It’s Australian Walking and Cycling Conference (AWCC) time again!
Hooray!
I really like this
conference.
The people are great, the program is always interesting – and it doesn’t cost and arm and a leg to get there. Perfecto!
In 2017, I presented an AWCC roundtable session entitled Bicycles Create Change: An
innovative guide to creating memorable and meaningful engagement in community
bike projects.
The session went very well
and it was great to share my work people outside of Griffith Uni and Queensland.
It was also a valuable opportunity to network and meet some incredible people. I came home from the last AWCC with a big smile and many new ideas and resources.
This year, AWCC is returning to Adelaide on October 24-25th 2019.
Image: @bykko_au
AWCC 2019 – Abstracts open!
The 2019 conference and related activities aim
to engage more directly with local issues of climate change mitigation and
adaption in relation to walking and cycling.
The 2019 AWCC theme is Active transport in a changing climate.
Abstracts for AWCC sessions are now open.
Session Formats
Learnshops: 20 min podium presentations with 10 mins Q & A.
Spin cycles: Short, fast-paced podium PPTs of 3.45 mins for 15 slides.
Roundtables: To a table of 10 – present for 10 with 15 mins group discussion
Key dates
Abstract submission opens: Monday 22 April
Abstract submission closes: Monday 22 July
Authors notified of outcome: Monday 19 August
Authors notified of program placement (date/time): Mon 26 Aug
Presenting author registration deadline: Monday 16 September
The simple acts of walking and cycling have
the potential to transform the places we live, our economies and how we engage
with our environment. The Australian Walking and Cycling conference explores
the potential for walking and cycling to not only provide for transport and
recreation but solutions to challenges of liveability, health, community
building, economic development and sustainability. As one of Australia’s
longest running, best regarded and most affordable active travel conferences,
we bring together practitioners and researchers from Australia and across the
world to share their work and engage with conference participants.
Conference theme: Active transport in a changing
climate
We aspire to promote work which creates a transport
mode shift away from cars towards walking and cycling, and using active means
to link with improved public transport in suburbs and rural towns. We want to
shift away from CO2 reliant mobility and keep people active as temperatures
rise, and extreme weather becomes more common.
What can a transport mode shift in our suburbs and
rural towns contribute to CO2 reduction nationally? What concomitant air
quality benefits are felt in suburban streets and towns as a result?
Acknowledging that climate change is occurring, what changes are to be made to
suburban and town environments so that walking and cycling are almost always
convenient, pleasurable, safe and life affirming even in the face of rising
temperatures? What does a small town or suburban neighbourhood retrofit look
like in the next ten or twenty years, so that people are out and about and
interacting? How do people of all ages and abilities avoid retreating to
air-conditioned ‘comfort’ – ‘comfort’ that is inactive, isolated and CO2
producing?
These questions indicate the directions we hope to explore in the 2019 conference.
This shop is already a stand out example of a grassroots bike shop that offers a wide range of services, programs and events, including music, performances, theatre, food/organics, trivia, and film nights – in addition to its other bike-related workshops, community events, fundraising, education and outreach programs. Phew!
Free Cycles has a long history of supporting local and visiting artists by providing a performance space for their ongoing creative and artistic program.
To add to this, Free Cycles initiated an Artist Residency Program.
Such a great idea!
Biking is a creative act for many people.
Aside from being a great use of space, resources and networks, having a local artist in a bike shop is a great way to cross-pollinate, motivate and actively support community integration, extension and diversity. Very cool!
This project facilitate the creation of art at Free Cycles Community Bike Shop in Missoula for public exhibition/interaction, with used bicycle parts from Free Cycles and recycled materials donated by Home ReSource.
The Artist in Residence Program create a more dedicated interaction between artist and place; practice and environment; art and bicycle; sculpture and community.
What is the artists program?
The Artist in Residence Program at Free Cycles is a new
initiative to connect Artists with the Missoula community through the love of
cycling.
