March 29, 2007 (Mexico City, Mexico) – Starting this coming Monday, city workers in Mexico’s capital, Mexico City, must now ride a bicycle to work on the first Monday of each month reports le Monde. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, who issued the order, will be joining his workers on a bicycle this coming Monday. Only ambulance services and garbage pickup crews are exempt from this municipal order.

Mexico City is also increasing its network of bike paths, creating bicycle rental agencies, developing bicycle parking and otherwise promoting cycling.

The greater Mexico City region has a population of over 19 million inhabitants and because the city is surrounded by mountains, air pollution tends to get trapped there. The city is considered to have some of the worst air pollution in the world. Each year, some 200,000 cars are added to Mexico City’s fleet of four million motor vehicles, many of which are older models that pollute more than newer vehicles.