Ikea gave its 9,000 U.K. employees a moving Christmas present this week: a brand new folding bike that they can ride to work. The bikes fold up so that they can be carried onto buses or trains. They cost £139, and are made by Raleigh, in Poland, especially for this event. You can bet that Ikea customers will want to buy one too ( anyone checked ebay yet...). As an extra encouragement, every staff member will be offered a 15% subsidy on transit tickets to encourage them to use public transport to travel to and from work. The eco-friendly gift is part of the company's commitment to improve the environmental aspects of the business. Last year the Christmas present was a portable DVD player and in 2004 staff received an MP3 player. The UK country manager said: "The bike is a fun present but there is a serious message. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to protect the environment.” Earlier this year Ikea changed its plastic bag policy by charging for them and encouraging use of reusable bags. IKEA says it has reduced plastic bag consumption in its stores across the country by 97%. :: Independent

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TreeHugger in Time Magazine