Artists are invited through a public art call, and when
selected may spend up to one month in the warehouse studio.
Here Artists are granted the time, space, materials, and
equipment to create.
Artist participants are able to source materials from the
thousands of donated bikes in stock on the Free Cycles property, as well as
donated and reclaimed construction materials from local materials giving
partner Home ReSource.
Upon completion of their residency Artists in Residence are
asked to provide one workshop day to staff and volunteers, one workshop day to
be offered free of charge to the public, and one work of art suitable for
installation on the Free Cycles 2 acre property.
In its initial year the program is set to offer residencies to four local artists.
The program’s goal is to be able to offer artists fair
compensation for their educational work and provide a stipend for their time in
residence with hopes that future funding can grow these amounts to seek artists
in all stages of their careers.
Why initiate an artists program?
The planning process for this project has been happening
informally for many years.
By offering a community space, that encourages citizen
interaction, Artists are attracted organically out of their love for creative
process.
For more than two decades Artists have been creating with
materials from Free Cycles, often in their own shops but sometimes on site.
With the recent purchase of the two-acre property and
28,000-square feet of building space this year has provided opportunity to
formalize our artist oriented programming and increase our community workshop
offerings.
This program will ensure the future of the Free Cycles
warehouse as a permanent part of the Free Cycles Community Bike Shop’s
engagement at a pivotal time in the property’s future.
Who is ‘MIST’?
MIST is the Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation. MIST is a citizen-based non-profit organization in Missoula, Montana. They have a strong focus on making walking, bicycling, and public transit more complete, accessible and enjoyable.
They work to create a system of movement that is safe, equitable and environmentally sound. Four programs work towards these goals, of which Free Cycles Community Bicycle Shop is one.
Free Cycles Community Bicycle Shop seeks to create a
healthy community through a wide range of strategies.
The goal of Free Cycles is to help Missoula, Montana
transition to a more sustainable transportation system while simultaneously
setting a strong example for other places.
Through these programs will help individuals collaborate and work to be active stewards of the community with an emphasis on social and environmental justice. The idea is to work towards this mission through education, empowerment, and engagement.
The education programs strive to give people the knowledge to maintain their bicycle independently, use it safely, and eventually share their skills with others.
By increasing the accessibility of human powered transportation, the organisers seek to directly empower individuals from all walks of life with the ability to move themselves.
Free Cycle Projects
These projects focus on community engagement to facilitate a sense of collective responsibility, a strong sense of place, and human connectivity.
Free cycles has had approximately 200,000 total
participants to date. There have been 38,000 bikes donated since 1996 of which
about half gone out as free bikes while about one quarter have been recycled
and one quarter have been repurposed. About 6,000 have taken the BikeWell safety, maintenance,
and orientation class.
All Images: Free Cycle website or @freecyclemissoula (IG). This post was adapted from an article first published on Indiegogo.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Image: WHO 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.
Today I read Paulus Maringka’s Greencycle Masters Thesis.
Paulus undertook this research with Auckland University of Technology in 2010. I found this manuscript online and was initially drawn to read it as this bicycle-inspired community development project had a number of cross-over themes with my own current PhD research project.
This thesis was a pleasure to
read. It was clearly written, on-topic and full of interesting images to help
break up blocks of text.
It was great to see a new approach to many of the issues I can currently researching, like bicycle use in developing countries, local adaptations and resources, impacts of cultural needs and contexts, and how users personalise their bicycles.
Equally, reading the chapters on
the technical design and development phases was also interesting as this project
centres on a product creation and intervention, whereas mine does not.
Below is Maringka’s thesis’ abstract, thesis organisation and some of the key images from the thesis, which gives a solid overview of the project without having to read it in its entirety.
This Greencycle project applies a
system approach to shift design thinking and practices away from the ongoing
unsustainable use of resources towards a more sustainable framework of
consumption whereby local cultures, skills, resources and technology are
analyzed to inform the design and development of a human powered transportation
system.
