The gas-guzzling, expensive insurance, and lack of parking got you all hot and bothered? Then consider these environmentally friendly ways of getting around town.

It’s evident when walking past the almost-bursting bike racks around campus that cars aren’t always the best way to get around your four-year (or longer, super seniors) home away from home.

In a time when gas prices and carbon emissions are tied neck-and-neck on everyone’s D-list, students and faculty alike are scrambling to ease the load on their wallets – and the environment – by adopting alternative forms of transportation.

According to University Police, there are 228 registered bikes on campus – that amounts to approximately five percent of the student body. Factor in unregistered bikes as well, and it’s clear that biking is here to stay at Loyola.

It’s not just the students that are opting for the healthier transportation, though. Laura Beatty, marketing coordinator for the School of Mass Communication, rides her bike to work almost every day.

“I live about six blocks away, so I walk my kids to their school, then I hop on my bike and come here,” she said. “It’s easier, it’s far quicker than having to park the car in the garage and I love the idea of not having to use any gas.”

The inconvenience of being exposed to the elements may scare some people, but for Beatty, the advantages of biking outweigh the drawbacks. “If it’s pouring down rain when I leave, then I take the car,” she said. “But I don’t really care about getting wet on the way home.”

To make the bumpy ride a little more manageable, a few students have gotten involved in NolaCycle, a local organization dedicated to creating a bike map of New Orleans.

Volunteers equipped with clipboards, a 50 square block section of a map of the city and colored markers plot out the sections to be compiled into one large map. Planned for completion next summer, the map will include pavement quality, lane width, road-blocks and travel speed of cars.

On Saturday, NolaCycle met at Loyola to recruit mapping volunteers. “Even with a small turnout, you can accomplish a lot,” NolaCycle founder Lauren Sullivan said. “With four people you can plot half of a neighborhood in a couple hours.”

For those who aren’t quite ready to heave down St. Charles Avenue on man-power alone, scooters and mopeds are another popular option to save on gas. Freshman French major, Danielle Wise, purchased a Vespa LX 150 scooter.

“I sold my car for this,” she said. “It’s beautiful… The insurance is a lot cheaper, and it saves so much gas.”

An extra requirement for riding scooters, mopeds and motorcycles in Louisiana is a “motorcycle endorsement,” which requires special written, vision and driving skills tests to be eligible.

Though the iconic New Orleans streetcar is no longer in its hey-day, it’s still one of the most enjoyable ways of getting around the city.

Partner it with the city’s comprehensive bus system, which is much more reliable than its reputation suggests, and the city is indeed your oyster.

As a convenience and money saver, the Regional Transit Authority (which covers both bus and streetcar service) offers monthly unlimited ride TransPasses for $55 – about the cost of a tank of gas, but without the hassle of car insurance. Better yet, the passes can be purchased in the Loyola bookstore.

Alternative transportation lets you focus on the benefits of your commute – better scenery, healthier living and easing environmental impact. Think of it as a little lagniappe for your life.

Kevin Zansler can be reached at [email protected].

Jauné Jackson contributed to this article. She can be reached at [email protected].