Bicycles burn calories, not carbon, so they’re considered among the cleanest forms of transportation. But most bikes are made of aluminum and steel which leave a large carbon footprint since the materials are mined and processed. Now a group of young men have come up with a clean, renewable replacement: bikes made of bamboo. Living on Earth’s Jessica Ilyse Smith went to the Bamboo Bike Studio in Brooklyn, New York and has our story.
YOUNG: It's Living on Earth, I'm Jeff Young. And when it comes to clean, inexpensive and healthy transportation, bikes are hard to beat. But since they're typically made of steel or aluminum, which go through a lot of processing, bicycles can still carry a sizeable carbon pedal print. In Brooklyn, NY, three men are taking an ecological approach to building bikes. We sent Living on Earth's Jessica Ilyse Smith to give it a spin.
[SOUNDS OF RIDING ON COBBLESTONE]
SMITH: Rickety, jolting, awkward, riding ...