It uses a trans-disciplinary
research and design approach by consulting all stakeholders; including farmers
in a Third World country, industrial designers, engineers and manufacturers to
provide information, understanding and insights as a basis to find solutions
that have enabled this research study to produce a system called Greencycle
which utilizes renewable materials and indigenous people skills to produce a
bicycle that is more sustainable.
The bicycle provides more than
basic transportation to go from A to B. Poor countries need and depend on this
mode of transportation for a wide range of uses; thus expanding its function
and uses would be of great benefit to its users.
This research study has created a
series of accessories to extend a bicycle’s functionality, with the core being
made from sustainable materials and local skills. For this project it would
have been a simple process for the designer to come up with a concept idea(s)
that was based on a personal view of what would be a suitable solution for the
target user.
Instead however, the designer has
used feedback from the target group participants to shape and develop the
design process and to ensure the design will be acceptable for the target user
to use and manufacture.
This research study has included four expert interviews, eleven case studies of target users, prototype testing and field experiments with sustainable resources to gather information, understanding and insights from these stakeholders in order to propose, design and evaluate two Greencycles (using sustainable bamboo material) and a series of design accessories.
This multi-discipline approach to the design problem has revealed many opportunities that would otherwise be hidden by less detailed research and design methodology. Many academic studies stop at the point when the written thesis is complete.
This research study has included four expert interviews, eleven case studies of target users, prototype testing and field experiments with sustainable resources to gather information, understanding and insights from these stakeholders in order to propose, design and evaluate two Greencycles (using sustainable bamboo material) and a series of design accessories. This multi-discipline approach to the design problem has revealed many opportunities that would otherwise be hidden by less detailed research and design methodology. Many academic studies stop at the point when the written thesis is complete.
This research project went a step
further by testing and implementing its findings on users back in its intended
marketplace to ensure the design will be adopted by and be successful for
people in Third World countries.
As a result of this research,
there is now an opportunity to look at and create a business model that
provides new income opportunities for the local people.
Feedback for the Greencycle design and its accessories has so far been very encouraging, with participants showing a significant level of enthusiasm. To take advantage of this success, a business proposition to market these sustainable products seems plausible as a first step to developing this business venture. Information posters to showcase the accessories and their functions and applications have been designed to test market demands and other important indicators for future business development and strategy.
Thesis Organisation
Chapter 1: Introduction
Introduces and scopes the areas of research and need for functional, usable and sustainable human powered machines.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Provides critical analysis through literature review and
internet ethnography to gain an understanding and knowledge of bicycle
functionality and bicycle users in Third World countries. This chapter also
reviews literature and provides a study background on Bicycle Ergonomics, Green
Materials and Sustainability.
Chapter 3: Research Design &
Research Methods
Outlines the research design and design methods approach
to the design generation and development of the Greencycle and accessories.
Chapter 4: Significant Findings
Presents the significant findings and the major
discoveries that formed the design criteria of the Greencycle and accessories.
Chapter 5: Design &
Development Phases
Details the design phases and iterative processes in the
development phases of the Greencycle and the accessories.
Chapter 6: Evaluation
Details the evaluation outcomes of an integrated approach
for the concept design thinking of the Greencycle and accessories, including
materials and manufacturing processes.
Chapter 6: Discussion &
Conclusion
The Discussion and Conclusion provides a reflection on what has been achieved and the future of the Greencycle and the accessories.
Abstract, chapter organization & images: Paulus Maringka (2010)Greencycle .
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
The English Australia conference closed a few days ago. But I’ve stayed on in Sydney for some meetings, site visitations and to see family and friends. One meeting, in particular, I have been really looking forward to was with World Bicycle Relief’s Development Director Australia, Dagmar Geiger.
I was very excited to hear last year in May 2017, that WBR was opening a Sydney office.
