Here’s one more awesome and inspiring bicycling video for the day. Again, it’s about living on your bike, and enjoying the freedom, high quality of life, and mental and physical health that comes from that. I don’t remember where I ran across this one. Enjoy!
What more is there to [...]
I intended to share this nearly a week ago when I ran across it. Actually, right after it was published, it seems. If you haven’t seen it yet (it’s gone a bit viral), it’s a must watch. Title = “The Man Who Lived on His Bike.”
Living in Groningen (in the Netherlands), [...]
I’ve been meaning to cover the new “Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report” since it was published by the Alliance for Biking and Walking since it came out. Oy, the many stories I’m always behind on! Luckily, before I could get to it, Frankie Berti wrote a great piece on it [...]
Seamlessly Integrated Bike Flow
“Cycling is part of everyone’s life, because it was made part of everyone’s life.” This film, Cycling for Everyone, is a light, moving record of health and happiness. The film shows Amsterdam as a place where sharing the road is easy and safe.
Inhabitants of this city and [...]
I just ran across this video the other day for the first time in awhile. Like the first time I saw it, I immediately thought about how it is such a wonderful advertisement for bicycling. Better than just about any bicycling video or ad I’ve ever seen, it does such a good job of capturing [...]
This is absolutely, insanely hilarious… and adorable. Not only that, I think it really shows the tremendous feeling of empowerment that comes from riding a bike… and not just the first time!
Little Kid Gives Epic Speech After First Bike Ride – Amazing videos are here
Kid’s got some spunk.
One of the longest bike trails in the world, The East Coast Greenway is a 3,000 mile network of bike trails that was conceived in 1991 and is nearing completion. It runs all along the eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida. I believe this is [...]
A recent story that celebrates spontaneity, cycling, urban wanderlust, and the wonderful wave of sustainable bike-sharing programs is a welcome happiness to all of us wanting more biking freedoms. From an article found on the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) website: “Bike sharing is like a big advertisement [...]
Aura as a Protective Body of Light Energy
One’s Aura is a body of light, a body of energy, that spreads out from our center and lights up a field of astral and ethereal layers of light protection. It is a large round globe of [...]
2011 was a big year for the environment, in some good ways and some bad ways. Here’s a quick run-down of the top 10 stories of the year, in my opinion:
1. Tremendously high levels of carbon emissions continue to warm Earth. Despite efforts to switch to clean energy, increase energy efficiency, and use more sustainable transportation, rapid economic growth in China and other countries coupled with weak efforts to cut staggering per capita emissions in world-leading countries like the U.S. leave us in a worse off situation year after year. The costs of taking climate action necessary to avert tremendous societal catastrophe rise as we delay strong climate action.
2. Activists come alive — shut down Keystone XL pipeline; join in Occupy movement. With the increasing urgency of the matter, and governmental and citizen inaction, those most informed on the matter are turning to their last resort, strong direct action. The biggest green activism story of the year was clearly the blocking of a shoe-in climate disaster, the Keystone XL oil pipeline from the tar sands of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico coast. Over 1,000 activists were arrested in front of the White House over the course of weeks in the summer for protesting the pipeline, and over 10,000 circled the White House in November to oppose “the fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on the planet.” This green activist spirit also made up a significant part of the Occupy protests happening around the U.S. and around the world. Continuing on with this direct action movement, and making it stronger and stronger, seems to be our last resort for address climate change now, before we are out of time.
Percentage of the contiguous U.S. either in severe or greater drought (top 10% dryness) or extremely wet (top 10% wetness) during the period January – November, as computed using NOAA’s Climate Extremes Index. Remarkably, more than half of the country (56%) experienced either a top-ten driest or top-ten wettest year, a new record. Image credit: NOAA/NCDC.
3. Extreme weather slams the world. 2011 included record wet and dry extremes in the U.S., with the cost of U.S. floods hitting $10 billion and Texas getting hit the hardest, overall, with a completely debilitating drought and the hottest U.S. summer on record. Thankfully, more and more Americans see the connection between extreme weather and global warming, the majority of Americans do. However, too many of our (Republican) Congresspeople still ignore the issue, and even look to take money from clean energy programs that prevent future disasters to fund unprecedented disaster-relief budgets.
Food prices, with and without climate change. CLICK TO ENLARGE.
