Bicycles for Africa from Canada
I understand that some 5000 bicycles were sent to Africa based on sales of Cadbury products in Canada.
Here’s the video:
Bike sharing coming to a city near you?
On Pedalaround, Kirk added a post on bike sharing. There are some interesting links about bike sharing in the US, including a very interesting presentation by B Cycle.
Here’s some info on Montreal’s Bixis from NY’s Green Inc., and some more from I Bike T.O.
Lot’s of fascinating proposals are here where you can download pdfs of all the entries from Copenhagen’s bike share competition.
Strida Folding Bike – slip one under the tree for me
The BPlot is driven by great features, gossip, grooming and gifts. Written by Richard Virgilio who worked in production for programs such as “The Maury Povich Show,” “The Carnie Wilson Show” and “The Howard Stern Show.” He was “Gay Rich” on Stern’s radio show. In addition to the terrestrial radio show, he was regularly featured on Stern’s E! Entertainment show, short-lived CBS Saturday night show and in both his tomes “Miss America” and “Private Parts”.
In this post which evokes the Santa Baby Christmas hit, Richard drops the sable and adds the Strida among other temptations.
Strida Folding bike benefits Muskoka YWCA
savedbybikes.com was delighted to donate a Strida Folding Bike to the YWCA of Muskoka that was auctioned off at the Women of Distinction Gala.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes' Cathy Jones hams it up on a Strida Folding Bike
The Woman of Distinction program recognizes outstanding women in Muskoka under 4 categories:
Young Woman of Distinction
A young woman—under the age of 30—who has made a significant contribution to the life of her community through her outstanding personal achievements and leadership.
Entrepreneurship
A successful business woman who has employed herself and others with dignity for at least 3 years. In doing so, she has earned the respect of her peers and serves as a role model for women.
Mentorship
A woman to be honoured as a catalyst, guiding or influencing women or girls, inspiring them to achieve individual or collective success at critical turning points in their lives.
Exceptional Achievement
A woman to be honoured for achievements outside the scope represented by all other award categories. This woman will have either demonstrated capacity in several areas or tremendous capacity in one area.
savedbybikes.com was honoured to participate in this essential and worthy cause.
Raise a glass to Cycling in Toronto
Don’t miss the Toronto Cyclist’s Union Fundraiser Cocktail & Masquerade, Oct 28th at Steamwhistle’s Roundhouse.
This is an important event where you can meet change-makers and others with an affinity for bicycling in Toronto, join in a celebration of some wonderful progress to date and most importantly, your presence there will help ensure that the work continues.
Details on the event are right here
Please invite everyone you know who wants to see more cyclists, on safer streets in Toronto.
The Hong Kong of Active Communities
A thought provoking post at Freakonomics; really a Q&A on so called “Charter Cities” such as Hong Kong where a special economic, “better” rules zone, attracted economic growth. Can/should this be considered for developing countries?
If the charter specifies good rules (or in our professional jargon, good institutions) millions of people will come together to build a new city.
People will be attracted there because of the benefits of interacting with everyone else.
In addition to the charter city as a special economic zone, why not consider the potential growth in population, quality of life, culture and therefore attraction of investment and economic development of a special environmental zone. One where the “good rules” for the city are built around people instead of automobiles. It would seem many would choose to live, work and invest in a city where the percentage of cars used to commute is the same as bicycles are now: some .5%, and bicycles and other active transportation methods take the current place of cars at some 90%.
The entire design of the charter city would not be auto-centric: much less hard space, roads, highways, bridges, overpasses, parking lots/garages etc. And, the huge city budget dollars going to supporting the auto-infrastructure would be redirected to people. Sounds wonderful, new types of innovation around quality of place for people and better preservation of the environment.
There is a thoughtful quote contained in the article relating to barriers to change:
I think we’d do our jobs better if we just said what’s true without trying to be amateur politicians.
Sept 29: Yonge St bike & pedestrian lane opens
It was always a bit of a deadly ride or walk from downtown, past the access points to the Gardiner to the lakefront. But, a safer and easier access to the waterfront trails opens tomorrow.
