They say children are the future, and a group in Montclair, New Jersey, is setting an adorable example of that saying in action.
"When I say bike, you say bus!" chants a voice at the beginning of an Instagram video posted by Montclair Bike Bus (@montclairbikebus) showcasing a group of children and adults seated atop bikes ready to ride. The caption stated that it's a Friday at 8:21 a.m.
"The streets have been overtaken by a new gang," the caption continued as the group rides the streets in a neat formation. "A bike gang."
The Instagram account page for the bike bus states, "We're a group of Montclair, NJ-based parents and kids who want to make biking to school together fun, joyful, and safe," and the video is certainly fun and filled with joy.
"Residents are unable to resist…there's no choice but to surrender to the joy," the caption said as smiling children ride to school.
As their webpage describes, "a bike bus is an adult-led scheduled bike ride that follows a specific route and timetable," and they exist worldwide. A slightly different version — the Bicco Bike Bus, a large group bike designed to allow one adult driver to transport 10 children easily with only pedal power — has also gone viral in the Netherlands.
With new information coming out almost daily about the contribution of gas-powered vehicles to rising global temperatures, as well as the many human health problems their pollution both causes and worsens, finding ways to move away from them is becoming increasingly important.
The Environmental Protection Agency reported that transportation is the largest contributor to planet-warming pollution in the United States, accounting for nearly 30%. Additionally, school buses are generally diesel, which is even more polluting, and the exhaust becomes more concentrated inside the bus itself, which can cause health problems for children.
The EPA recently announced that through the Clean School Bus program, it will award about $400 million to qualifying school districts to buy safer, less-polluting electric and low-emission buses.
Having kids ride bikes has the added benefit of providing exercise, and the fewer cars on the roads, the safer it is for those choosing to bike, as was evidenced in Amsterdam.
The comment section of the video was filled with positivity.
"Bike Bus…how wonderful!" wrote one viewer.
"Love this! Perfect," raved another.
"Fully surrendered to joy," a third commented.
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