Ed Gulick is green; he works for an environmental architecture firm, and even carries reusable grocery bags. But there's one more thing: he doesn't own a car. Gulick traded in his wheels years ago, and he styles his life around that choice.

"Me not owning a car, there's nothing heroic about it at all," he said. "I don't have to bike 12 miles a day in the snow and rain. It's just a 5 minute bike ride from my house. I live near downtown, I shop at the Good Earth market, so it's close by, there's nothing inconvenient about not owning a car for me."

Gulick said he saves more than $6,000 a year by not driving, and with fuel prices on the rise, that number is constantly going up. But having extra green in his wallet isn't the only reason Gulick has given up gas. "There are a lot of consequences for our dependence on automobiles," he said.

"Obesity is one, having to pay high energy prices is another, and just our carbon footprint in this country is very high. Biking can address all three of them simultaneously and I would encourage others to do that."

But safety first; Gulick never goes for a ride without his helmet. He said he's been a fan of biking for about 14 years, and when he has to use a vehicle, he tries to carpool.