Wheels of change: bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil

Wheels of change: Bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd February 2019.
Image: Unmask My City

This blog prides itself on sharing the grassroots stories, events and experiences of local and international community cyclists. Around the world, cyclists are grappling with many issues – and this story from JP hit a particular nerve in drawing attention to the issue of air pollution. The article republished here was an open letter written by San Paulo local bicycle activist JP Amaral for Global Call to Climate Action at the end of last year. Recently, I reported on Areli Carreón who is the first ever Latin American Bicycle Mayor (Mexico City) because it is important to hear more from our concerned and proactive Latin American cycling brothers and sisters. A big thanks to JP for sharing his thoughts, research and insights with us. We applaud your work and are sending you much support from down under!

Wheels of change: Bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd February 2019.
JP Amaral. Image: BYCS

As government Ministers, city mayors and civil society from all over the globe head for the World Health Organisation’s first ever international conference on air pollution and health at the end of this month (30 October to 1 November 2018), one must wonder how big a problem the quality of the air we breathe has become.

I used to believe poor air quality was a major barrier to cycling in our urban centers and couldn’t understand the reason for my respiratory problems in my hometown São Paulo, where air pollution levels are 60% above the WHO’s safety limits and responsible for 6,421 deaths each year.

However, as I started cycling, the health benefits were immediate, especially for my respiratory system.

Wheels of change: Bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd February 2019.
Image: The Conversation

Now, after 10 years working on sustainable urban mobility, being co-founder of Bike Anjo, a large national network of volunteers promoting cycling as a means of transport in Brazil, and an active member of the international Bicycle Mayor Network, I understand that the health benefits of cycling and walking outweigh the harm from inhaling air loaded with traffic fumes.

This is a message we always try to get across to the people we help in learning to cycle or tracing their daily routes. Moreover, research studies have shown that car drivers in heavy traffic inhale more pollution.

The biggest metropolitan area in South America (population: 21.2 million), São Paulo is notorious for its traffic; a recent study found that São Paulo inhabitants spent 86 hours on average in 2017 stuck in traffic (or 22% of total drive time), putting it in the top five cities for traffic congestion.

In this city, cars and motorcycles are a much-desired escape from long, arduous journeys on public transport, especially for the poor living on the outskirts who commute every day into the city centre.

Over the past decade, Federal government incentives to the car industry have brought down the price of cars, making them significantly more accessible. It is not surprising then that the main source of air pollution in São Paulo – as in several world cities –  is the vehicular fleet, accounting for 80% of total air pollutants.

Despite this unfavourable scenario, cycling has been growing in popularity in recent years: we’ve gone from 100,000 bike trips a day in 2007 to 300,000 trips a day in 2012, and a recent study by the Secretary of Transport estimated over 1 million bike trips a day in São Paulo.

Wheels of change: Bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd February 2019.
Cycling in Sao Paulo (Brazil). Image: Raw Story

Investments in cycling infrastructure and a series of incentives, such as 400 km of new bike lanes and bike paths, new bike sharing systems and banning car traffic in some of the city’s busiest streets on Sundays have contributed to this culture change. Surfing on this trend, Bike Anjo expanded its network of volunteers, helping “paulistanos” explore safe cycling routes and cycle with more confidence.

This year, our successful Bike to Work campaign has highlighted the health benefits of cycling, focusing on two women who agreed to ride their bikes to work for an entire month for the first time, whilst having their health monitored by doctors.

Having experienced so many physical and mental health benefits from this challenging experiment, they both decided to continue their daily bicycling commutes. We hope that this experience, featured on national television, has encouraged many Brazilians to do the same.

While behaviour change campaigns such as this one can make a difference, a long lasting change in transport culture must be underpinned by robust public policies that are conducive to active mobility. At the federal level, a progressive piece of policy framework was proposed as the “National Urban Mobility Act”, in 2012, putting forward active mobility as the prioritized mode of transport in Brazilian cities.

However, the national plan implementation depends entirely on the formulation of municipal urban mobility plans, which are either non existent or at early stages of implementation in most of Brazil’s municipalities. Through working with civil society actors, Bike Anjo and the Brazilian Cyclists’ Union (UCB) have been trying to assist municipalities in getting their plans off the paper and into action.

The gaps are numerous; from policy design to implementation, from federal to municipal level, and importantly, the tendency of treating issues in silos.  

Health policies rarely engage in dialogue with mobility policies, despite existing evidence that reducing air pollution in urban centres through clean, sustainable transport results in better public health outcomes and significant savings in government expenditures.

Air pollution is now responsible for over 7 million premature deaths per year, globally. The urgency of reducing such mortality rates, coupled with that of mitigating the impacts of climate change, leaves us with no more time to tolerate carbon emissions from fossil fueled transport.