Regular readers of this blog would be familiar with other posts I’ve uploaded about WBR’s bicycles-for-education programs – and this meeting was a great opportunity to chat with Dagmar in more detail.
World Bicycle Relief Australia – Meeting Dagmar Geiger
We met in a funky Newtown cafe and hit it off immediately.
Dagmar’s enthusiasm and passion for her work are obvious.
She is effervescent and thoughtful – and has a seemingly limitless amount of energy. Dagmar was also very interested in my blog, projects and PhD research and offered to help out where possible – which was so lovely!
We discussed WBR programs and how they are making positive changes in education, healthcare and income-generation opportunities. We also chatted about some events and fundraising efforts she has done.
It was especially interesting to hear about the stakeholder trip she took when she first started. On this trip to Africa, she got to experience first-hand the places, people and projects she now advocates.
It was lovely to be able to chat with a like-minded person who loves bikes and community building as much as I do.
It was a delight to meet Dagmar and hear what WBR has been working on. We need more people like Dagmar sharing stories of bicycles and the positive community impacts they make.
Source: Port Macquarie News
Spreading the word
Since starting her role, Dagmar has been working hard to raise the profile and networks for WBR in Australia and has had a number of high-profile successes including:
In February, retired pro-cyclist Carlee Taylor XXI Commonwealth Games and Junior World Champion pro cyclist Alex Manly, and Olympian BMX pro rider Lauren Reynolds were announced as the first Australian Pro Althele WBR ambassadors.
I am very excited about the possibility of Dagmar visiting Brisbane.
As cyclists and riders, we inherently know how important, useful and significant bikes are. It is also humbling to hear about different experiences and contexts where bikes are helping individuals and communities conquer the challenge of poverty and distance to achieve independence and increase livelihoods.
World Bicycle Relief
World Bicycle Relief aims to mobilize people through the Power of Bicycles. They envision a world where distance is no longer a barrier to necessary services like education, healthcare and economic opportunity and are working towards increasing access and equity.
Since 2005, World Bicycle Relief has delivered over 400,000 bicycles and trained over 1, 900 bicycle mechanics and has changed over 1.7 million lives.
Recently, we have been workshopping our newest eco-performance idea.
It was our newest project’s conceptualization and development she thought would be an interesting addition to the GCCRP Climate Change Symposium program.
And of course – she was right!
So we put in an abstract and are presenting at the end of this week!
Griffith Climate Change Response Program (GCCRP) Climate Change Symposium.
The GCCRP Climate Change Symposium is a research forum where HDRers and Early Career Researchers from Griffith University share their discoveries, outcomes and innovations.
It is on at Griffith Uni Southbank Friday 24 August 2018, 9 am – 4 pm
The symposium features a range of research presentations that showcase the cross-cutting nature of climate change research.
The five key research themes are:
Climate change impacts
Climate change and food security
Community engagement in climate change adaptation
Climate change policy and theory
Climate change and health
Our Symposium Abstract
Here is the abstract for the session Claire and I will be presenting:
Furthering climate change discourse and action through performative works
Presenters: Claire Tracey and Nina Ginsberg
Collaborators Claire Tracey (Visual Arts) and Nina Ginsberg (Education) use performance and audience engagement to communicate environmental issues. Through community art engagement, they aim to connect with local communities on an immediate level, furthering climate change discourse and action through performative works. Their work links Climate Change and Environment Science themes with performance, design and community- art interaction.
This research explores the intersection of climate change research and artistic interpretations of how to convey complex environmental issues to communities in a proactive and engaging manner. Their work seeks to increase community awareness about climate change issues in ways that are novel, participatory and educational. Their projects are informed by feedback from the engagement of the project itself, creating a direct relationship between the action and the sustainable and environmental issues that affect our immediate society.
The result of each performance interaction is offered with an open spirit- with the reception by the public to be determined in the moment as a collaborative process.