4. Food prices rising. As a natural consequence of global warming and resulting extreme weather, the price of food has been rising. This year saw a pretty tremendous increase in prices of some hard-hit foods, and several stories of crops threatened by global warming. Joe Romm had a great post detailing this matter and asserting that food insecurity was perhaps the #1 climate story of 2011. A piggy-backed on that with a short post here on Planetsave that included Joe’s introduction, followed by a repost on sister site Eat Drink Better where I added in the top 11 food price and food security (or insecurity) stories of 2011.
Click to Enlarge
5. Clean energy — wind and solar — booming as costs drop (+ clean energy jobs galore!). Wind and solar energy continue to grow in leaps and bounds in the U.S. and around the world, and costs have been dropping at tremendous rates. The U.S. solar energy industry now employs over 100,000 people. Wind energy is the cheapest energy option in many places. For more on big news from these industries and others, check out: Top 10 Clean Tech Stories of 2011.
6. Lack of U.S. energy policy and greatest assault on environmental protections in history of U.S. Congress.
The current U.S. Congress, filled with science-denying and fossil-fuel-funded Republicans, is apparently the most anti-environment Congress in U.S. history. As reported a couple weeks ago, Republicans in the House of Representatives voted against the environment approximately 200 times in 2011. Clean energy and pollution-reducing measures are attacked non-stop by the Republican party despite the fact that these things create jobs, improve our health, fight climate change, and are hugely supported by the U.S. public. Is there any wonder the Congressional approval rating has hit record lows this year?
7. Durban — success!.. sort of. The 17th international climate conference hosted by the United Nations took place in Durban, South Africa this month. It included some tremendous wins, but the limitations of what was achieved are tremendous and concerning as well. Here are two good summaries of what happened in Durban this year:
8. Biking continues to become more popular, bike-sharing programs boom. Bicycling seems to have grown in popularity a lot in 2011, as more and more people find that bicycling for transportation is a healthy, fun, cool, cheap, fast, clean thing to do. It’s common sense really — bicycling is one of the most popular recreational activities in the world, why shouldn’t it be used for transportation more as well?! Bicycle sharing programs have been growing a lot as well, and are generally much more successful than anyone anticipates before they go live. From DC to Boston to China to the city I know live in, Wroclaw (Poland), bike sharing programs are popping up and growing fast. I’m sure we’ll see more of that in 2012!!
9. Poaching takes down two rhino species (now extinct) and continues assault on numerous critically endangered and threatened species. Mongabay sums up the rhino news of the year perfectly:
This year confirmed the extinction of two rhinos: the Vietnamese rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) and the western black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis longipes). The last Vietnamese rhinoceros, a subspecies of the Javan rhino, was killed by poachers in 2009, while the last western black rhinos, a subspecies of the black rhino, were killed off in Cameroon. In addition to these tragic losses, South Africa, which is the current epicenter for rhino poaching, hit a new record this year for the number of rhinos killed by poachers: by the end of the yearly it’s likely that around 460 rhinos will have been killed, a nearly 50 percent rise in rhino killing from the previous record set last year. The IUCN Red List categorizes three of the five species of rhino—the black, the Javan, and the Sumatran—as Critically Endangered. Rhinos are being decimated by violent and organized criminals for the black market medicine trade, although numerous studies have shown no medicinal value in rhino horn beyond the placebo effect.
Rhishja Larson, a world-leading rhino expert and activist, writes weekly round-up posts for us here on Planetsave — check out some of her posts if you want to learn more and take action to protect these species! Aside from rhinos, numerous other endangered species continue to be poached due to the incorrect belief that their body parts have special medicinal values.
10. Fukushima. A repost from my clean tech 2011 top 10 on CleanTechnica: Yeah, this should have been high up. While the nuclear industry really can’t compete with cheaper energy options anyway (without tremendous government subsidies), the Fukushima disasters that went on for months (and, truthfully, are still ongoing) have effectively put the nail in the coffin of the so-called ‘nuclear renaissance’. The public backlash against nuclear has been strong and worldwide, with countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium decided to ditch nuclear 100%, and even the nuclear-leading French “thumbing their nose” at the technology.
What will 2012 bring? Hopefully, more of the good news and less of the bad news. But I guess that is mostly dependent on you and me and others who care about clean air, clean water, a livable climate, the preservation of species/biodiversity, and a safe environment.