Wheels of change: Bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd February 2019.
Image: Dublin Cycling Campaign

The latest UN scientific report has warned we may have only 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe if global warming exceeds 1.5C, singling out the transport sector as the fastest growing contributor to climate emissions

This first global WHO conference on health and air pollution is a unique occasion where national leaders from different sectors facing similar local challenges can meet and exchange experiences, learn from civil society and ultimately commit to agreed targets to meet the WHO’s air quality guidelines by 2030, matching the needs of reducing carbon emissions.

Wheels of change: Bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd February 2019.
Image: WHO

Clean, renewable energy, electric vehicles, the elimination of fossil fuels subsidies, smarter urban planning, and better public transport infrastructure are some of the choices policy makers can make to avoid countless preventable deaths, drastically improve air quality and health, and contribute towards a safer climate.

At the conference, I plan to highlight how cycling can play a major role in transforming mobility around the world. Given the convenience, health benefits and affordability of bicycles, they could provide a far greater proportion of sustainable urban transport, helping reduce not only air pollution, but energy use and CO2 emissions worldwide.

Active mobility is often underestimated, but if you think about it, bicycles could be the ultimate icon of sustainable transport. As the far right takes power in countries across the planet, including most recently Brazil, city level solutions offer real hope and the best bet for change.

Wheels of change: Bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd February 2019.
Image: WHO
Wheels of change: Bicycles fight air pollution in Brazil. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd February 2019.
Image: WHO

About the author
JP Amaral is an active member of the international Bicycle Mayor Network initiated by Amsterdam based social enterprise BYCS, and co-founder of the Bike Anjo Network (bikeanjo.org), currently coordinating the “Bicycle in the Plans” project. He has a bachelor degree on Environmental Management at the University of São Paulo and has been working  in sustainable urban mobility since 2008. He is certified as an auditor on the BYPAD methodology – Bicycle Planning Audit, and is the Bicycle Mayor of São Paulo. He is also fellow member of the Red Bull Amaphyko network for social entrepreneurs and of the German Chancellor Fellowship program for tomorrow’s leaders from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, working with international cooperation towards cycling promotion, especially between Brazil and Europe.

Bike Anjo  (Bike Angels) is a network of voluntary cyclists who engage people to use bicycles as a mean of transforming cities – from teaching how to ride a bicycle to identifying safe cycling routes for São Paulo inhabitants and building national campaigns.

The Bicycle Mayor Network is a global network of changemakers – initiated by Amsterdam based social enterprise BYCS – that radically accelerates cycling progress in cities worldwide. The individual  use the power of their network to influence politics and the broader public to start cycling. Bicycle mayors transform cities, cities transform the world.

Bike Rave Melbourne – 2019 GOLD!

This time last year, I was down in Melbourne performing our roving performance The BioBike Your Future Thanks You! at the Sustainable Living Festival. This just happened to coincide with Bike Rave Melburn 2018 Pink Flamingo – which of course I went to. I took the BioBike with me, met up with some mates and got amongst it at the rave. As always, we had an absolute blast! It was awesome being back in my home town, catching up with old crew, making new friends, checking out people’s wicked pimped out rides and cruising around Melbs as the sun when down to pumping tunes – all on two wheels (*sigh*).

Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
FB: @Bike Rave AUS

Brisbane, my dear, when are you having a bike rave?

Sat 16th February was the 2019 GOLD – Melbourne Bike Rave!

Hells Yeah!!!

Thanks to everyone who sent through pics and well wishes – I missed being with you all this year…but was stoked to see such an awesome turn out!

Bike Rave Melbourne 2019 – GOLD

If you want to read an account of what happened on this year’s ride, Andy van Bergen wrote about it and you can read it here. Hilarious!

A massive thank you to Richard Garcia, who put this sweet little edit together.

If you have not been to a Bike Rave before – you need to go!

Each Bike Rave is a little different, but essentially, they all follow a pretty similar format which I have outlined previously.

As per the organisers instructions, here’s the Melbourne’s GOLD 2019 Bike Rave details.

“Dare to love yourself
as if you were a rainbow
with gold at both ends.”


Bike Rave is a free event – but we ask you to bring along a cash donation for charity Bicycles for Humanity. We will be collecting throughout the evening.

THE MUSIC:
We have curated a whopping 4.5-hour mix from some very talented DJ’s for this Bike Rave. The mix is full of pumping party tunes to keep you dancing all night long. You should download this and put it onto an mp3 player.

Download the mix here!

Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
@Bike Rave AUS – Soundcloud

SOUND:
Bike Rave is a DIY event. Grab an MP3 player and put the mix on it. Bring your own speakers, build a sound bike, be creative! Need sound for your bike? Get a basket and some computer speakers, or head to Jaycar, JB-HIFI, etc to set up a self-contained set. There are some great solutions from $15, and some pretty impressive creations. Just remember to charge those batteries.