This session will outline a number of climate change projects we have undertaken to explain how theory and practice are enacted, using archetypes such as a feminine ecological shadow warrior, whose presence echoes of hope and perseverance derived from historical ideas of female protection, nurture, power and subversion.
GCCRP Climate Change Symposium Program
About GCCRP
The Griffith Climate Change Response Program has been leading Griffith University’s research into climate change adaptation and mitigation since 2007.
GCCRP leads Griffith University’s research into climate change adaptation and mitigation.
As climate change issues cut across many fields of study its research projects are transdisciplinary. The program brings together the wealth of Griffith research expertise from across the University, enabling climate change problems to be addressed in a comprehensive manner.
GCCRP has successfully developed a number of strategic domestic, regional and international partnerships in the area of climate change adaptation and attracted significant external research funds.
The result is a growing portfolio of research and applied research projects where GCCRP works in collaboration with other research institutions, governments, international bodies, NGOs and communities to effectively understand, plan and respond to the adverse effects of a rapidly changing climate.
GCCRP now has a strong platform from which Griffith University’s research and expertise can influence the climate change policies, plans and actions required for effective adaptation and mitigation.
How easily we forget or disregard that which is not part of our immediate daily experience….like the plight of elephants.
Elephant populations have declined by 62% over the last decade, with 24,000 Elephants poached last year in Africa alone.
Sunday (August 12th) was World Elephant Day 2018.
To celebrate the majestic elephant – and as a reminder that just because we don’t see them every day – much still needs to be done for those elephants still left.
So, here are a few ways that cyclists are progressing elephant conservation, both off and on the bike.
Source: Ride a Bike not an Elephant
Ride a bike, not an elephant – Khatsahlano Street Party
One way to show support off the bike is by wearing a t-shirt like one of these below, which comes from annual Khatsahlano Street Party.
This event had local bands, artisans, food trucks, and giveaways. The T-shirt featured here was a key part of the event fundraising campaign to protect elephants from the unethical tourism industry. 100% of the net profit of these T-shirts went to free an abused elephant to a sanctuary in Asia.
Source: Bring the Elephant back home
Bike for Elephants 2018
‘Bike for Elephants’ is a 2-day charity bike tour arranged as part of the Dutch group Bring the elephant back home group. This bike ride is in eastern Thailand and the cost of participation goes towards innovative wild elephant conservation projects. This ride is promoted as an adventure and fun biking trip through the mountains and plantations and through forests in Chantaburi Province.
Cost includes safety instructions, a t-shirt, overnight stay, mountain bike rental, helmet, all meals and drinks. Also included are opportunities to meet the research team, see live elephants and new conservation techniques (like the beehive fences) in action and being part of an experience that is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Source: Spreadshirt
So what’s all the fuss?
Elephants are amazing creatures.
Green Global Travel’s website is focused on drawing attention to the challenge elephants face – and goes on to state that:
In the early 1900s African Elephant populations were estimated to be in the millions, while there were around 100,000 Asian Elephants. According to World Wildlife Fund, today there are around 700,000 African Elephants in the wild, and just 32,000 Asian Elephants.
In 1989, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) banned the international ivory trade. Yet poaching for ivory has been steadily increasing, with 800,000 African elephants killed over the last three decades.
In addition to poaching, habitat loss and conflict with human populations are key threats facing Elephant populations. Climate change projections suggest key Elephant habitat will become hotter and drier, so poor foraging conditions may threaten the survival of more calfs in the future.
So sometime this week, take at least one small step to support elephant rescue and conservation – and show the world that cyclists are connected and care about our world – both on and off the bike.
And next time you’re riding with cycling buddies, here’s a few other interesting elephant facts you can share…
Elephants are incapable of jumping, but these massive mammals can run at a maximum speed of 25 miles (40 km) per hour.
Elephants, like people, have a ‘prefered side’ of using their tusks: Some are “lefties,” others are “righties.” They’ll favor that tusk when fighting other Elephants, picking things up, or stripping leaves and bark off trees. Because of constant usage, their preferred tusk gets shorter over time.
