On Saturday, Jan. 10, Langford Green was especially green when Florida State University’s ReCycle Bike Program rented out bikes to students to use for the duration of the spring semester. The bike rental initiative’s main goals included reducing air pollution and conserving fuel by decreasing the amount of students who drive to campus or to work.

Students who came out to stadium gate D from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday were met with an opportunity to rent a bike at a low cost of $35 for the entire semester. With your FSU ID, the one-time $35 fee guaranteed a bike, lock and helmet rental from now until May. “With the combined efforts of Commuter Services of North Florida and Sustainable Campus, we are able to host bike safety lessons as well as provide bikes to over 70 students,” Mark Kastner, ReCycle bike program coordinator said.

By offering students a cheap transportation alternative to cars, the ReCycle Bike Program hopes to spread eco-friendliness and alleviate the congestion of on-campus parking garages during class rush hour. “As students become more aware of environmental and health issues, our program continues to grow in order to meet the demand of the student body,” Kastner said.

Now over 4 years old, the SGA-funded program continues to serve hundreds of students by facilitating their commute to campus, and its popularity is on the rise. “With a huge part of the student population not having a car, this is the coolest thing they could’ve done,” Senior Rodolfo Otamendi said. “It’s also a huge help to those of us who can’t afford to buy a bike.”

The program is also known for the “#StriveNotToDrive” initiative, which focuses on encouraging people to commit to using sustainable forms of transportation such as the bus, a skateboard or even carpooling. “We aim to reduce the amount of cars driven to campus and bikes piled up in the landfills, as well as to provide affordable transportation to students. The program is a great opportunity for the FSU community to choose a more sustainable way of getting around as well as striving to adapt a healthier lifestyle.” Kastner said.

This initiative is intended to continue at FSU for semesters to come, so keep an eye out for the distribution date for the fall.

Want to donate?

If you happen to have a bicycle you would like to donate to the program, send an email to fsurecyclebikes@gmail.com