BRIGHT LIGHTS:
Think bright lights, reflective jackets, fluoro hair, glow sticks, EL wire, or anything else that flashes and blinks. This isn’t just about making sure that you look awesome, make sure your bike is pimped out also.

DRESS UP:
Gold, shiny, shimmer, bling, the ol’ razzle-dazzle. We want the Bike Rave to be a shiny shimmering mess as we ride along the river into the sunset.

Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
@nurseywursey


THE ROUTE: Click here for the route

THE WEATHER:
If it’s nice out, we ride. If it’s cloudy, we ride. If it’s raining a little, we might ride. If it’s pouring, we don’t ride. Our speakers will get messed up. If you aren’t sure, show up anyways. Someone will be there from 5:30pm to let people know if the ride is canceled.

For any photos, videos or tweets use #BIKERAVEMELBOURNE

Bike Rave was founded in Vancouver but is shared around the world.

Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
@alleyratlowriders

RAVE RULES:
There are a few rules that we would like you to follow to ride the rave. This makes it safer for everyone and avoids problems on the night. We’ve never had an issue in the 6 years of running this event, so let’s work together to keep it that way.

Protect Your Head
Stay to the Left
Stop at Lights
Ride Straight
Don’t Hate
Pack Your Trash
Don’t Get Smashed

IMPORTANT!
We are not responsible for your safety; YOU ARE!
We have done our best to ensure that the route is well lit and safe, but it does involve a little riding on the road and in the dark and past people. We should attempt to obey all traffic laws. If we get split up, we can rejoin at one of the several stopping points along the ride, so please stop at red lights and stop signs.

Bike ravers around the world unite! See you all next year!

Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
@Domini Foster

Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
FB: @Bike Rave AUS
Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
@drviney86
Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
@andyfuturetense
Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
@Missyk8te
Gold 2019 Bike Rave Melbourne. Bicycles Create Change.com. 18th February 2019.
@da8redbaron

Valentine’s Day: Ode to Bicycles

Valentine's Day: Ode to Bicycles. Bicycles Create Change.com. 14th February 2019.
Pablo Neruda and his wife, Matilda Urrutia. Image: Unapizcadechmha via Pintrest

Valentine’s Day is celebrated internationally as ‘Lover’s Day’.

Poems are often shared as a way to express that which we love.

This year, I’ve turned to Chilean Poet Pablo Neruda.

Neruda was a prolific poet, a political and social activist, and an international diplomat.

He had a wonderful sense of humour and wrote collections of love and life. Neruda also wrote many odes to celebrate simple daily objects that may be taken for granted, like tomatoes, salt and socks … and bicycles!

Neruda is regarded as one of the most influential voices in contemporary poetry.

He was born 1904, died 1973, and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.

Pablo Neruda is the focus of the 1994 Spanish speaking film Il Postino (The Postman).

This is a gorgeous film in its own right, only made better by having the lead character delivering love poems by bicycle!

Perfecto!

So for all the lovers of bicycles – and the people who ride them, here is Pablo Neruda’s Ode to Bicycles.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day: Ode to Bicycles. Bicycles Create Change.com. 14th February 2019.
Il Postino. Image: cranesareflying1

Ode to Bicycles

I was walking
down
a sizzling road:
the sun popped like
a field of blazing maize,
the
earth
was hot,
an infinite circle
with an empty
blue sky overhead.

A few bicycles
passed
me by,
the only
insects
in
that dry
moment of summer,
silent,
swift,
translucent;
they
barely stirred
the air.

Workers and girls
were riding to their
factories,
giving
their eyes
to summer,
their heads to the sky,
sitting on the
hard
beetle backs
of the whirling
bicycles
that whirred
as they rode by
bridges, rosebushes, brambles
and midday.

I thought about evening when
the boys
wash up,
sing, eat, raise
a cup
of wine
in honor
of love
and life,
and waiting
at the door,
the bicycle,
stilled,
because
only moving
does it have a soul,
and fallen there
it isn’t
a translucent insect
humming
through summer
but
a cold
skeleton
that will return to
life
only
when it’s needed,
when it’s light,
that is,
with
the
resurrection
of each day.

Valentine's Day: Ode to Bicycles. Bicycles Create Change.com.
Oda a la Bicicleta. Image: lesmolletsmoteurs
Valentine's Day: Ode to Bicycles. Bicycles Create Change.com. 14th February 2019.
Pablo Neruda. Image: Only Melbourne

Upcoming Brisbane Bicycle Short Film Festival

Upcoming Brisbane Bicycle Short Film Festival. Bicycles Create Change.com. 10th February 2019.
Image: Space for Cycling (BNE)

It’s on again!

The 2019 Brisbane Bicycle Short Film Festival is fast approaching.

This year, it’s on Friday 29th March at the Schonell Theatre (UQ) St Lucia, Brisbane.

This Bike Festival is a great night out and Space for Cycling Brisbane does a great job of putting this festival together.

