Posts Tagged ‘bicycling’

Bamboo bikes?

Saturday, June 26th, 2010

Bamboo is an amazing product.  It is rapidly renewable, cheap by comparison, and is easy to get rid of at the end of its life in whatever it is.  It has long been used for housing, furniture, and now even clothing.  So I was not the least bit surprised when I read about Organic Bikes.  They are bikes that have replaced much of the metal and plastic with bamboo.  I have not seen one up close, but they look awesome!

Organic Bikes is owned and operated by Wheel and Sprocket- a family owned bicycle shop since 1973. We began Organicbikes.com to re-think the way that bicycles and cycling products are manufactured, used, and recycled. While we do not claim to be fully “green”, or sustainable across the board- we think we have some great ideas and we are very excited to present them here! We hope that people will not only choose a bicycle over their car for transportation, but that they will consider Organic Bikes as a more sustainable choice in Bicycles!

I especially like that they do not make exaggerated claims or try to say they are the best green idea.  Nothing is that cut and dry!  They have a great idea, and they are doing their best to promote it as one piece of the sustainability puzzle.  Also from their website:

For the “Dylan” Bamboo Bicycle, we have removed the need for a lot of the original alloy tubing and replaced it with the fastest growing, strongest, and most renewable resource on the planet- bamboo. Not only is the bamboo natural, but it also provides a ride quality that is far more comfortable than standard alloy frames. What alloy is used for our Bamboo bikes is 100% recycled!

Our 100% bamboo fenders eliminate the need for plastic fenders, and our bamboo handlebars offer a comfy alternative to steel or aluminum.

Futhermore, when you are done with the Organic Bikes water bottle- throw it in your compost- as it is 100% Bio-Degradable! More products include messenger bags made from recycled or re-claimed materials, bamboo and organic clothing, and much more to come!

For you bike enthusiasts check them out for your next purchase!  Let’s face it, as the cost of oil continues to rise and the disaster in the gulf shows, we need to get off our butts more often ads spend more time using smart transportation and less driving.  That means more os us are going to need to make use of bicycles for parts of our transportation needs.  Why not buy a bike that uses less resources and is easier to dispose of when its life is over?  And if their website is any indication, a more comfortable ride comes with it.

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Posted in Green | 1 Comment »

Grassroots could be the answer to ODOT refusal

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

In case you are living under a rock, Cleveland needs a new bridge on Interstate 90.  Despite requests from citizens and public figures, ODOT has no intention of even considering a pedestrian lane or bike path for our new bridge.  If we want to make Cleveland a more sustainable city that is built on dense urban neighborhoods and connectivity, rather than the past standard of flight to the suburbs and single car commuters, we need to think in a more progressive way.  Of course, I am left to think that perhaps ODOT is really not invested in Cleveland as much as they are in the status quo and getting paid.  It’s not like adding a pedestrian and bike lane on a freeway bridge is a completely new idea.  There are multiple cities across the country who have done it already.  ODOT’s argument is a concern over safety and maintenance.  They also say that there are plenty of other places to cross the river by foot or bicycle that are safer and more convenient.  Really?  I wouldn’t call the Lorain-Carnegie bridge a safer byway than I-90 with a separate lane with a concrete barrier.  I would say that the spokeperson from ODOT who had the nerve to say such a thing has not been on a bike in the Near West side anytime recently.  I say go over their heads and send your thoughts to the governor himself, or maybe your state rep or senator.  Isn’t this an election year?  Make your voice heard.

The one really cool thing about what is going on these days in NE Ohio is participation by its citizenry.   Now that you have seen this video, go to Green City Blue Lake to learn more about how you can get involved or add your name to a letter to Governor Strickland.

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Posted in Cleveland, Green | No Comments »

Real change takes bold measures, and ODOT has no balls!

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Let’s just say it.  ODOT has no balls.   Cleveland is working hard to establish itself as a green city.  Mayor Jackson has made a committment to being a Green City on a Blue Lake.  While I think we should be moving a little faster on some things like curbside recycling and expanding the light rail system, it all takes money and we have a budget problem.  We are not alone in this.  I just read where Colorado Springs is laying off fire fighters and police, slashed all the parks budgets (asking residents to voluntarily mow green spaces), removing garbage cans from all city parks (replacing them with signs asking users to take their trash with them), turning off street lights, eliminating buses at night and on weekend, and eliminating watering programs for public spaces.  While we could be in this dire situation, we are not.  We have had to make some hard budgetary decisions, but doors won’t be closing on any museums or pools this year and the the parks will be open.  So given the economic situation in town, I can accept some programs moving slower than I would want.

