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| QUOTATION OF THE MONTH |
"I am 85 but so far this month I have
ridden my bicycle 6 miles a day instead of driving my car. How much
have YOU driven your bike & left your "polluter" home?"
Bill Denneen, a senior citizen and reader of World Carfree Monthly
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| WORLD CARFREE NETWORK
ANNOUNCEMENTS |
WORLD CARFREE MONTHLY NEWS HIT THE AGE OF GRAPHICS
We are pleased so far in your responses to the new look of the
bulletin. Upon a call for feedback, we have received an overwhelming
positive response. We know there are still a few glitches in the system
- but we are working towards perfecting them. Thanks for your patience
with the irregular arrival times. Don't forget, you can read the news
in 6 languages. Please send us any comments or suggestions to
bulletin@worldcarfree.net
LET'S SUBSCRIBE THE WORLD!
In the recent past we have implemented two positive changes in the
World Carfree Monthly News service. First we made the sign-up process a
step easier. Go to the our webpage and directly
enter an email address. Then we brought about graphic improvements - this is the second
issue you have with the new look. Now we'd like to increase our
readership.
Currently we have roughly 2600 readers of the English newsletter. The
other languages have between 100-300. I bet we can double that! If the
carfree lifestyle, safe streets and upbeat communities is something you
care about, please help us reach more people by spreading the word.
There are various ways you can do that. One is simply sending the link
- www.worldcarfree.net/bulletin to people in your address book and
adding a few inspiring words. You can also suggest the sign-up step to
other
listserves you are on. Or share and like our facebook page.
If you dig media and writing, go ahead and spread the word in any media
you have access to. And let us know your creative ideas! Go to the
sign-up page or write to us at bulletin@worldcarfree.net. If you do any
outreach, we'd love to hear about it!
Here's to 5000 readers by Christmas!
TOWARDS CARFREE CITIES 2011 IN MEXICO
The tenth Towards
Carfree Cities Conference will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico,
from 5 to 9
September 2011. The theme this year is "Building Carfree Cities for the
People, by the People", with a focus on citizen participation and the
sharing of experiences between campaigners from around the world. It
promises to be an exciting exchange. Watch this space for updates on
the programme.
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| GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS |
WALES
PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
Budding photographers are requested to visit the scenic walking and
cycling paths in south Wales and take part in the “Sights, Camera,
Action!” competition. Prizes will be awarded and finalists will be
exhibited at the Big Cheese Festival.
Read
more
PLEASANT
REVOLUTION, SAN FRANCISCO
The Pleasant Revolution is riding again!
Join the fun at any of the upcoming events:
May 13, San Francisco: SFSU Film Finals McKenna Theater
May 26-30, Silverado: Lightning in a Bottle
Jun 19, SF: Viracocha "Cello Magic: Cello Madness Congress"
Jun 25-26, SF: SF Free Folk Festival
See full schedule here.
www.pleasantrevolution.net
THE BIG RIDE,
CAPE TOWN
is Saturday 14 May. Meet at Blaauwberg at Big Bay at 11h00 for 11h30
cycling departure along with the Tour d' Afrique participants,
following the
newly completed BRT Cyclepath route. The tour will finish at the
Civic Centre at 1pm and then move to the Green Point Park at 2pm for a
celebration of the champion cyclists who are riding from Cairo to Cape
Town.
VELOCYPEDIA
OPEN FOR VIEWING
Contemporary art exhibition about bicycle passion and sustainable
transport.
Location: Gallery at the National Technical Library, Prague, Czech
Republic
Exhibition dates: 3rd May –24th May 2011
Curators: Lenka Kukurová, Milan Mikuláštík
Contact velocypedia@gmail.com.
ECOTOPIA BIKE TOUR IN ITALY
This year the Ecotopia bike tour will
travel the length of Italy's boot. Dates are from the beginning of July
until mid to late August. This year the subject is local food and
sustainable agriculture and the tour will pass by a number of
ecovillages nad community projects. Final route decisions and other
details will be released soon, as well as information on the website and facebook page.
