Alex Jarrett and Ruthy Woodring have never written a business plan, taken out a business loan, or been concerned about making a lot of money.

In fact, the Northampton couple doesn’t even own a car. But they have found success and a rapidly growing clientele for a business operated by human power — and determination.

Their Pedal People Cooperative Inc. in Northampton uses bicycles and bicycle trailers with Rubbermaid totes stacked in layers to do residential and small-business curbside trash and reycling pickups in Northampton, Florence, and Leeds. Although this is their main line of business, they also haul items ranging from washing machines to couches — anything that weighs less than 300 pounds — for $15 to $20 an hour. In addition, they deliver and pick up cloth diapers for a diaper service, have a contract with the City of Northampton to empty the 60 public trash barrels downtown, and have started a farm-share delivery service, bringing fresh produce from local farms directly to area homes.

Although the work involves getting dirty, can be backbreaking, and means riding on the harshest winter days and hottest summer afternoons, they love their ‘green’ business and the sense of community it provides them.

“One of the things I really like is when I’m walking in people’s backyards or going into their garages. I talk to so many people that way, which strengthens my sense of place and belonging in this town,” Woodring said. “If I didn’t have to think of the future and being able to do this long-term, I would ride around and pick up trash all day.”

Their passion for bicycling has propelled Woodring to hold free bike workshops every Saturday at 12 Northern Ave. in Northampton, where she teaches people how to repair and maintain their biycles. The partners also hold bike classes, in which they explain how to navigate traffic confidently, use a bicycle as a means of practical transportation, and dress for year-round riding.

Their path hasn’t been without pitfalls, but they have found a way to take their passion and build it into a full-fledged business, whose mission is, in part, “to debunk the prevailing belief that more technology is needed to solve our problems.”

A New Spin on Business

Jarrett met Woodring during a trip to Chicago. A mutual friend introduced them, and they went on a Critical Mass bike ride together. The rides, held in cities across the world, were originally staged to protest the unfriendly attitude many people displayed towards bicylists. Today, they are usually an opportunity for cyclists to gather in cities and share their passion for the sport.

After the Critical Mass ride, the two found they had a lot in common, and, in time, Woodring moved to Northampton to be with Jarrett.

In 2002, Jarrett was doing computer work, and Woodring was helping to staff social-service agencies and working on farms. But they shared a desire to do something meaningful, and began thinking about whether they could find a way to have people pay them to ride their bikes. Their motivation also included concerns about the environment and pollution. “I just really think everyone should have good chance at clean air, food, and water,” Woodring said. “The U.S. has about 5% of the world’s population, but uses about 25% of the world’s resources.”

Local Living

The couple also believes strongly in living in small neighborhoods, where people can walk or ride bikes to get what they need.

Woodring, 36, has never owned a car and never wants to, finding it far more joyous and interesting to cycle. “Developing a society that is dependent on automobiles leads to sprawl, big-box chain stores, and the loss of a sense of community,” she said.

After mulling several ideas, they realized that, since there was no municipal recycling or trash pickup in Northampton and the Norwottuck Rail Trail runs through town and leads directly to the transfer station, it presented a unique geographic opportunity. Woodring had worked as a bicycle messenger in Chicago for a few years, and had started using a trailer there to haul things, so she thought a human-powered trash-collection service might become popular.

“Half of the households in town were hiring a trucking company to take away their trash, and the other half was doing it themselves,” she said.

When they approached the Board of Health with their idea, they found support, even though the transfer station was designated only for residential use.

They launched Pedal People in November 2002 with one customer and no plans to market their business. The only advertising they did was to tell friends and fellow bicylists from the Pioneer Valley Bicycle Advocacy group about their service. “We both had other jobs, and neither of us wanted to put any energy into marketing. We just wanted to ride our bikes around,” Jarrett said.

They also owned their bicycles and a trailer, so there was no pressure to generate income. But they purposely started their service at the beginning of winter to find out whether it would really be possible to offer the service year-round.

There was a lot to learn about clothing and how to lift heavy barrels without hurting their backs. Pulling loads that averaged between 200 and 250 pounds was a challenge, especially on hills.

“It is really hard work,” Woodring said, adding that, during their first winter, their feet got soaked, their hands were freezing, and the salt and sand ate through their bike chains. “That winter, the city didn’t plow the bike path, so we were on the streets, because it was the flattest way to get from downtown to the transfer station.”

Summer also presented difficulties. “The maggots can get thick,” Woodring said, adding that many people are sloppy and don’t tie trash bags shut.

But they continued the work, charging the same rate as trucking companies. Several years later, they had about 30 clients and several friends who wanted to work for them. “We told them if they wanted to distribute flyers and could get more customers, we would let them join us,” Jarrett said. The strategy worked, and in 2006, they expanded from a sole proprietorship to a worker’s cooperative. “By that time, we were finally able to make a living doing this.”

Their expenses are low because they don’t own a vehicle and share their two-family home, which backs up to the rail trail, with roommates. Their needs are simple, and their focus is on enjoying their lives. “Sustainability is not only about relying on bicycles, but having personal time to lead a lifestyle I want and can continue,” Jarrett said.

Part of that involves helping others and continuing to grow. Woodring has given talks at schools about how they got started, and they continue to look for ways to expand.

Today, they have 13 co-workers, 10 trailers, 470 clients, and expect to bring in about $200,000 this year. They operate a food collective, do compost consulting, yard maintenance, moving and hauling, and, in December, launched a farm-share delivery service in cooperation with Enterprise Farm. “We want to expand and be diverse enough to survive and add jobs that don’t harm the environment,” Jarrett said.

“If you have the initiative and time to go after something you believe in doing and have other people who believe in you,” he said, “it’s possible to grow a business without spending a lot of money. It can happen.”