Image Credits: Global Warming Egg via AZRainman; Climate Activists via Elvert Barnes; Anonymous Activist via shutterstock; Flooded Cars via US Army Korea — IMCOM; Wind turbines via shutterstock; Congress approval rating chart by Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO); Oxfam “Hungry for Climate Action” table in Durban via Oxfam International; Wroclaw bike-sharing station by me (Zachary Shahan); Cute baby rhino via shutterstock; UK nuclear activists via Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Watching this video, one finds something so simple, so commonsense, and at the same time, so brilliant in it. Things as they should be is what Planetsave is all about. Copenhagenize leads us to the thoughtful, simple way things should (and could) be in this beautiful video of an Utrecht traffic garden. Adults and children alike need this now. Watch this video. Be inspired. Start to build such things in our communities — we are way behind.
On the Boulevard in Utrecht
In 1950, Utrecht saw the need for children to understand traffic safety early on. Over fifty years ago, they created this learn-by-doing, show-don’t-tell experience for their youth. This wonderful garden ensures their children’s readiness for biking independently. They become adept in skills needed for the next stage of their life. By the time they are ready to leave their primary schools, they are cycling safely through their communities and urban environments to get to school.
Bike Park
“On the Boulevard in Utrecht” by portlandtransport | Bike Park by lambertwm
Check out the great infographic (and intro to it) from sister site sustainablog reposted below. The short and simple — biking is good for your health! But check out the infographic and :
Hubway Station, Boston Bike Share
Change is percolating in spirit while the cold New England winter blows in. But, if you’re in Boston, just imagine what spring will bring – The Boston Globe reports the city will increase its new bike sharing program by 50 percent, adding 300 bicycles. The desire is there and the need is going to be supplied. Since the beginning of this program, four months ago, the program, Hubway, has facilitated 140,000 rides. According to this source, they are even outdoing other initial responses to similar programs for bicyclists, despite almost all such programs being wildly popular.
Share the Road
DC.Streetsblog.org tells us in its article, Boston to Expand Hubway Bike-Share After Brilliant First Season, “Its first 2 ½ months, Hubway recorded 100,000 station-to-station rides, significantly eclipsing the pace of similar systems in Minneapolis (where Nice Ride needed six months to reach that mark) and Denver (where B-cycle needed 7 ½ months).”
The first season shows Boston bikers willingly and passionately biking. Bostlnno views this system as “the bicycle version of Zipcar,” as it “allows riders to rent bikes for varying amounts of time on a sliding price scale: $5 for 24 hours, $12 for three days, or $85 for an annual membership.”
Bostlnno goes one: “With the membership, you get a pretty rad keychain which serves as your key to unlocking your bikes, and it allows you two bikes per trip, so you don’t have to pedal across the city alone. Once paid up, simply press in your codes, and –volia! – out pops your bike.” It also reports that even professional athletes have joined the effort and taken advantage of the easy access — “Even the Bruins have gotten on board, with players riding to and from practice.”
Boston Bike Share
Think of an annual fee for bicycle usage that is less than the lowest monthly fee for car insurance – not to mention parking fees. It’s true, one can save money, feel more alive, and stay in shape biking. Of course, one has to be willing to weather life with nature, as well as urban circumstances. Not all that challenging, though, and these committed Boston natives are able to.
Boston Biker had its concerns relieved (as bikers in a low-bicycle environment and culture are all too often hit by vehicles — due to cars being somewhat unaware of them). But the bikers have done well. The integration revealed success: “…seems that Boston city streets are not too rough and tumble for cyclists after all. We have a long way to go…but we are heading in the right direction” Bikes are becoming a norm more and more. Planetsave finds joy in each success such as this. Be the Change!
Image Credits:
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The Copacabana neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro is enjoying an upswing economically, as is the whole of Brazil. The changes are progressively upbeat, integrating a greener travel style. Copacabana’s air is a bit fresher and the sounds of traffic are more naturalistic and harmonious due to the widespread use of cargo bikes for business. As urban landscapes shift in Brazil, in Rio and Sao Paolo, they are more tuned to the quiet swish swish of bicycles. Rio is catching up with Copenhagen and inspiring more cities to turn car pollution, air pollution, and noise pollution down a notch.
The active transportation NGO Transporte Ativo did a bike and cargo delivery count in exacting detail recently. There are 11,541 deliveries made by bicycle or cargo trike every day in the Copacabana neighborhood. Check out the charts below for more detail:
City by city, our planet becomes more physically strong, counting our transportation as one important factor in the cultivation of our health. 40,000 cargo bikes are in use in greater Copenhagen each day. The Danes are now world leaders, teachers in the effective transformation and integration of bike-friendly transit systems. Europe has been more progressive than the US in mass transits systems and bike path implementation, in general.