From the City of Toronto’s Media Advisory:
Ribbon cutting for Yonge Street pedestrian promenade and bicycle lanes
Media are invited to join Councillor Pam McConnell (Ward 28 Toronto Centre – Rosedale) as she officially opens the Yonge Street pedestrian promenade and bicycle lanes. The section of Yonge Street that has been improved is located between Front Street and Queens Quay. This significant transportation project will result in safer and more aesthetically pleasing conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.
Date:Tuesday, September 29
Time:11:30 a.m.
Location: Northwest corner of Yonge Street and Harbour StreetThe project features wide sidewalks with decorative pavement, pedestrian-scale lighting and granite-clad planter boxes with seat walls. There are also groves of trees, landscaped traffic islands, new crosswalks, public art installations, and new plazas and walkways. As well, the improvements include a reconf igured Yonge Street off ramp from the Gardiner Expressway, safety and lighting improvements in the railway underpass, weather protection along new buildings, 0.6 kilometre-long bicycle lanes and bicycle parking.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. 2009 marks the 175th anniversary of Toronto’s incorporation as a city. Toronto’s government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents.
GreenPages.ca: about savedbybikes.com
From thegreenpages.ca a post on savedbybikes.com.
Many thanks to the writer: Nathan Shaw, who took the time and effort to understand what we are trying to do here.
Nathan: “Saved by bikes; what exactly are bikes going to save?”
SBB: “Well, cities. Save them from cars. There are too many cars coming into North American cities on a daily basis. In addition to the really awful carbon footprint, the money spent by cities on supporting the auto-infrastructure is enormous and unsustainable. So bikes can help save the city and by extension the planet”
We are targeting commuters who use an automobile for all or part of their commute, and asking them to consider some alternatives. We are certainly a for-profit company; anything else and we would not be able to continue to accomplish this mission. But at the same time, we know we are also doing the right thing.
Great piece, thanks for helping Nathan.
Gravenhurst Triathalon
My son Chris, who many know from his days on the floor of the savedbybikes.com store, competed in his first triathalon in Gravenhurst on the weekend.
I didn’t know what to expect trying to put myself in his position and immediately feeling the pre-race butterflies. He seemed relaxed but felt relieved when it it was actually underway.
Speaking of underway, it was one of the best ways I can think of to start the swim portion of the event; the participants were taken out to the starting point by the Segwun, North America’s oldest steamship, in Lake Muskoka.
Really cool to watch everyone dig deep for the event; particularly cool to watch my son. He claims to be a slow swimmer and runner, but is fast and powerful on his Opus Scherzo.
He came in 3rd in the “Clydesdale” category – his first triathalon! savedbybikes got Chris and me into this. It will be interesting to see where it leads
More reasons the world needs more girls on bikes.
Photo via Cycle Style Show.
I came across a post on treehugger.com
I know it’s an important idea, and it’s hard to articulate at times. However, I want to add to it as I get flashes of how to say it on my daily commute.
1. The World Will Be Better Looking.
2. There is Safety in Numbers.
3. Sweat Equity
4. Style Over Speed.
5. More Women Bikers Mean the Infrastructure Has Matured..
6. For Complete Streets.
My Additions
7. Women relate to bikes differently. There is a genuine feeling for the bike and what it does for them; how they go through their world together. Men’s perspective is often about the technology, speed, toughness and envy factor. Women can see their bicycle in a holistic context and that functional relationship with other parts of life adds emotional value to the bicycle.
8. Pleasure over Speed. Why is it that I have to go as quickly as possible from point A to B? I do not know. I get that there is joy in the journey, I just can’t seem to slow down and look for it. I do see that women can.
9 Decency, Humility. I notice this every day.
10. Further to TH’s Style over Speed. Women are not embarrassed to ride some really cool looking bikes, and then go even further and add some additional touches. While men can admire this, we would not want to be looked at.
11. It (more women on bikes) would be an indication that we have made progress on creating safe urban cycling conditions. See here and this article from Scientific American.
