works....
Jury's still out on the upside-down tomato planters. I think the plants require water a bit more often, and they would grow faster if I could keep the dog from chewing on the Roma plants.
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