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Author: Marshall Thurlow
I was researching up and coming ‘world health days’ to see what days were coming up. One in particular stood out – World Bike Day! I wanted to find out more about this day and to see why it’s important. Here’s what I found out.
What is World Bike Day?
World Bike Day, held on the 3 June each year, is a global event that celebrates biking as a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation. It’s a day that brings attention to the benefits of using a bicycle while underscoring the need for cleaner transport options.
Back in 2018, the United Nations and World Health Organisation declared 3 June as World Bicycle Day. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution on 15 March 2022.
Interestingly, the push to establish this day was peddled by the country of Turkmenistan and supported by other countries in a push to promote the humble bicycle’s role in helping the UN achieve their ‘Sustainable Development Goals’.
So, Why is World Bike Day Important?
World Bike Day is more than an opportunity to take a ride through your local park – though that’s more than enough of a reason to partake. It’s about a broader idea, one that co-joins the benefits of cycling with much larger benefits for the planet.
Here are a few reasons why this day is important.
- Sustainability. Biking is one of the most eco-friendly ways to get around. It reduces carbon emissions, eases traffic congestion, and minimises the need for large parking spaces in crowded urban areas.
- Health benefits. Regular cycling can significantly improve physical health, from enhancing cardiovascular fitness to building muscle strength. It’s also great for mental well-being, reducing stress and anxiety levels.
- Economic savings. For small business owners, promoting biking can lead to cost savings. It reduces the need for expensive parking infrastructure and can even attract more customers if your business is accessible by bike paths. For individuals, a bike is a much more affordable mode of transportation compared to a gas guzzling vehicle.
How Can You Get Involved?
If you’re a small business owner like me, you have a unique opportunity to support World Bike Day and promote cycling within your communities. Why not encourage your employees to ride to work? They’ll improve their fitness and productivity levels at the same time. Offer bike wrecks, end of trip change facilities and other incentives such as healthy snacks to power them through the day.
You can integrate World Bike Day into your employee health and wellness programs as well.
If you’re a health practitioner, such as a doctor or a chiropractor, consider educating your patients on the benefits of bike exercise (it may help reduce back pain) and use this up and coming day as a health awareness campaign inside your practice. Consider sharing posts about it on social media, write a website blog about it, promote it via your newsletter and put up a poster!
Key Points
- Celebrated on the 3 June each year, World Bike Day highlights biking as a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation, aiming to promote the benefits of cycling and support cleaner transport options.
- The day underscores biking’s role in sustainability by reducing carbon emissions and traffic congestion while improving an individual’s physical and mental well-being.
- Small business owners are encouraged to support cycling in their communities and their workforce by incorporating cycling into health and wellness programs, offering incentives, and raising awareness about the benefits of cycling for health and the environment.
About the Author
Marshall Thurlow is the Director and Founder of Orion Marketing Pty Ltd. He is a digital marketer with expertise in SEO, website design, content marketing and project management.
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Image source: Depositphotos.com
