From the Portsmouth Herald

Bike/Walk to Work This Week
Spare the environment and have a healthier commute

By Deborah McDermott

May 14, 2012 2:00 AM

If you've ever thought to yourself, "You know, I really don't live that far from work. I should at least walk or bike there every once in a while," then this is your week.

Today marks the start of the 10th annual Seacoast Bike/Walk to Work Week, when folks across the Seacoast make a commitment to use their bikes or feet to get to work.

They join others across the state who are making the same pledge. Last year, participants traveled 64,731 miles statewide. And with gas hovering under $4 a gallon, and each gallon of gas emitting 20 pounds of carbon dioxide, those who can participate really should.

"You're fitting a workout into a busy day, reducing your pollution footprint and avoiding traffic jams," said Josh Pierce, president of Seacoast Area Bike Routes, one of the week's sponsors. Other sponsors include the Rockingham and Strafford planning commissions, COAST, the University of New Hampshire, local bike shops and other businesses.

It's really simple to get involved. Go to www.commute greennh.org and sign up; it's a pretty painless registration. Then you log the amount of miles you travel by bike or foot each day, and it's added to the tally from around the region and the state.

"The numbers have gradually increased each year," said Scott Bogle of the Rockingham Planning Commission.

Of particular interest to many Seacoast businesses is the Seacoast Corporate Commuter Challenge, which adds some friendly competition to the week. There are four categories: Major institution, large employer, medium-sized employer and small employer.

"Typically we have 15 companies and organizations (in the Seacoast area), but we're going to have more this year."

This week has become more and more popular as employees see the benefit of getting in better shape, participating in some friendly competition and helping the planet at the same time. Among them this year will be UNH (which won the major institution category last year), Goss Manufacturing, Timberland (which won the large employer category last year), the National Visa Center, Lonza, EMS in Portsmouth (which won the medium-sized employer category last year), Lamprey Health Care in Newmarket, area bike shops and the planning commissions.

Last year, Bogle said, even with lousy weather, participants in the Seacoast Commuter Challenge made 628 bicycle or walking trips to work during the five days of the challenge. That totaled 4,040 avoided auto miles — enough to get from Portsmouth to Los Angles and then north to Portland, Ore.

Think about that.

This week's forecast doesn't look particularly great either, but it appears to be more cloudy than rainy. Fortunately, Friday looks like a great day, unlike last year when it poured. And that's important, because that's the day commuters can enjoy a free breakfast at one of 10 locations throughout the Seacoast.

From 7 to 10 a.m., those who walk or bike to one of the following locations can enjoy a free meal courtesy of local restaurants: Downtown Portsmouth in front of Popovers, Pease Tradeport at Trade Wings, Stratham Industrial Park at Timberland, Exeter at the bandstand, Dover at the Dover Transportation Center, Newmarket at the Bike Factory, North Hampton at Gus International Bike Shop, Rye at the library, Lee at Stevens Field and Durham at the Whittemore Center.

That night, from 6 to 8 p.m., there will be a Bike/Walk to Work Week celebration at the Portsmouth Brewery, where the winners will be announced.

"The overall goal of the project is to provide a fun event to try biking and walking. Hopefully you'll find you enjoy it and make a habit of doing it once a week during the summer," Bogle said.