The elephant’s trunk (called a proboscis) contains 16 muscles.
Elephants have incredibly poor digestion, with only 50% efficiency. As a result, they release an incredible amount of gas (methane) and produce around 250 pounds of manure a day!
Elephant skin is over an inch thick. But because it’s loaded with nerve endings, their skin is also highly sensitive. Elephants from the same herd will often use touch to greet each other, either wrapping their trunks around each other or giving each other friendly “hello” taps on the body.
A big thanks to Papa Al for passing on this inspiring story to share! NG.
There can be few better examples of where bicycles create more positive community change than through the bicycle work of Bernard Kiawia.
Bernard Kiwia started out as a bike mechanic in his home country of Tanzania.
While repairing bicycles, he began applying his skills to use pedal power to create products and tools that directly improve to the lives of people in his community.
In 2011, Bernard made a bicycle-powered cellphone charger (see below).
Bernard is now a well-respected social entrepreneur – and bikes still feature prominently in many of his new inventions.
His current work is now focused on applying his (and other people’s) mechanical and technical skills towards addressing manual labour and technology issues in his area.
What we want to show people is they have skills to make their own technology that they can afford, they can repair, they can find the spare parts that they need
With local people, their income is always small and the kind of machines you can buy in the shop are not made for these local people because they’re expensive. That’s why I’m focusing on local.
I create technologies because I realise it’s something that can help my family and the community.
Source: Twende-tanzania.org
Twende – Accelerating Social Innovation
Bernard established Twende, which is a community inventor’s workshop. Twende is a creative workspace for people to come and use tools, problem solve ideas and experiment with making prototypes.
In this way, Twende functions similarly to a Men’s Shed, as it is an open workspace that has tools, resources and people there to support projects.
It also runs three workshop streams
1. Creative Capacity Workshop -entry-level workshops for any level.
Affordable Flashlight (~6 hours)
Automatic Switch (~7 hours)
Solar-Powered Phone Charger (~10 hours)
2. Built It Workshops – mechanically-focused workshops which include:
Spirit Stove (~3 hours)
Bottle Opener (~2 hours)
Electronics Workshop for secondary schools
A few of the Build Its Workshops are also integrated into some schools electronics curriculum.
3. Advanced Offerings – requires some advanced skills and tools (like welding)
Drip Irrigation
Bicycle-Powered Maize Sheller
So far, over 800 local innovators have used Twende, of which most are secondary school students, small-holder farmers, women, and microentrepreneurs.
Bicycles are ubiquitous and versatile (especially as a means to produce energy-efficient power) so it is not surprising that they feature in many of Twende’s inventions.
Source: Flickr Erik (HASH) Hersman
The Twende innovation hub was established as a space to “collaborate with students and community members in Tanzania to identify their challenges and design & create their own solutions to their problems will contribute to a world with improved access to technologies that improve people’s lives, a stronger local economy, and a nation of innovators and problem-solvers.”
are designed with (not just for) communities & partners
…and they make some of their own inventions for use and sale as well
Source: BBC News 1 Video
Twende is such an important grassroots social venture.
It fosters creative ingenuity, recycling, upskilling, empowers local skills, is cost-effective and addresses locally-identified issues – as well as providing a welcoming space for people to test mechanical and technical ideas that have an immediate positive impact.
And all this grew out of one man’s exploration of how a bike could make work and life better – awesome!
Nina Ginsberg and Dale Bracewell (Manager of Transportation Planning. City of Vancouver, Canada).
Recently I attended a very interesting event hosted by BikePedTrans. It was a presentation by Dale Bracewell, Manager of Transportation Planning for the City of Vancouver.
Vancouver has a particular sustainable and social interaction angle for its urban improvements that has created incredible positive change towards biking and active transportation – to a point where Vancouver is an exemplary urban cycling role model almost without rival.
As a bike enthusiast, this is very exciting! I wanted to hear more!