It’s not surprising that tickets sell out quickly.

To start the night you can join the Style not Speed social ride to get there. On arrival, there is usually some bicycle-themed entertainment and a chance to mingle and chat about all things bikey.

Upcoming Brisbane Bicycle Short Film Festival. Bicycles Create Change.com. 10th February 2019.
Image: Style Over Speed (Brisbane)

The festival is divided into two parts.

The first half showcases the finalists of the Brisbane Bike Bite entrants. These are local short films of no more than 5 mins and are often the most popular part of the night.

Last year, Bella and I entered our film Leki, which ended up winning the Brisbane Bike Bites People’s Choice Award 2018.

Watch our winning film Leki here.

Best of luck to the locals entering the 2019 Brisbane Bike Bites competition!

After intermission, the second half of the festival is a screening of an international bicycle advocacy feature film.

This year it is The Bikes of Wrath.

This film’s synopsis is 2600 kilometers, 420 dollars, 30 days, 5 bikes, 3 cameras, 2 guitars, 1 voice, and one of the most influential novels of the 20th century – The Bikes of Wrath is a story of adventure, physical struggle, human connection, cultural commentary and the American Dream.

Looks super interesting!

So, if you have not done so already – get your tickets!

And see you there on the night!

Upcoming Brisbane Bicycle Short Film Festival. Bicycles Create Change.com. 10th February 2019.

Epic Bikes Rides of the World

If you can’t actually be out riding your bike, then reading about cycling and planning your next trip is the next best thing.

Book and bikes are a regular theme at BCC.

We have previously featured schoolteacher Saber Hosseini who cycles his home-made library to far-flung rural Afghani villages so locals there who have no access to books can learn to read, the whimsical children’s storybook Along a Long Road, book, how bicycles can be promoted in local libraries and BCC’s own project A bike in my life – Recycled Dreams Community Storybook.

This week, I picked up a copy of Lonely Planet’s Epic Bike Ride of the World.

This book details 200 of arguably ‘the best places in the world to ride a bike’. The book is a colorfully illustrated hardback and is a delight to read.

It was published in 2016, so is still pretty current, although I’d love to hear how they decided on what rides to include and what to leave out.

Epic Bikes Rides of the World. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd Jan, 2019.

Key Features

  • The book is divided into continents chapters. This means you can quickly find what you are looking for and get info on exactly what you’re interested in.
  • Each entry has a visual grading: green for ‘easy’, blue for ‘harder’ and red for ‘epic’.
  • It covers all types of cycling: individual, family, sightseeing, road, mountain biking, bikepacking, urban rides and a heap of ideas for those into epic off-track adventuring. off the beaten track.
  • Each ride is accompanied by awesome scenic photos and a map. There are also toolkit and advice boxes to help with the practicalities of planning that particular trip.
  • The photos are ohhhh, sooo very motivating. I like how they include not just cycling and scenery, but also lifestyle, people, culture and travel vignettes that really showcase the uniqueness of riding in the region.
  • The locations included show judicious selection. What wonderful geographic spread: Moab, California, Canada, India Himalayas, NZ, Vietnam, Norway, Argentina, Japan, Denmark, Wales, Thailand, Australia … and heaps of other places. Impressive!
  • At the end of each section (which is more descriptive), there is a short factual ‘more like this’ section, which includes suggestions for other rides elsewhere in the style of that ride – what a great idea!
Epic Bikes Rides of the World. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd Jan, 2019.
Epic Bikes Rides of the World. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd Jan, 2019.
Epic Bikes Rides of the World. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd Jan, 2019.
Epic Bikes Rides of the World. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd Jan, 2019.
Epic Bikes Rides of the World. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd Jan, 2019.
Epic Bikes Rides of the World. Bicycles Create Change.com. 22nd Jan, 2019.

It was really inspiring reading this book. I’ve definitely added a few more thumbtacks into my bikepacking map of the world!

And it’s not just me who liked it. Ed Wright from Roadcycling.co.nz gave it a rave review as well.

This book won the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 and was the winner in Favorite Travel Guide category.

So do yourself a favor – next time you’re in a library or bookshop, see if you can grab a copy of this book and check it out.

I guarantee, if you are a bike rider of any type, you will not be disappointed!

All images: Epic Bikes Rides of the World

Climb Every Mountain – CWRB Event

If any Brisbane riders are looking for some extra motivation or want to meet some like-minded people, Chicks Who Ride Bikes (CWRB) have just announced their first event for 2019 – it’s a breakfast panel!

I’m looking forward to this event and have already got my ticket.

If you don’t know who CWRB are, or have not yet heard about the Climb Every Mountain Breakfast Event – then read on!

Climb Every Mountain -  CWRB Breakfast Event. Bicycles Create Change.com. 9th Jan, 2019.
Image: Chicks Who Ride Bikes

What is CWRB?