The changes the Danes successfully made, utilizing bikes more in daily life, work, etc., brought more health and happiness to the city as a side effect of unplugging from cars. Integration of cycling to work gives one a naturally-formed fitness, and immersion in life. Danes ride bikes for personal transportation and also for the many businesses — transport through cargo bikes is popular. South American countries are catching the wave now. Cargo transport is incorporated into the culture so deeply that it is part of the mainstream in the Danish capital. Copenhagen is our teacher; Rio springs up in good form, as did Sao Paulo, Brazil. The real heroes are the working class cargo drivers whose prowess develops our respect as they are pumping the pedals with heaving loads on board.
One night from 10 pm till 2 am, I sat on a step outside my hotel along Canal Street in Amsterdam. Swish swish, the bikes came and went, so quietly and musically. Grandma and Grandpa gliding along with their grandchildren in a side bike as they rode home from the store or restaurant. Individuals, sometimes couples side by side, and a cargo bike or trike breezed by. It was a quiet cultural movement of life apart from traffic with not a car in sight. As I chatted with the desk clerk about my experience as an American, enjoying this peace beyond cars, he pointed out: “Time, we have time in this part of the world.” I couldn’t argue his observation nor would I want to. Perhaps there is some link between the immersion of travel, life, and bikes that lend more contemplation to ones experience of time.
Thank you to Copenhagenize.com for the graphs and images.
Photo Credit: pedaispelomundo
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Check out this super cool bicycling video — beautiful music and graphics. Though, would be nicer without the subtitles (if you understood the language, I guess.. or maybe even if you didn’t).
Of course, I support bicycling like crazy here on Planetsave, because of bicycling’s many benefits. But, while I can give fun and useful tips for getting started bicycling all day, I think it’s fun videos like this, fun events like Moving Planet, the amazing bicycling culture that’s growing around the world every day, and the pure joy of bicycling that is making it a more and more popular mode of transportation.
h/t Copenhagenize
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This is a great story I ran across on Copenhagenize, of what the title says (a woman bicycling to the hospital pregnant and with contractions), but also with an ironic poster added at the bottom.
If you live in Denmark it’s not unusual to have heard stories of pregnant women riding their bicycle to the hospital with contractions. We’ve all heard the stories. Today, however, Copenahgenize is thrilled to provide some photographic documentation. Our friend Ole of “I read Copenhagenize and sold the family car” fame hooked us up with two friends of his, John and Lina. The time came for Lina to give birth – the contractions were getting closer together – and the couple, who don’t own a car (like 70.9% of Copenhageners) headed out to their bicycles. John and Lina are actually from Montreal but live in Copenhagen.
John and Lina have kindly allowed us to blog the photos that John took on the way to the hospital. It was only 1.5 km away but Lina had to stop a few times because the contractions were strong. The above photo was taken at 03:58. Head leaning on her pre-packed bag.
This photo was taken at 04:04. So the contractions were six minutes apart. I’ll never know how it feels but having two kids I have a pretty good idea.
Like most bicycle stories, it all ended well. They arrived at the labour ward of the hospital at 04:15 and baby Viggo made his entrance into the world at 07:19.
We’re absolutely thrilled for John and Lina and they have our warmest congratulations on the birth of Viggo. And thanks to them all for letting us share their fantastic bicycle experience.
Ironically, there is this poster hanging around Berlin at the moment, says one of our readers, Michael. An election poster for the liberal party. It reads:
Q: “Why isn’t the FDP (liberals) not sharing the dream of a car free city?”
A: “Because no woman in the world wants to ride to the delivery room by bike”
Cycling whilst pregnant is virtually prescribed here in Denmark and there is no reason not to do it. Beats walking by a long shot, easy on the back and it increases your mobility radius while giving you decent exercise. Above is a book called Pregnancy and Exercise, written by a doctor. The cover image says it all.
Above is my lovely ex with our boy and 8 months pregnant with our girl. We actually lived across the street from the hospital so getting there was a walkable cinch. The midwife clinic was also across the street and there is always a long line of pregnant women popping by for a check-up. Here are some photographs of cycling pregnant in Copenhagen:
Too cool, eh?
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Too cool, eh?
Looks like a relaxed society. 
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