Executive Director, Martin Zimmerman met last week in Buenos Aires with Andres Fingeret and Clara Rasore of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and Matias Kalwill, founder and director of the CABA’s sister organization, La Vida en Bici (“Life on Bicycle”). Martin is checking out the local bike scene in the context of overall sustainable transportation solutions. Lots of new on-road paths just built in a city infamous for its past aversion to the power of two wheels.  Photo above shows the popularity of the  ”Bicing” yellow bike share cycles in the Ricoleta district. Martin returns to Charlotte in time for the Urban Assault Ride this Sunday.

“In the many North American cities where two-wheeled transportation is taking off, a new bicycle economy is emerging. It’s amazing how much money can stay in your community when it isn’t being pumped into the gas tank, big insurance, and the Detroit fat cats. What will this new bicycle economy look like?…” CLICK: Tell me please, and find out.

London goes carbon – Watch London Mayor Boris Johnson voice halleluyas and tossle his bleach blond coif in this promo video. Including plans for bicycle “freeways” and center city “no car zones”. CLICK: BLon.

Bike sharing – Golden B.C. to Suzhou China – Tons of videos.The “bike sharing” phenomenon is encircling the globe. CLICK: BShare

San Francisco – See great poster showing tongue-in-cheek bike icons for trendy and not-so-trendy districts of the enchanted city on the bay.  Castro, Fisherman’s Wharf, Financial District, etc. From the Timbuk2 messenger bag and apparel folks. CLICK: SFran

Munich, Germany – an catchy film promo of Munich’s campaign to increase the levels of bicycle traffic in the city using positive marketing techniques. To make cycling in the city “normal” and “cool”. Using civic pride, photo competitions and the triangular concept of Attention, Identification and Participation. CLICK: MGerm.

Makes Charlotte seem like a paradise.

From the blog Copenhaginze.com:..”this winter has been hard so far and we’re running out of salt and the snow …… In Copenhagen the streets are divided up into A, B, and C roads. ‘A’ roads have high priority, ‘B’ less so and ‘C’ roads, in a winter like this, don’t see much clearance action. Nevertheless, the bicycle traffic is highly prioritized and the bicycles, by and large, roll on.

Recent report from Grist mag. on-line:  ”A clever public health campaign in Malmö, Sweden, is getting people onto bikes by making them feel silly for driving short distances when they could bike instead. The campaign was launched four years ago with the goal of getting people to stop using their cars for journeys of less than 5 kilometers, or about 3 miles….”

Malmö, is about the same size as Charlotte. It was named on a list of 15 green cities by Grist  in 2007. To read the entire article and see the video, CLICK: Day tripping.

700 parks. 140 cities. 21 countries. 6 continents. The idea is fantastically simple. We saw it in Chattanooga a few weeks ago. The way it works is…..

Step 1 – you (and your city-loving friends) put enough money in a curbside parking meter to allow enough time  to install an instant “people park”.  A bench or two, a pink flamingo, indoor/outdoor carpeting…..and maybe a bike rack.

Step 2 – now the space is yours.  have an urban love-fest or at least hang out till the meter runs out.

Step 3 – put more money in the meter and stay there until your time is up. but don’t forget to get the media to publicize get photos and interview you.  get the word out via social marketing too.

Step 4 – exit site and plan your next harmless, legal and fun battle of urban turf warfare. CLICK: Reclaim your city to find out more, including a nifty video. Note: name, photo and link are copyrighted property of REBAR Group, Inc.

Beware of Rat King

Funky, zany, and outrageous ! It’s catching on in the U.S. and Europe. CLICK: 9th Annual Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race for a hilarious set of images.

Air cosmonauts lead the way

]]> http://charlottebikes.org/2010/08/18/cool-blogs-and-websites/feed/ 0 martinzimmerman8 TAJ5766AirCosmonautsFellsPoint http://charlottebikes.org/2010/05/30/photo-of-the-week-10/ http://charlottebikes.org/2010/05/30/photo-of-the-week-10/#comments Sun, 30 May 2010 07:00:56 +0000 martinzimmerman8 http://charlottebikes.org/?p=4642 ]]> Shock/shlock or sustainable/chic ?

Stumbled on this one on Grist the on-line magazine.  Do you think this would get past the security guards at South Park Mall ? Or try taking it on the a.m. LYNX commute to Uptown ! The ad copy says, and we quote: “100% recycled canvas tote bag that is MADE IN THE USA by woman operated business. Yarn with Moral Fiber™ & Bottle Bag™ material. This Bag is made from 80% Ecotec™ – a blended cotton yarn produced from the excess fabric of newly made clothing – and 20% Bottle Bag™ made from 100% recycled soda bottles.”

What would YOU pay for this tote ? Or would you ? ?

DATELINE: April 25 – US Dept. of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announces what he’s calling a “sea change” in transportation policy. “We’re elevating it to the point where as we develop new road systems, as we develop communities where people can use light rail or street cars or buses, bike trails and walking paths will be equal partners, if you will, and equal components of those kinds of transportation opportunities in communities across America,” LaHood tells NPR’s Guy Raz.

Incredible 360 degree interactive image ! – You won’t believe this until you giggle it with your mouse.

CLICK: CareFree. You will be instantly hooked.