As part of the annual Tiger Blue Goes Green Day on Oct. 7, economics professor Doug Campbell will lead a group bike ride from the Cooper-Young area to the U of M campus.
Campbell has been riding to and from campus for six and a half years, and he’s felt noticeable differences in his energy levels since starting. He explained just how biking fit into his life.
“It’s about three miles,” Campbell said. “I rode it today, and I’ve got to go to the store today, so I’ll ride my bike there too. I was initially inspired because my brother, who lives in Seattle, started biking 16 miles to work and I thought I could definitely bike three.”
Since beginning his daily ride, Campbell has become an advocate for the healthy exercise bike riding can provide, but admits that there is a learning curve.
“My first time I rode to campus it took me 30 minutes because I was out of breath, ” Campbell said. “I had to stop twice. Now I can bike non-stop in less than 15.”
Campbell’s bike ride is just one event planned for Tiger Blue Goes Green Day. There will also be a number of activities and exhibitions related to sustainability. A green research project will give students a chance to win prizes of $50, $100 and $150, though anyone who submits their work by Oct. 1 will be displayed.
These activities are organized by the Center for Biofuel Energy and Sustainable Technologies, which is composed of University faculty members in Engineering, Public Health and the Fogelman college of Business and Economics.
Campbell hopes that what students take away from Tiger Blue Goes Green Day is an idea of the consequences of their everyday actions, such as littering.
“I’ve always believed in being responsible for my own decisions about what I dispose of to the environment, and I know my actions take place in a much broader context of wants and needs,” Campbell said.
Campbell believes that simple actions such as riding a bike more often can help the environment in more ways than one.
“If you’re riding a bike you’re not burning gas or fossil fuels, and it contributes a lot less to traffic congestion,” Campbell said. “It’s a great way to get exercise, good for the environment, and it’s a lot of fun.”
