Electric bikes have gained popularity over recent years. They offer a low-carbon, convenient mode of transport, allowing people to cut their carbon footprint and travel costs simultaneously.
Vehicles on the road account for about one-fifth of EU CO2 emissions. The use of e-bikes would help to reduce these figures drastically. They create no fumes or noise pollution and require much less space. Ideal for busy cities!
Could electric bikes be the future of sustainable transportation?
Forest E-Bikes
Forest is a London-based e-bike company on a mission to build healthier and happier cities. After a pilot of 200 e-bikes in two London boroughs during the Summer of 2020, the service launched in September 2021. Since then, Forest has grown greatly, and it now covers the whole of central London with a fleet almost as large as the TfL – Santander Cycle scheme.
Forest has the environment at the core of its values. All aspects of their operation emit zero emissions. Forest’s slogan, “the bikes that look like trees,” underscores the company’s dedication to environmental consciousness and sustainability.
Forest’s Head of Sustainability, Laura Elms, explained:
“Forest prides itself on being not only the most sustainable shared bike operator in London but also the most affordable, with a 20-minute ride being 50% cheaper than its London-based competitors.”
How is Forest Helping to Protect The Environment?
Forest’s mission is to offer an affordable e-bike service which can replace many trips taken by carbon-emitting modes of transport, helping to improve urban air quality and reduce congestion.
The entire Forest fleet, including the service vehicles, is powered by certified renewable energy.
Elms added:
“So far, we have avoided over 500 tonnes of CO2, which is equivalent to planting approximately 300,000 trees.”
“Forest is also the only micro-mobility provider globally to be validated by Verra and is proud to be an accredited B Corporation. The company’s commitment to the environment and society has been recognised.”
To further help the environment, in August of this year, Forest launched its ‘River Bikes’, a fleet of bright blue bikes! These e-bikes have a special purpose- 5% of all proceeds from the River Bikes are being donated to The Rivers Trust in Q1 2024. The Rivers Trust is an environmental charity which aims to restore UK rivers to health.
It is lovely to see an e-bike company considering more than just the impact of their transportation, expanding their efforts to have positive impacts across all of our natural habitats.
What Makes Forest Unique?
“Forest is both the most affordable and the most sustainable shared e-bike provider. To facilitate this level of affordability, Forest has a unique ad tech platform which allows partner companies to advertise their brand or services to Forest users via the bike rental app. Partner companies they have worked with have included the likes of Whole Foods Market, UPS, Nutmeg, The Financial Times and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.”
“Forest is constantly innovating to find fun ways to offer customers even more rides for less money. We recently launched ‘Forest Plus’, which allows all users to ride for 60 minutes daily (with no unlocking fees) for only £45 per month (that’s just 2.5p per minute!).”
Should We All Be Trying E-Bikes?
Elms spoke to the point and explained why she thinks people should be giving e-bikes a try:
“The benefits of riding a Forest e-bike are threefold; it’s active, good for the environment and will save you money!”
E-bikes are environmentally friendly, affordable, and offer health benefits. It’s easy to see why they should be a big part of the future of sustainable transportation. The benefits of e-bikes are fantastic, and they are already becoming much more common and accepted in many large cities. The infrastructure for them is improving. You’ll find more bike-friendly facilities and lanes to keep you safe.
Sustainability and Convenience is The Future
Switching to an e-bike is a significant step towards more sustainable and responsible travel. They will be essential for increasing low-carbon, convenient transportation for people. Their affordability and electric-powered design make them accessible to all. There are minimal barriers to preventing them from becoming a mainstream mode of transport for short distances.
Forest shows us that it is possible to implement small changes in your life to impact our environment and society positively. Choosing to use an e-bike for some of your travel is choosing to reduce greenhouse gasses and noise pollution and create a cleaner environment for everyone to enjoy.
“A cleaner, healthier, happier world is possible, one pedal at a time.”
Learn more here: humanforest.co.uk
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