Chicks Who Ride Bikes is a social network connecting women around the world through a shared passion for cycling.

Founded in Brisbane in 2013, CWRB is the fastest growing women’s cycling community IN THE WORLD!

CWRB hold some great events and work hard to build a welcoming and engaged community. Head Chick Jordana Blackman must be one of the busiest people I know because I not only run into her at cycling meets, races and CWRB events, but she is also often travelling all over the country (and beyond) working on all manner of major cycling tours, events and media junkets…Impressive!

For this event, CWRB is hosting a breakfast with a panel of three Aussie female cycling icons.

I really like the idea of merging breakfast with the panel event.

The panel has a great line up (see below) and I’m keen to hear the speakers unique experiences, advice and stories. It will also be good to meet other attendees.

Here are the event details that CWRB released this week.

Climb Every Mountain - CWRB Breakfast Event. Bicycles Create Change.com. 9th Jan, 2019.
Image: will_cyclist via Flickr

The Climb Every Mountain Breakfast

Join us for a lovely breakfast and coffee, meet some like-minded ladies and ‘climb your mountain’. 

The event is hosted by Olympian and cycling commentator Katey Bates who will be joined by a panel of legends including Chief CWRB Jordana Blackman, Aussie cycling legend Loren Rowney and Media guru Jane Aubrey.

The panel will share the ups and downs of their life and career, their strategies to tackle challenges, embrace the stumbles, and come out on top… or at least come out with a smile on their face and some good stories to tell!

We’ll have some incredible door prizes and our full range of 2019 CWRB kit to try on.

Climb Every Mountain - CWRB Breakfast Event. Bicycles Create Change.com. 9th Jan, 2019.
Image: Compfight cc

The Host

Katey Bates
An Olympian and world champion cyclist, Katey loves her cycling like Eskimos love their ice. Fuelled by a passion for two wheels, she scaled the heights of international cycling.

Her stacked results sheet is highlighted by winning a coveted rainbow jersey with world championship victory in the points race, Commonwealth Games GOLD at back to back games, and a green and gold National champions jersey o the road.

Katey is one of only two Australian women to represent Australia at the Olympics in both track and road cycling, and since retirement, works in broadcasting, commentating on major international cycling events such as the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the Tour Down Under.

The Panel

Jordana Blackman
Chief Chick at Chicks Who Ride Bikes, Jordana was drawn to cycling after a shock cancer diagnosis in her 20s. While in recovery, she saw a poster for a Ride To Conquer Cancer event at her local cafe, and decided to challenge the 200km in 2 day ride ….. but there was just one problem.

After buying her first bike (and falling off it on more occasions that she’d like to remember), she rode her first charity bike event alongside her partner and 2,000 other fundraisers – each of which had been touched in some way or another by cancer.

She spent a lot of time training on her own or on an indoor wind trainer because she couldn’t find a group of girls to ride with at her pace, so when she moved interstate in 2013, she decided to create a Facebook group to make friends and meet other women who rode, and Chicks Who Ride Bikes was born.

Loren Rowney
Over half a decade, Loren Rowney was a highly sought after rouler in the international cycling scene. Riding for the world’s best teams including Mitchelton-Scott and Canyon/SRAM, as well as wearing the green and gold for the Australian National Team, Loren was known for her tactical know how, resilience, and ability to make her team mates smile.

An avid blogger about mental health and the challenges she has faced while transitioning from a professional sportswoman to civilian, Loren remains a keen road and MTB cyclist, with a passion for seeing women achieve equal rights and equality in sport.

Jane Aubrey
Over the last two decades, Jane’s career has spanned journalism and production working on the world’s largest sporting events including Olympic & Commonwealth Games and has held media and operational roles in UCI teams, WorldTour events and the inaugural Indian Pacific Wheel Race.

A former Editor at Cyclingnews and Cyclist Australia & New Zealand, Jane has also worked in the Public Affairs Unit teammates Department of Defence of Australia, and as Media Manager for Basketball Australia and Athletics Australia.

Now providing consulting advice in communications and public relations, Jane’s spare time is spent preparing to take on some of the world’s highest mountains and she’s working on a plan to conquer the Seven Summits.

Register for tickets

The breakfast is being held at the Shipp Inn (Southbank) on Thursday 28 February 2019 at 7:00 am – 8:30 am AEST.

Tickets are $43.29 per head. Click here to book.

See you there!

Climb Every Mountain - CWRB Breakfast Event. Bicycles Create Change.com. 9th Jan, 2019.


Farewell 2018!

Farewell 2018! Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th Dec, 2018.
Image: Andy A (Flickr)

Congratulations on making it the end of 2018!!

What an epic year it has been.

This year was full of highs and lows and presented some incredible opportunities.

As we draw to the close of 2018, this is the perfect time to review what worked, what didn’t work, changes that need to be made and what will be the primary focus for 2019.

