According to a recent article published in the Environmental News Network (ENN), the combination of high gas prices as well as other miscellaneous car payments may actually be affecting people’s health. The article talks about how one California couple was used to spending upwards of $600 a month on gasoline and nearly 50 hours in their cars. Sound familiar? According to the US Census, the average suburban couple spends over 40 hours per month in their respective vehicles in getting to and from work.

Lose the Stress by Losing the Car

Like this couple, there are many out there who are letting the gas crisis affect them to the point where it is actually having a negative impact on their health. I don’t know about you, but I own a small SUV and everytime I hear that the gas prices are going up, I cringe. I wouldn’t be surprised tomorrow if a doctor informed me that my blood pressure was higher than usual (which was the case in the article by ENN). According to the article, the couple’s blood pressure was so high from all of the stress that they were feeling with the gas crisis and their vehicles that they ended up seeking out alternative forms of auto transportation.

An Electric Bike?

It turns out that the couple stopped using their Honda CRV and Mitsubishi Spider, and instead, purchased a couple of Optibikes. Now, the couple has spared their vehicles the extra 500 miles of driving per month by riding their bikes instead, which is currently saving them approximately $320 in gasoline. And what’s more, their doctor was able to confirm that their blood pressure had gone down, and they had even lost some weight due to the extra exercise!

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