Biking is wheelie good for the environment — just ask this Bruin!
From his days as an undergraduate student studying urban planning, then earning his MBA, to his present professional role with the UCLA Institute for Transportation Studies, for the past 16 years, Juan Matute has been pedaling to campus.
A resident of Santa Monica, Juan's bike commute to UCLA is 4.7 miles and takes about 30 minutes.
"Biking has benefited my life because I'm more in control of my time, not dealing with traffic, and I'm just happier, seeing the trees and not being stuck in a car," said Juan.
Juan’s two-wheeled ride is also beneficial for the environment.
Bikes don't run on fossil fuels, making them far more sustainable than vehicles that run on gasoline. Bikes also take up little space: more people biking instead of driving means less need for expanded roadways and bigger parking lots. Less pavement leaves room for natural spaces. Even commuting by bike only a few times a week can have an impact, reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality.
Motivated to start pedaling for the planet? Here’s Juan's advice to give you a head start.
“To my fellow Bruins considering cycling to campus, I'd recommend making sure you have a safe bicycle, checking out the route ahead of time to become familiar with it, and then if you can find others along the way coming to UCLA, which there are many, try to pair up with them because they'll be able to point things out and help," said Juan.
"And really just enjoy yourself. It's a great way to show up to campus, happy and ready to work."
Hear more of what Juan thinks about biking, and tell us your thoughts! Share words that come to mind when you think about riding a bike on our Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook for a chance to win an Amazon gift card. And be sure to join us at our upcoming Bike Week events, with food, giveaways, and more.