In previous years, around this time, husband and I have been in Rotorua, New Zealand mountain biking. But this year, we are conserving and consolidating – we are also using the time to experiment with our bike packing gear and setups and using the time to get some kms in the legs.

My next year is going to be dramatically different. In 2019, I’m working on my bicycle PhD full-time, reducing my teaching load drastically and undertaking more bike packing than MTB adventures.

Who knows what new opportunities and challenges will emerge for each of us.

Whatever your experience is, I wish you the best of luck and oodles of positivity in doing what you need and what to achieve in 2019.

If 2019 is going to be anything like 2018, it will be jammed packed full of surprises, tests, success and possibilities.

Farewell 2018! Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th Dec, 2018.
Image: SF Bike Party

Remember what happened in 2018?


Here’s a quick recap from online news about the year that was.. remember these?

Internationally

  • North and South Korea vowed to formally end the Korean War
  • Cuba announced a new president ending the 59-year Castro leadership
  • Iraq had its first parliamentary elections since the defeat of ISI int he country
  • Canada became the second nation in the world, after Uruguay, to legalize marijuana
  • Mexico is selling its $218.7 million presidential plane to use funds for poor communities
  • South Korea closed its largest dog meat slaughterhouse
  • Meghan Markle became the first woman of color to join the British royal family

Human rights

  • In Saudi Arabia, women are finally able to drive
  • Ireland voted and repealed its abortion ban
  • India’s Supreme Court decriminalised consensual gay sex
  • Scotland became the first country to back teaching LGTBI issues in schools
  • The “Year of the Woman” went global
  • Africa saw a huge and significant decline in female genital mutilation
  • For the first time in Iran, women were allowed to attend wmen’s sporting events

The environment

  • We discovered 157 new species in Southeast Asia
  • New Zealand may have killed its oil industry to combat climate change
  • Major fashion brands united against climate change
  • A growing number of Americans now believe climate change is happening
  • Scientists came up with an idea to stop glaciers from melting
  • British fashion house Burberry says it’ll stop destroying unsold goods and using fur
  • Scientists developed a plastic-eating enzyme

Health & Science

  • A woman gave birth to a baby after she received a uterus transplant from a dead person
  • The UK has exceeded UN targets for HIV diagnosis and treatment, proving efforts to control the epidemic can work
  • Researchers developed a 10-minutes cancer test
  • A new Ebola treatment trial began
  • A new peanut allergy drug has provided fresh hope
  • A study found dogs can be a powerful tool in diagnosing malaria

Best of luck for 2019!

What ever you plans and goals are for 2019 – I wish you all the best!

May your 2019 be a biking blast!

Farewell 2018! Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th Dec, 2018.
Image: MTB Discovery


5 bikey Christmas gifts

I can’t believe it is Bicycle Create Change’s 4th Christmas!

Happy Christmas and holidays all!

‘Tis the time to spend copious amounts of money on shit we don’t need!

Have you got your bike-themed presents organised?

This time last year, I posted about recycled bicycle decorations – the foundation of which are the recycled bicycle art medallions that were the focus for my four months in the Sunshine Family art studio.

The year before that, was my top 10 ethical, community-supportive, green, fair-trade, sustainable, bike-inspired gifts for any kind of cyclist.

There was also the Brisbane bicycle-powered Christmas tree, which was an unexpected inner-city highlight.

This year I’ve giving my top 5 presents for cyclists who don’t want/need any more bike gear – and are open to something a little different (as long as it’s bikey!).

1. Anything by Anthony Oram

Anthony Oram is a UK designer/creative who rides bikes. As such, his website has an impressive great range of limited edition bicycle-themed art, prints, frames, notebooks, bags, t-shirts and heaps of other products. Anthony’s motto ‘build bikes, not bombs’ is understandably in high demand. All designs are Anthony’s so you can guarantee these products are unique. He is based in the UK, but ships worldwide.

Personally, I really dig his notebooks. Classy, functional, creative and quintessentially bikey – a perfect Christmas gift!

More professional designers creating bicycle products like this please!

5 unique bikey Christmas gifts. Bicycles Create Change.com. 24th Dec, 2018.
Image: Anthony Oram

2. Bike Planters and Bike Vases

1. Bike Vase

3D Mood is a German design group- Bicycle vase. Pimp your bike with this beautiful mini bike vase. Simple clamping with an elastic. Vase is made with a 3d printer with PLA plastic. This plastic strain is made from biodegradable vegetable raw materials (corn starch or sugarcane), and is therefore promoted as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics from petroleum chemicals.

