Who doesn’t love choice?
Making the switch from fossil fuel based transportation modes to greener electric choices is a major part of the plan when we discuss how to reduce our carbon footprint as we move towards achieving the goals set in Paris, and certainly it should be a priority for major urban cities and governments to actively switch public transportation over to electric, but what about personal consumer agency? Not everyone can afford to upgrade to an electric car, and not everyone can access sustainable transit options that fit their schedules or lifestyle. Enter a new way to ride to work which may provide a smart solution for those who may not be able to bike somewhere entirely under their own power. The electric bicycle, along with the electric scooter and skateboard, provide those who would be comfortable with those types of commutes an option that allows them to not look or feel as if they’ve run half marathon by the time they get to work, school or any other destination. The extra boost of power is a great incentive for people who live in areas with challenging topography, or who may not be exceptionally fit, with a sustainable transportation option that doesn’t rely solely on “manpower”. It provides those who may have given up traditional biking due to health concerns with a less strenuous option. It needs to be supported, however, with ‘safe’ alternative mode infrastructure such as that of Amsterdam.