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THE ITHACAN

The Student News Site of Ithaca College

THE ITHACAN

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Your donation will support The Ithacan's student journalists in their effort to keep the Ithaca College and wider Ithaca community informed. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

Editorial: Bikeshare is only one cycle of green transportation

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Grace Vanderveer

A non-profit organization called Ithaca Bikeshare is adding more parking hubs around the Ithaca area with the goal to reduce car use. It also is raising the cost of the per-minute ride, unlocking the bikes and charging riders a $1 fee for not parking in a hub. The reason for these changes is to encourage Bikeshare riders to use the hubs properly and make sure the bikes are appealing for use. The intentions of Ithaca Bikeshare are solely to bring more local and environmentally friendly involvement in the city. 

Bike sharing has improved environmentally friendly transportation modes and decreased some fuel use and the cost of transportation. While bike sharing is a good invention against the environmental crisis, it does not improve the global problem much. Using bikes during cold weather is not something most people prefer to do, especially when they have cars. So, with Ithaca and any other location with long and freezing winters, it is hard to believe that many people would make such a sacrifice. Unfortunately, bike companies cannot do much to change this factor because it is up to people to give up their comfort for the sake of saving the earth. In addition to the weather downside, people in the United States commute longer distances which again is easier done using cars. Some norms need to change if we are trying to make a bigger impact. People should use bike sharing as a complete alternative to driving alone. 

Bike sharing should not be a getaway from holding fossil fuel companies accountable. Biking might make many people feel fulfilled with their investment in ceasing the climate disaster, however, it is the least any person can do to reduce carbon emissions. So, while it is great to have a bike-sharing organization in Ithaca, the community should completely switch to environmentally friendly transportation while working toward regulating fossil fuel companies.    

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About the Contributor
Grace Vanderveer
Grace Vanderveer, Co-Design Editor
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