5 unique bikey Christmas gifts. Bicycles Create Change.com. 24th Dec, 2018.
Image: Etsy – 3D Mood

2. Colleen Jordan

According to Fast Company, the Atlanta-based designer Colleen Jordan got the idea for the planters from the flower pots in the new generation of Volkswagen Beetles. “Putting a plant in a car like that seemed to be contradictory,” she tells Co.Design. “A lot of cyclists seem to be plant lovers as well, so the combination just seemed right in my mind.” So she began offering made-to-order 3-D printed vessels that attach to a bike frame with an elastic cord. Jordan recommends using a clipping from a succulent or a large air plant. Since they’re made from polyamide, a porous material, excess water drains out of the bottom.

5 unique bikey Christmas gifts. Bicycles Create Change.com. 24th Dec, 2018.
Image: Etsy – Colleen Jordan

3. Icosahedron Bike Planter – Wearable Planter

Another design in the Wearable Planter series is the Icosahedron Bike Planter,  whose website promotes as a wearable planter for your bike. It is great with air plants and small succulents, which you can show off as you ride around town and make your green transportation even greener. The form uses modelling software and 3D printing.

The dye comes in bright colours and seals the final piece. A strong elastic cord attaches it to your bike. When you purchase the planter, it does not come with plants, but it does provide advice on which plants work best and how to plant.

5 unique bikey Christmas gifts. Bicycles Create Change.com. 24th Dec, 2018.
Image: Wearable Planter

3. The Ivy Bike Lock by Sono Mochie

I don’t know how secure this lock is – and after having our most beloved fixi, Milky Joe (we still miss you!) stolen in Melbourne while locked up to Leki (who was left ???!!!), I have very little faith in any other lock outside of an Abus Granit 1000 cable lock, which is the only lock I now use for any bike other than Leki these days (you just can’t go wrong with German security company!).

That being said, if you don’t need/want an industrial style lock, then this lock might fit the bill.

Sonon Mochie is quoted as saying: “why does our bicycle need to be connected to light poles by chains like a criminal in prison? Inspired by nature, the design of this cable wire lock is a mimicry of ivy. It is unified in our daily scene and promotes protection of the environment. It is soft and feels natural. ‘ivy’ is a plug to awaken the relationship between you and society.”

The Ivy Bike Lock was a shortlisted design in the 2010 Seoul Cycle Design competition (organized by Designboom in collaboration with Seoul Design Foundation).

5 unique bikey Christmas gifts. Bicycles Create Change.com. 24th Dec, 2018.
Image: Sono Mochie

4. A Bicycle Week Calendar

This fun gift is a chalkboard bicycle wheel week calendar/list that spins.

It comes from Thistlewood Farm and their website has the full instructions with step-by-step photos of how you can produce this yourself.

It would take about $25 to make at home- and how satisfying!

This product is enviro and family friendly and would be an awesome centrepiece on a bicycle-mad family’s kitchen wall.

Its also a great reminder that recycling bike parts can make great gifts given a little imagination, elbow grease and planning.

5 unique bikey Christmas gifts. Bicycles Create Change.com. 24th Dec, 2018.
Image: Thistlewood Farm

5. Bicycle Cookie-Cutters

I’ve previously written about the burgeoning bicycle-inspired cake industry, so I’m not surprised that other baked goods soon followed in popularity.

Enter the humble bicycle cookie cutter craze.

If your house likes baking and/or has one (or more hungry cyclists), then check out these kooky bicycle cookie cutters. I can definitely see these at office parties, children’s parties, work Christmas parties and your next cycling race event!

You can get these and other designs on Etsy.

5 unique bikey Christmas gifts. Bicycles Create Change.com. 24th Dec, 2018.
Image: Etsy – Saintpix.
5 unique bikey Christmas gifts. Bicycles Create Change.com. 24th Dec, 2018.
Image: Etsy – Mister Cutter.

Happy Christmas and safe riding all!


E-bike donated to cycling first-responder in recognition for saving 2,500 people

While researching how bicycles are used in communities in the Middle East, I came across this story from Israel about Meir Farkash. Farkash has been using his own bicycle as a volunteer bicycle emergency (EMS) responder in Ramat Hasharon (a coastal city located south of Tel Aviv).

I love this story because it showcases how positive one person on a bike can be in a community. I love that Meir is a student, a volunteer, that he has been so incredibly effective at saving lives as a bicycle emergency first-responder, and that now he is somewhat of a community icon as he makes his way around town. What a wonderful example of how cyclists can make significant positive community change. This story was first published in Israel Rescue. Enjoy, NG.

E-bike donated to cycling first-responder in recognition for saving 2,500 people. Bicycles Create Change.com. 7th Dec, 2018.
Image: Israel Rescue

Ramat Hasharon Hesder Yeshiva Student, Meir Farkash (25), is known to be the pinnacle lifesaver of his city. Over the past four years in which Farkash has been a United Hatzalah volunteer EMT, Farkash has responded to more than 2,500 emergency calls.

