BIKES, HIKES, HYBRIDS & METRO

Principal Christine Geltz started 2007 with an ambitious yet attainable goal of commuting to work by bicycle three times per week. By pedaling the 21-mile round trip, Christine can shave nearly 3,300 miles from her odometer each year. That equates to a reduction of 1.34 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

But the benefits don't stop there. By substituting physical energy for fossil fuel energy, Christine is burning an additional 680 calories per day. With a three day per week commute, she has the potential to burn enough calories to shed 30 pounds. And Christine has observed that her energy level is up since she began wheeling to work.

A side benefit of the bicycle commute is that Christine plans her meetings and errands more efficiently. "That contributes to less mileage and more time efficiency. As a business owner, time is money," added Christine, a member of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.