EcoLocalizer

Joke all you want about politicians’ hot air contributing to global warming, but at least the folks attending the Democratic and Republican National Conventions this summer will have a chance to limit their greenhouse gas emissions off the convention floors.

That’s because both Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul plan to use their respective conventions to kick off a new bike-sharing program called “Freewheelin.” Created by the health benefits company Humana Inc. and the not-for-profit Bikes Belong, Freewheelin will bring 1,000 bikes to each city during the convention. Convention-goers will be able to use the bicycles free of charge to get around town without the need for cars.

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After the conventions, 70 of the bicycles and the solar-powered check-out kiosks will remain in both cities so residents can continue to ride free around town. By registering at the Freewheelin Website, users will also be able to automatically track their mileage, carbon emissions saved and other health information.

“This is an exceptional opportunity to show how well bicycling works for short trips in big cities,” said Tim Blumenthal, executive director of Bikes Belong. “Considering that 41 percent of all trips in automobiles are two miles or less, bikes are an ideal alternative.”

The first Freewheelin program started earlier this year at Humana’s corporate headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. More than 2,500 employees registered for the program, prompting the company to expand Freewheelin to other locations across the U.S.

The 2008 Democratic National Convention is scheduled for Aug. 25 - 28 in Denver. Republicans plan to gather for their convention Sept. 1 - 4 in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

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