MUNICH IS NOW ALL ABOUT BIKES
The city of Munich, Germany is making
every effort to become a cycling city. New bike lanes are being
introduced and public campaigns launched. Green City e.V. is helping
this month of May with a number of events: May 16-21 Bikeshow -
discounts, training, rides, e-bikes and more. May 21: Munich biking
idol and fashion show. Get all the details at Radlhauptstadt!
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| ACTION |
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STOP THE PAVE !
The South Fraser Protection camp is hoping to stop a highway
from being built along the river delta of the Fraser river in British
Columbia, Canada. This highway would have destructive consequences on
the health of local residents, as well as disturb archaeological sites
and more.
A camp has been set up to offer resistance
to the works, but the resistance needs help. New steps are being
prepared. You can read all about the situation here. Watch that space and stay
abreast of developments.
The next public meeting is on Thursday, May 19th, 6pm at Kwantlen
Polytechnic University, 12666 72 Ave, Surrey (Conference Centre, Room
G1205). You may write to info@stopthepave.org and also sign up for a
newsletter.
See the site to also ponder the suggested alternatives, including a
proposal to improve transport services.
stopthepave.org
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| IN THE NEWS |
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The Movement to Defend Khimki Forest is still
fighting the road building plans of the authorities in Russia (see
Action item from April) although bandits and security forces have
beaten the activists and several people had to be treated in the
hospital.
Read more
Chengdu announces its plans to install 800 km of recreational pathways
by 2012. The capital of China's Sichuan province intends to create a
massive
"greenbelt" recreational path network in and around the city. The
project is part of the city's bid to become a "modern, world-class
garden city." The paths themselves are said to be a "jade belt encasing
the brocade city."
Read
more
Belgrade, Serbia gets first ever Critical Mass! 30 people showed up for
a morning ride. Next ride scheduled for May 27.
Read more
Once upon a time the World Carfree Network intervened successfully to
stop rickshaw bans in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Now once again there is a new
wave of rickshaw bans hitting the mainstream of Bangladeshi transport
users. An article in the New Colonist looks at this issue in depth.
Read more
After the measured successes of low emission zones elsewhere, France is
now going to launch test phases of such zones in eight French cities.
ZAPA, as it called, will be tested for three years and ban the most
polluting vehicles from the participating cities.
Read
more
Interesting concept: A major Real estate developer in Portland, Oregon,
USA is now offering small carfree units in the SE sector.
Read
more
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| REPORTS |
OXFORD
TRANSPORT LECTURE SERIES ONLINE
If you did not have a chance to attend these excellent seminars you can
now do so on the TSU web site.
For each of the seminars, you can listen to the podcast or watch the
screencast. You can also view the presentation slides and read a review
of the seminar.
TRAFFIC NOISE
IS BAD FOR YOU!
A new report issued by the World Health Organisation confirms what we
already knew: traffic noise has an adverse effect on our lives.
Europeans are said to lose one million healthy life years to this
problem every year. It is hoped that this report will positively
influence an upcoming revision of the EU directive related to vehicle
noise.
Read
more.
ELTIS AWARDS
TOP PAPER AT VELO-CITY
The ELTIS website has given an award to the best paper at the Velo-city
conference. It was given to Michael Meschik for a study on the costs of
bicycle traffic for the overall economy (with Vienna as the case
study). The presentation and abstract may be downloaded.
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| MEDIA & NETWORKING |
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PETER AND JANE: A SHORT
FILM ABOUT BIOFUELS
What is the matter with biofuels? Do you have friends and coworkers
that need convincing? This short animated film attempts to tell you why
we shouldn't sacrifice agricultural land.
Watch it
FUNKY VIDEO
TELLS US TO BIKE IT
Cascade Bicycle Club has put on a sweet spot with their vision of
everyone on bikes. A fun film and good for getting people in the mood!
Watch it
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