Bike for your kids: A parent's call to action

Blog Post

Roger Geller, Portland Bureau of Transportation's Bicycle Coordinator, shares why parents and caregivers should lead by example and bike with and for their kids.

Guest contributor: Roger Geller, Portland Bureau of Transportation Bicycle Coordinator

If you're like me, you know that kids watch everything we do as parents. They observe all of our actions-from our ordinary conversations to our day-to-day routines. We, consciously or not, tell them how to live, what is right and wrong, and how to respond to challenges. And, as parents, we also watch our kids to know if they're happy and thriving. We take those observations and use them to consider how to meet our children's unique needs. We do all this because we know how important it is for us as parents to be champions for our kid's futures. We want to provide them the tools they'll need to navigate a rapidly changing world. One simple, brilliant, and almost magical way we can serve as a role model is by riding a bike.

A simple yet profound tool

A bike is a tool that is easy to use yet profound in its effect. Riding a bike for our daily needs benefits us as individuals by giving us an easy outlet for exercise, time outdoors, and a cheap option for travel. It also benefits the community where we live by providing more "eyes on the street," easing traffic congestion, and reducing air pollution. The bike also offers solutions to many of the challenges we face in our changing world.

A former colleague once called the bicycle a "silver bullet" for its ability to address both personal and societal challenges. That was in the days before the effects of a rapidly changing climate made the news on a regular basis-news to which our children are increasingly paying attention. Bicycling is a tool for good health, for keeping more money in our pockets, and for a good quality of life. Perhaps most importantly for our kids, it's fun and something families can do together! And it's one direct thing we can tell our kids we're doing to combat climate change to give them a little more reassurance.

As an uncle to elementary school-aged children, I am both impressed with their knowledge of current political and urban issues and alarmed at the concern they express about their futures and the future of the earth because of climate change. They know what's going on. Now that my children are adults, it's rewarding to see them regularly opting to use their bicycles to get around. The seed of that use was planted when they were very young!

Take advantage of Portland's bicycle network!

Living here in Portland, we have some of the best bicycling infrastructure in the county. We have neighborhood greenways connecting communities across the city, off-street paths, and protected bicycle lanes, like the one on SW Capitol Highway that makes bike travel from Portland Community College Sylvania to downtown continuous and safe. Decades of such investments grants us a unique opportunity (among American cities) to demonstrate to our kids that choosing to bike is not only possible, but also a great way to counter the 40% of greenhouse gases that come from transportation.

Start small and make it a habit

It doesn't have to be every trip. You don't have to get rid of your car. Start small and slowly build a habit. The more you can leave your car behind and use a bicycle, and the more your kids see you do it, and the more you do it with your kids, the more you demonstrate that there are things we can personally do that have a measurable impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And that it's fun, improves health, makes our communities cleaner and neighborhoods quieter, is just the cherry on top!

Learn more about family biking in Portland