What I cannot accept is ODOT.  We need a new bridge, that much is clear.  It is obvious when they had to reroute all truck traffic last year that it is really only a matter of time before the whole damn thing falls down.  When the bridge in Minneapolis had to be replaced, the city took a good look at its options and made choices that were crazy to some, genius to others.  They added things that people hadn’t thought of to make the bridge lase longer and benefit the city in ways that were not even thought of. Crazy ideas like built in bridge monitors, self cleaning concrete, and solar powered street lights that are sculptural in design.  They acted fast, built smart, and constructed this bridge to last a long time, while completing the structure  months early to finish in only  months.

ODOT, on the other hand held a public forum years ago right here in our own neighborhood.  It was one of many asking residents what they wanted to see in the overall plan of a redesigned I-90 corridor, and they they didn’t listen.  They didn’t listen to residents and citizens who wanted pedestrian and bike access.  They didn’t listen when activist groups sent them petitions.  They didn’t listen when rallies were held and marches organized.  They didn’t listen to experts who built similar bridges in other states.  They didn’t listen to the logic of increasing access of locals would encourage dense urban growth and cut down on congestion.  They didn’t listen to the planning commission, to industrialists, or to Kent State’s Urban Design Collaborative.  In short, they did not listen to the people who pay their salaries.  Keep in mind that this is the same group that designed a freeway with a near 90 degree bend in it, aptly named DEAD MAN”S CURVE.

Bridges are made to last a long time.  You only get one shot at it.  It isn’t like we can remove the bridge in ten years and do it again.  At this rate, we may still be working on this one.  To really make change, you have to be bold and take some risks.  You have to build for a future that is not here.   ODOT is obviously not a progressive group that is thinking of the future.  Rather than consider things like beauty, accessibility of the downtown, reduced long term congestion by encouraging dense urban growth, and what citizens want, they cite increased safety and maintenance concerns.  It’s not like this is the first bridge of its kind.  It has been done with success in other cities.  Yet ODOT has refused to even entertain the idea.  I am reminded of an architect working at a downtown firm who was designing a failed Lakewood project.  His plan was to built the parking garage to overlook the Rocky River garage and put the bike lane running through that.  His thought was that no one really rides bikes anyway.  I would think that the new bike garage downtown would change the minds of people like this who are so out of touch with the people of this town.  So I say, make some REAL change, be bold and build a great bridge that will serve everyone.  But I don’t hold my breath, because I think ODOT has no balls.  They are being led by a group of people who would drive 25 miles in the middle of summer to go to a gym to get on a stationery bike rather than get out in the sunshine in their own neighborhood, which is likely in the burbs.  Or is there a little something under the table?  Their concerns for maintenance and safety are valid if there is any evidence to cite.  But I haven’t seen any.

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Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland, Green | 1 Comment »

Just bike it!

Monday, May 11th, 2009

I have been thinking about buying a bicycle for a while. I walk quite a bit, and we buy only a tank of gas every 3-4 weeks, but I think I can do better. I even bought a push reel mower, as it gives off no carbon and is easily sharpened, so will likely last a lifetime. So I was intrigued when Cleveland Bicycle Week started following me on twitter. When I get a new follower, I like to check out their website and find out about them. I was thrilled to find out that this was Cleveland Bicycle Week. Little did I know that it was part of National Bicycling Month and a national Bike to Work Day. There are listed on the Cleveland Bicycle Week website a variety of events around town that center on bicycling in Cleveland. There are bike tours, special offers, bike rodeos, forums and socials. There is sure to be an event that is right for you. If you are thinking of buying a bike, this is a great time. Cleveland has a large selection of bike shops, so there is sure to be one near you. If you want to buy used, there are still plenty of choices. I like the idea of buying from thrift stores and charities, but don’t forget to get a bike check up and replace any worn or unsafe parts. Repair shops can get your used bike up to standards for a reasonable fee. That keeps one more thing out of the landfill. If you are dying to replace that old clunker for something new and slick, consider donating your old bike to a group like the Ohio City Bicycle Co-op. They refurbish old used bikes for resale. In fact they have are a great spot to look for a used bike that is ready to roll. Biking is good for the environment and good for your health. Why join a gym to ride a stationary bike, when you can get out in the fresh air and bike to work or around one of the city’s great metroparks. It is Cleveland Bicycle Week, so join in!

By the way, our plan for the office includes bicycle racks, and I would like to see them installed along the Lorain corridor.

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Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland, Green | No Comments »