So here’s a quick overview of Dale’s session. It was called ‘FromaTrickletoaStream: Achieving a Major Bike Mode Shift in Canada’.
Ambitious Plans: Achieving a Major Bike Mode Shift in Vancouver
In 1997, Vancouver’s Transportation Plan identified there would be no increase in road capacity for cars and that walking, cycling and transit would be prioritised.
It also set an active travel mode share target of 40% to be achieved by 2008.
Significant progress has since been achieved and the plan was updated in 2012 that increased the targets even more – to 66% of all travel to be via walking bike or PT transit by 2040.
Remarkably, Vancouver achieved these goals well ahead of time – whereby 50% of travel set for 2020 was actually achieved by 2015.
Implementation of an impressive protected bike lane network and an Active Transportation Promotion & Enabling Plan saw daily cycling trips in Vancouver increase to over 50% from 2013 to 2016.
Vancouver’s vision is to support happy and health living by inspiring and enabling people of all ages and abilities to walk or cycle as their prefered way of getting around Vancouver.
Vancouver’s mission is to be leaders and partners in creating and promoting a world-class Active Transporation network in Vancouver.
Vancouver is looking beyond transport and mobility as the foundation for their Active Transportation policy. Their focus addresses and prioritises other eco-socio-cultural dimensions of urban living, to include health, safety, accessibility, economy, public life, environment and resiliency.
Vancouver has 5 Key Cycling Directions:
Upgrade and expand the bike network with routes that are comfortable and convenient
Improve integration with other modes, including via public bike share
Provide secure and abundant paring and end-of-trip facilities
Focus on education and safety
Promote cycling as an everyday option
The implementation principles for Vancouver’s Active Transportation Promotion & Enabling Plan are:
Think Big Picture
Be Opportunistic
Work Together
Invest Wisely
Innovate
Learn and Adapt
Data and Monitoring is key to everything!
Monitoring is key to tracking changes, recording data and observing trends. It is also imperative as evidence to prove positive changes and to encourage (stubborn?) politicians and administrators to act on increasing active transportation.
Vancouver’s monitoring program is impressive. Dale said a number of times that ‘you need to love the data!’. For example, evidence on the time spent sitting and being sedentary can be used to demonstrate causal impacts on health and physical activity outcomes. Dale also stressed the importance of female participation rates as an indicator of achievement of all ages design. Collect data and use it as evidence of success and to justify future initiatives.
What were some of the most interesting ideas?
Dale’s presentation was filled with interesting facts, ideas, learnings, suggestions and insights about Vancouver’s 2040 Transport Plan for biking. There was so much that was interesting, more than I can share here (contact Dale for more!). A quick review of some of the most interesting ideas include:
All ages and all abilities design – the end goal is for all Vancouver cycling infrastructure to all AAA standard. What a great idea!
Must have solid policy backing. Policy needs to recognise and drive issues that are broader than just mobility, for example, safety, health, accessibility, housing affordability, liveability and environment.
High-frequency mass transit is critical in shifting more locals towards using active transportation modes and away from private vehicles. To achieve this, having a minimum grid, forward-thinking strategic decision making and close consultations with stakeholders were key to building interest and momentum.
This presentation was the first time I heard the term ‘conversational bike lanes’ as a way to describe the width of a bike lane. This is used to describe how some bike lanes need to be wider in some places where two bike riders can ride alongside each other (to chat conversationally) as well as having room for one rider coming in the opposite direction (as opposed to just one bike width going both directions). What a lovely ‘social’ way of understanding bike lane usability.
It was inspiring to hear from Dale what could be achieved with political will and a clear strategic vision. What a brilliant model for other cities – a bikable city is achievable.
I am sure I was not the only one in the audience thinking why/how Brisbane could get to this same kind of state.
A trip to Vancouver anyone?
Twitter: @Dale_Bracewell
All images my own and/or from Dale Bracewell’s PPT presentation.
