Ride a bike

Riding a bike can keep you fit and focused and a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Check out the bike paths around the city particularly Coast Park.

Bicycles are simply the most efficient form of transport. They produce no waste and improve our health and wellbeing. If we all used a bike to get to work and visit friends and family or substituted a road trip for a cycling trip, it would have an immediate and profound effect on our fossil fuel use and contribution to climate change. To put it in perspective cycling just 10km each way to work, once a week, instead of driving saves about $926 and 304kg of greenhouse gases each year.

How to do it now!

Cycle for fun and leisure. Try Railtrails Australia a directory of riding paths along old train lines through the beautiful Australian countryside.

Use an inner city bike hire scheme. A few capital cities have recently launched an easy, accessible and affordable bike hire scheme for cycling in the city.

Watershed Bike Library (City of Sydney)
CityCycle (City of Brisbane)
Melbourne Bike Share (City of Melbourne)
Adelaide City Bikes (City of Adelaide)
Brisbane City Cycle Bike Hire

Bike paths and bike lanes. Most cities have a network of off-road bike paths and wide roads with bike lanes along the main travelling routes. These are ideal for the invigorating ride to work along the local river and back streets or for cruising on the weekend to find a nice spot for a picnic.

Join or form a BUG (Bike Users Group) in your area. It's a great way to meet other riders and find out about the best paths and trails.

Some online resources to get you started:

Victoria - Bicycle Victoria
New South Wales - Bicycle NSW
Queensland - Bicycle Queensland
Western Australia - Bicycling Western Australia
South Australia - Bicycle Institute of South Australia
Tasmania - Bicycle Tasmania
Australian Capital Territory - Pedal Power

Additional resources

Why is this action important?

Whether we own a bike or not, we all now just how much better it would be for both our environment and our well being. Every time you ride a bike you are preventing emissions from entering into our atmosphere. In addition you are helping the air stay clean and fresh.

Related actions

Environment

Already the increased number of people riding bikes has prompted government to create bike lanes and cycle paths along rivers and creeks all over Australia. This has range of benefits for every one.

Wellbeing

Riding a bike along a coast line or on sunny day can really make you feel great, not only that but it can make the time that you use to spend driving far more enjoyable. Fitness is a major benefit as riding a bike and feeling better inside and out.