• Motor vehicle emissions represent 31 percent of total carbon dioxide, 81 percent of carbon monoxide, and 49 percent of nitrogen oxides released in the U.S.
• 60 percent of the pollution created by automobile emissions happens in the first few minutes of operation, before pollution control devices can work effectively. Since "cold starts" create high levels of emissions, shorter car trips are more polluting on a per-mile basis than longer trips.
• A short, four-mile round trip by bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.
• More than half of all Americans live less than five miles from where they work, but only 1.67% of Americans commute by bicycle.
• One hundred bicycles can be produced for the same energy and resources it takes to build one medium-sized automobile.
• The average cost of a new car in the U.S. is $13,532. The average cost of a new bicycle in the U.S. is $385.
• Industrial world cities typically use at least one third of their land for roads and parking lots for motor vehicles.
• Americans drive 2.2 trillion miles a year, the equivalent of eighty-eight times around the globe.

Sources: bicyclinginfo.org, californiabikecommute.com, chattbike.com, telegraph.co.uk/earth/graphics

Like any mode of transportation, it's important to bike safely. You know the basics: Wear a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads, never double up on a bike, don't wear baggy clothing, etc. But, as a bike commuter, are you familiar with the rules of road? Protect yourself and others on the road by brushing up on the bicycle commuting rules:

1. Drive on the right side of the road, never on the left and never on the sidewalk.
2. When you reach a more important or larger road than the one you are on, yield to crossing traffic. Here, yielding means looking to each side and waiting until no traffic is coming.
3. When you intend to change lanes or to move laterally on the roadway, yield to traffic in the new lane or line of travel. Here, yielding means looking forward and backward until you see that no traffic is coming.
4. When approaching an intersection, position yourself with respect to your destination direction -- on the right near the curb if you want to turn right, on the left near the centerline if you want to turn left, and between those positions if you want to go straight.
5. Between intersections position yourself according to your speed relative to other traffic; slower traffic is nearer the curb and faster traffic is near the centerline.
6. Be predictable. This means to ride a good straight line, signal turns and lane changes and generally look like you know what you are doing. If you act like the driver of a vehicle, then other drivers will usually understand what you are doing.

Source: bicyclinglife.com

GO Boulder, the City of Boulder's transportation options program, strives to "develop a sustainable and balanced transportation system that supports the quality of life valued by Boulder's residents, employees and visitors."

Boulder boasts 300+ miles of bike lanes, routes, designated shoulders, and paths. All these options can make commuting confusing. You can map your bike route through GO Boulder's free GO Bike Boulder service. Click here to access the City's cutting-edge web site and find your personal best-fit bike route.

While you're at it, check out the GO Boulder web site.

• April 3: 6:30pm, Humanities 1B50. Using the Local Community as Classroom and Curriculum: A talk for the campus and community by Co-founder, PEER Associates Michael Duffin.
  
  Sometimes the sheer joy of teaching and learning can get lost in the scramble to pass the next standardized test. As an alternative, "place-based education" uses the local community and environment as a starting point to teach concepts in language arts, math, social studies, and science. Researcher Michael Duffin will present stories and research-based evidence about the lessons learned from his years in the field as an evaluator of place-based education programs.


• April 5: 10am - 4:30pm, UMC room 245. Building Bridges: Life-Enhancing Communication. A Nonviolent Communication Workshop for Activists presented by Clayton Barker.
  
  All participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in Compassionate Communication Training. Call the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center at (303) 444-6981, betty@rmpjc.org, or the CU Environmental Center at 303-492-8308, ecenter@colorado.edu for further info or to reserve a space at the workshop.


• April 16: 10am-3pm. Spring Bike Jam.
  
  Get your bike ready for spring. Be on the lookout at Kittredge, Engineering, Physics, Norlin, UMC, the Rec Center, Williams Village and the Bike Station for skilled bicycle mechanics and live music. Unlock that sad looking bike from its stationary state and let our mechanics tune it up free of charge. The mobile mechanic will be on duty as well.


• April 18: 9am-12pm followed by lunch discussion, UMC 245. Campus Sustainability Roundtable.
  
  This roundtable will serve to update departmental and operational staff and interested public about current progress and strategic directions in campus environmental issues.


• April 20: 9am, CU-Boulder Research Park. The Earth Day 5K Run/Walk and Expo.
  
  The Earth Day 5K is a benefit for the Center for ReSource Conservation and an opportunity to celebrate Earth Day. Find more information at http://www.conservationcenter.org/events.htm.


• April 22: 11am-7pm, Norlin Quad/ UMC Fountain. Earth Day Celebration!
  
  The celebration will feature food, booths, music, a fashion show, etc. in collaboration with CU- COPIRG and CU- Conscious Alliance. Details forthcoming!


• April 22: 7:00pm and 9:00pm, Humanities 1B50. EarthDance: The Short-Attention-Span Environmental Film Festival, helping you see green.
  
  EarthDance is not your average film festival. The 20 short films (30 seconds to 30 minutes each) are a fun, funny, and provocative lot. Compiled into 90 minute blocks, the juried compilation of comedies, documentaries, animations, and adventures invite you to laugh and celebrate your relationship to the natural world.


• April 25: 8-9am, UMC Aspen Rooms. Campus Sustainability Awards Ceremony.
  
  The University of Colorado will recognize the significant achievements and extraordinary efforts of outstanding individuals and departments at the annual sustainability awards ceremony. The campus environmental awards program started in 1997 as a means to recognize commitment to reducing the burden that the CU campus places on the environment. To attend the ceremony, RSVP to ecenter@colorado.edu or 303-492-8308 by Tuesday, April 22nd. This event is sponsored by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Vice Chancellor for Administration, and the UCSU Environmental Center.

Let us know about the creative ways that you're living green. Each month, the Live Green newsletter will feature tips submitted by readers. E-mail us your tips at livegrn@colorado.edu.

See room for improvement? Give us your feedback on ways that CU can become more environmentally friendly.

E-mail us at livegrn@colorado.edu.