Burn Fat; Not Fuel

It’s World Environment Day today. I remember back in the mid to late ‘70s where the weather forecast could tell what we were going to experience the next day up to the minute detail. If the weatherman said it would rain tomorrow evening at 4.00pm, it would rain at 4.00pm. Nowadays, it is just “morning showers/clear evenings/thunderstorms expected elsewhere”.

Everybody’s talking about planting trees and saving energy. You know as well as I do that one of the biggest culprits to pollution is the motorcar.

Therefore, the only solution is to NOT use the car, or use it LESS.
The more we drive, the more we pollute. The less we drive, the less we produce greenhouse gas.

Don’t get me wrong. I love cars. But environmental conditions do not encourage the use of motor vehicles.

Let’s campaign Cycle2Work.

Maybe employers can play their part by giving incentives:
1. Company pays cash “meal” allowance of RM10 per cyclist per cycling day. The more days an employee cycles, the more he/she earns.

2. Company provides hire-purchase plan for bicycles, so everybody can afford a good quality bike.

3. Company’s Sports Club organizes bicycle-related events. This will promote bike purchase.

4. Company installs shower facilities and bike racks at the covered parking lot.

5. Company holds short courses on how to cycle in traffic, simple bike maintenance and minor bike repair.

The reason why companies should support this campaign is because it is a clear CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). By promoting Cycle2Work, we can prove to the stakeholders, and public at large, and much to the satisfaction of NGOs like Greenpeace etc that we ARE a company that cares for the environment, safety and health. Cycle2Work will be our contribution to sustainability.

Employees don’t need to cycle “everyday” if they don’t want to. Once a week is a good start. Three times a week is a good practice, so you can bring pre-ironed clothes on days you take the car. To run the campaign, there are several period options:
1. Campaign it all year round

2. Pick a day of the month. Eg. Every first Wednesday of every month

3. Choose a good week, perhaps in conjunction with New York Cycle to Work Week etc.

4. Find a health-related day. Eg in conjunction with World Health Day/ World Diabetes Day/ World Heart Day etc.

5. Select an environment-related day. Eg World Water Day/ World Environment Day/ other global warming initiatives.

Trust me. Cycling to work is possible. And if at least half of the employees ride their bicycles to work, can you imagine how much cleaner, cooler, safer, quieter and healthier our environment would be? Imagine the effect of a car-less world. Imagine!

Sustainability. Think about it.