Among his myriad of emergency calls, more than 300 have been life-threatening. What’s even more impressive is that Farkash has responded to all of these calls on his personal bicycle.

In honor of his continued dedication to saving lives, United Hatzalah has given the active volunteer a first response e-bicycle that was donated to the organization for him by the residents of the city to honor Farkash’s selfless work.

Over the past four years, Meir Farkash has become somewhat of a local celebrity in Ramat Hasharon. The image of him pedaling through the streets in order to rush to a scene and save someone’s life is residents of that many residents have come to know and support.

“Today there are lots of people who say hello to me as I pass them on response e-bicycle. I say hello back. I have come to know many residents, and residents of me, through the EMS activities that I undertake and the calls that I respond to,” said Farkash.

The day before Farkash received the bicycle, he saved the life of one of the city’s citizens. He was dispatched to the car of a known lawyer from the city who had lost consciousness while he was with his family. Farkash, who arrived in just moments with his bicycle, began CPR and help resuscitate the man with the Intensive Care ambulance team that arrived at the scene. Farkash joined the ambulance team in transporting the patient to the hospital, and the man was released a few days later, alive and well enough to go home.

When asked if he knew the total number of lives he has saved, Farkash said:

I have never really thought about it. Now that you mention it, it gives me a really good feeling. Truth be told, even calls that are more general and do not involve a life being saved per se, they too give me and other volunteers a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing that we helped somebody who needed us.

In every case we respond to, you meet a person who is incapable of helping themselves at that moment. You help them, you comfort them and you make sure they receive the best care that they can. That is the job of being a first responder. It’s not about the glory, it’s about helping people.”

When asked if he knew the total number of lives he has saved, Farkash said that: “I have never really thought about it. Now that you mention it, it gives me a really good feeling. Truth be told, even calls that are more general and do not involve a life being saved per se, they too give me and other volunteers a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing that we helped somebody who needed us.

In every case we respond to, you meet a person who is incapable of helping themselves at that moment. You help them, you comfort them and you make sure they receive the best care that they can. That is the job of being a first responder.”

It’s not about the glory, it’s about helping people. Meir Farkash.

Islamabad rides against climate change

Islamabad rides against climate change. Bicycles Create Change.com. 23rd Nov, 2018.
Image: Dunya News

One of the courses I teach at Griffith Uni is 1205MED Health Challenges for the 21st century. It is a compulsory first-year undergrad course for all Health Sciences degrees. I really enjoy teaching it. The first major assessment is a research essay topic exploring the link between malaria (health) and climate change (environment). Climate change is a global issue that has serious repercussions that go far beyond health.  I was delighted to see cyclists the world around rallying to raise awareness about climate change. This particular protest caught my attention because Pakistani cyclists are not often featured in international news – so it was great to see them out in force and mobilizing against climate change. NG.


Climate Diplomacy Day

Climate Diplomacy Day (CDD) is an annual date that is used to highlight climate change issues and action. Every year, countries host conferences, community events, debates, exhibitions, films and social media activities to encourage informed discussion and work towards more decisive joint responses to the climate challenge.

Collectively, these events hope to build on work strated by the December 2015 Paris Agreement, which was the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate.

This year, Islamabad set the bar high for Climate Diplomacy Day.

Pakistan is not the first country that usually comes to mind when we think of climate change action.  

Even so, considering that Pakistan is predicted to be one of the most vulnerable nations to be impacted by climate change (despite the country’s low level of its global carbon emissions), it is understandable that CDD would make the news.

Islamabad rides against climate change. Bicycles Create Change.com. 23rd Nov, 2018.
Image: Dunya News

Islamabad rides against climate change

Islamabad celebrated CDD with three key events; a massive public bike protest, a documentary screening and an art competition.

This aim of this years’ event program was to encourage communities to take back the decision making control about climate policy out of bureaucracy hands and back give it back to the community.

The bike protest had a massive turn out. The protest saw riders taking over the streets of Islamabad as a way to highlight rampant greenhouse emissions by promoting bikes as a more eco-friendlier mode of transportation.

The ride was held in conjunction with the EU and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan.

The ride was followed by a public screening of a documentary called Thank You For The Rain, which follows the damage climate change has had on a Kenyan farmer, his family and his village.

There was also a local exhibition called the Climate Diplomacy Art Competition, which showcased local students’ climate change inspirited art. The theme for the art competition was Challenges of Climate Change – Pakistan’s Youth on the Front Line.

Islamabad rides against climate change. Bicycles Create Change.com. 23rd Nov, 2018.
Image: Dunya News

Events like Islamabad’s CDD are very important in helping raise awareness for climate action.

It is also a sobering reminder that no matter where you are – in Pakistan, Australia or anywhere else in the world – we are all united by this common issue.

I find it reassuring there are so many people who are equally passionate about the environment, cycling and who want more positive environmental and community change.

Ride on brothers and sisters!