...we could rattle off an extensive and probably boring list of reasons why using bicycles for a recycling company makes sense. Here are a simple few, though:
- The ecological imperative to do so is very strong. Rather than being powered by pollutive petrochemicals, a bicycle is fueled by cleanburning human power, and much more efficient in terms of energy consumption. Biking and recycling go hand in hand in terms of lessening our environmental impact.
- With regard to cost, a bicycle is cheaper to insure, maintain, and fuel. Bread is a lot cheaper than gasoline! By keeping our own costs low, we can maintain an affordable service to our customers.
Since taking over the business in September, we've pedaled over 3,000 miles, and recycled over 27 tons of recyclable material. By using a bicycle instead of a van, we've conserved over 180 gallons of gasoline and prevented over 3,000 lbs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
- Rather than being another anonymous vehicle, a bicycle towing 300 lbs of recyclables stands out. It gives us the chance to wave at people, say hello to pedestrians on the sidewalk and be chased by dogs. We're also more accessible to customers and the community, thus we frequently stop in a driveway to chat.
