The Eco Reps are reviving the school’s bike share program after years of declining student use. By repairing bikes and planning new promotional efforts, the group hopes more students will take advantage of the program, Eco Reps faculty advisor Christian Tonsgard said.
Located beneath the staircase in Renaissance Hall, the bike share provides Upper School (US) students with free access to bikes without requiring them to own one. First established roughly 10 years ago, the program encourages sustainable transportation, Mr. Tonsgard said.
“The idea was to give students and faculty an opportunity to get off campus and explore Harvard Square and the surrounding areas without needing a car,” he said. “We’re lucky to live and work in such a beautiful area, and the bike share encourages people to get outside, explore and stay active.”
In recent years, however, student use of the program has declined. The Eco Reps have been working to make the program more accessible to students, he said.
“The Eco Reps have been working hard to get the bikes back into shape. They’ve been fixing flat tires, oiling chains and tackling whatever maintenance they can,” Mr. Tonsgard said.
Eco Reps member Sydney Xu ’28 said the program also aims to bring students together.
“I feel like if you’re biking with your friends, it’s a really nice way to hang out with your friends and have fun,” Sydney said. “Also, it’s a really nice mode of exercise because when you’re biking versus riding in a car or a bus, you’re getting exercise while moving your body.”
To increase participation, the Eco Reps plan to promote the bike share through posters around campus, Instagram posts and “What’s Happening” emails. Although some details are still being finalized, the Eco Reps hope to encourage students to replace car rides and other less sustainable forms of transportation with biking, Sydney said.
For some students, biking is already a regular part of their routine. Quinn Conine ’27 has biked to school nearly every day, weather permitting, since middle school.
“I bike to school pretty much every day, unless it’s really heavy rain or it’s really icy out,” Quinn said. “It’s a practical alternative, so I just kept doing it since middle school. It’s also just like a nice way to get up in the morning, it’s a good habit.”
