Bike Kitchen gets a new home March 2, 2009
Posted by Sarah in Bicycling, Bike advocacy, environmentalism, sustainability.4 comments
Pictured above: pure dedication.
The Bike Kitchen is a co-op offering do it yourself bike repairs, a much needed resource for all those people struggling to make ends meet. Recently the organization moved to its new location – entirely by bike. I know this kind of stuff reads a little nutty to the rest of the country, but it’s what makes me fall in love with the city over and over again.
You can read more about the move on SF.streetsblog.
How green is your TP? March 1, 2009
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Yes, yes, the color green is probably not something you care to dwell on when it comes to tissue or toilet paper, and the Wall-e video is a little heavy handed, but evidently this is the next front of environmental awareness. According to a NYT article, the softness in tissue and toilet paper cannot be achieved with recycled paper, so down the trees must come. Click here for Greenpeace’s guide to all things toilet paper.
Cycling and transit February 7, 2009
Posted by Sarah in Bicycling, Bike advocacy, environmentalism, Geekiness, Humor, sustainability.add a comment
If you’re trying to effect social change, you must appeal to all levels of society. The appreciation of a great ass transcends all political lines.
Since I’m on the topic of sustainability, BART just added a new feature on its website:
Whenever you use the BART QuickPlanner, the lower right corner of the results page will show the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) you save when you take BART instead of driving. CO2 is produced by the burning of fossil fuels, like the gasoline in your car, and it is one of the greenhouse gases related to global warming. Here’s the formula we use to calculate the CO2 savings generated by your BART trip:
(Distance / MPG) * (Pounds of CO2 emitted per gallon of gas)
Distance = track distance between stations. (Source: BART)
Miles per gallon (MPG) = 20.3. Based on fuel economy of passenger cars and light trucks, weighted by vehicle miles traveled for passenger cars and light trucks. (Source: US Environmental Protection Agency)
Pounds of CO2 emitted per gallon of gas = 19.4 (Source: US Environmental Protection Agency)
Note: BART CO2 emissions are not included in this formula since no measurable emissions
result from adding one trip. BART train operation is 100% electric, and
67% of BART’s power comes from clean hydro and renewable sources.
Bike Share program for SF February 2, 2009
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A small roll out of a bike sharing program is coming to SF! Read more at Treehugger.
Streetfilms » Rethinking Streets in Paris January 24, 2009
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A six minute video outlining Paris’ goal of slowing down traffic while improving the flow of people.
I’d love to see how it all actually works in person – the cyclists were riding like they felt safe around traffic. Nobody here would ride ever ride alongside a bus like that! Pancake city. :(
1 World 2 Wheels January 14, 2009
Posted by Sarah in Bike advocacy, environmentalism, sustainability.Tags: Bike advocacy
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1 World 2 Wheels is a neat web application that calculates your calories burned, gas $ saved, and pounds of CO2 reduced. Granted, the gas cost calculation seems to assume $4/gal and 10mpg and I suspect the other calculations are also weighted towards best cycling case scenarios, but the app does a great job at showing how all those short little trips quickly add up to some serious monthly and annual mileages.
You can read a related article here.
Simplicity December 16, 2008
Posted by Sarah in Bike advocacy, environmentalism, sustainability, Visual stuff.Tags: Bike advocacy
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To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the New Deal, ReadyMade asked five artists to design work in the style of Depression era populist poster art. The one pictured above – no surprise – is my favorite. Here’s a blurb from the artist describing his work:
“I hope that America is entering a post-’greed is good’ period. I can’t think of a single step that would change the nature of our society more than everyone abandoning their automobiles and cycling instead. There would be less dependence on oil, obesity levels would drop dramatically, and reflective bike clips would replace fancy ladies’ purses as the current must-have fashion accessory.”
Hm, that last item may be a stretch, but hey, if you’re going to dream, dream big. :)
Another reason to love the Exploratorium June 13, 2008
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The Exploratorium is one of my favorite museums in the Bay Area, and it just moved up another notch in my estimation for hosting a cycling page on their website.
San Francisco studying congestion remedies September 19, 2007
Posted by Sarah in Bicycling, Bike advocacy, environmentalism, San Francisco, sustainability.add a comment
The San Francisco Bay Area routinely ranks high in the categories of congestion and commute length. SF was recently awarded a grant to address congestion, and according to an article on SFGate, the centerpiece of the plan may rest on charging tolls on the most congested roads. The tolls will not only discourage drivers, but it will also raise money for public transit. This sounds good to me – especially since I dream of a bike friendly BART.
Currently, non-folding bikes are not allowed during commute hours, and BART’s operators may prevent bikes from boarding BART when the train is crowded. Bikes take up room, but it’s frustrating to watch people going to and from the airport ride the train with enough luggage to support a small village without getting chewed out by the operator. More BART capacity, please!
