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A group of MDE employees pedaled their way to the office on a May Friday – doing their part for clean air.
Twenty MDE employees joined cyclists from all over Maryland May 20 to participate in the national Bike to Work Day. MDE cyclists led convoys of riders from locations throughout the Baltimore area to MDE’s “pit stop” at Carroll Park.
MDE organized the Carroll Park pit stop with the help of volunteers and supporting organizations such as the Maryland Transit Administration, Citizens of Pigtown, Race Pace Bicycles in Federal Hill, and the Baltimore Metropolitan Council.
Pit stop participants received T-shirts, refreshments, safety inspections of their bikes, and giveaways such as “share the road” backpacks. Speakers from MDE, Citizens of Pigtown, and the MTA expressed their support for cycling. And everyone got a chance to watch a demonstration of how to use the type of bike rack located on every MTA bus – and to practice loading and unloading their own bicycle from the rack. You can take your bike on MTA buses and Light Rail and Metro subway trains.
Biking to work is a great way to reduce air and water pollution, get some exercise, and relieve stress. Bike to Work Day is one of the highlights of Clean Commute Month, which was initiated by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council nine years ago. During May, residents are encouraged to try cleaner means of transportation to get to work, like carpooling, using public transit, or biking. All of these methods of commuting reduce our carbon footprints and lead to less pollutants in the air we breathe.
To find out more about Bike to Work Day or get involved next year, contact Molla Sarros at MDE, Molla.Sarros@maryland.gov or 410-537-4180. For general information on biking, visit web sites of organizations such as the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, the International Bicycle Fund, or the League of American Bicyclists.
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