Kids biking green

Getting kids active, and encouraging green transport can go hand in hand by encouraging kids to bike to school. Biking is a fundamental part of childhood, ecouraging both adventure and independence, and most importantly eco-friendly behavior. While 90% of children have bikes, only one per cent cycle to school, mostly because of parents' safety fears.

Now parents are being urged to swap the school run for the school cycle, where it's safe to do so. With more than 30% of kids saying they would like to cycle to school, proficiency tests and bicycle training can reassure parents and help children develop the necessary road sense.

Schools, in particular, most of which already offer cycle training, are being urged to improve facilities for bicycle storage. Teachers in schools across Britain have reported that pupils who walk or cycle to school are more alert and concentrate better than those who travel by car.

Sedentary games such as computers are blamed for the demise of the cycling craze of the 1980s, when the popularity of BMXing reached its peak. But a subsequent underground cycling and skateboarding movement, with hundreds of online forums and chat rooms, has become mainstream and cycling among youngsters is now enjoying a revival. Mountain biking in Scotland was also voted best in the world and is attracting rising numbers of converts of all ages.

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