The Good Bike project is awesome. Based in Toronto, its mission is to turn abandoned bikes into public works of art. According to Treehugger, The Good Bike began when a local woman spray painted a left bike and planted greenery in its front basket. The fact that the city ticketed the bike drew several protesters out–who began The Good Bike–and initiated a shift in attitude by the city.

Now, Toronto supports The Good Bike project and is offering dozens of abandoned bikes to the cause to be painted and spread around the city as works of eco-friendly art. From Inhabitat:

“The bikes will each mark a meaningful spot where “the ethos of regeneration and community … sparked our creativity in the first place.” The first bike was planted outside of the OCAD U Student Gallery, a school dedicated to art and design, and as the art installations grow, more design oriented sites around the city will be graced with these urban recycling installations.”

Learn more about The Good Bike through its Facebook page or via the project’s blog.

[Via: Inhabitat]

[Photo Via: Inhabitat]

Thanks to Osprey Packs and Red Reel Video Media for making this beautiful short about what some people do to get around, instead of driving.

What do you do to get to where you need to be… instead of driving?

The structure of Kranium has been developed to absorb the impact energy. The ribs of the structure have been designed to accommodate movement in some places where as it remains perfectly rigid in some areas. Thus during a crash the force peak of the impact is absorbed by the ribs tending to flex and de-flex. The remaining amount of energy is then absorbed by the crumpling nature of the corrugated ribs. When tested against the British Standards (EN 1078) at the Imperial College, Kranium absorbs 4 times the amount of impact energy when compared to regular cycling helmets. This means that during a crash, lesser amounts of energy go into your head thus making it safer than regular cycling helmets.

If you’re hesitating to believe that a cardboard helmet could really hold up as well as plastic, check out the crash test video below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Pit In enables a bicycle rider to secure her bike while remaining seated on it. The bike’s front wheel eases into the front wheel holder, and the rider can stay comfortably seated on the bike thanks to foot rests on either side of it. The table in front of the rider serves as a place to have a drink, a short rest or lunch on the go.

As shown in the photo above, the Pit In could be a perfect addition to a city sidewalk or, even, a nice big park, enabling cyclists of all kind with a place to stop, rest and recharge without ever having to leave the bike.

[Via: Treehugger]

[Photos Via: Treehugger]

The above video is a slideshow from Diane Meyer’s “Without a Car” project, for which she photographed Los Angeles citizens who live and travel without a car to call their own. Meyer’s project is featured in the May/June issue of Orion magazine.

About the project, from the Orion website:

“In LA as elsewhere, personal freedom has come to be defined by automobiles, even though such primitive logic translates into appalling air quality and dreadfully long commutes. Angelenos hop into their cars to drive even embarrassingly short distances that could easily be reached without an automobile. As a result, the city itself remains elusive—a fragmented series of images framed by windshields and rearview mirrors.

But those who navigate this city more slowly by foot, bike, or bus—a typically anonymous bunch—reap the rewards of human-scale glimpses amid the sprawl: diverse neighborhoods reveal distinct personalities, strangers become individuals, and small pleasures abound, like the smell of jacaranda trees in spring. Yet access to transportation remains a significant concern in this horizontal megalopolis connected by freeways, where jobs can be scattered across a vast region. Mobility is symbolic of more than a muddled sense of individual freedom; it embodies the very real desire—and ability—to earn a living and maintain a sense of safety in a city that treats pedestrianism as archaic and even futile.”

Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have found that rodents exposed to motorized vehicle emissions showed signs of brain damage. Specifically, the mice involved in the study showed signs of memory loss and Alzheimer’s after being exposed to these emissions.

Study researchers took samples from the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles and exposed mice to the airborne pollutants for five hours a day, three times a week over a period of ten weeks. According to the report, Todd Morgan, USC researcher and lead author of the study, the particles the study’s mice were exposed to are the same that any driver would inhale on the road–with or without the windows open. Morgan did state that those who drive with open windows–like those who ride motorcycles or drive convertibles–inhale a higher amount of the pollution blend. Though not specifically mentioned in the article, it’s safe to infer that bicyclists, too, take in a high dose of burning fossil fuels while on the road. However, this does contradict something we wrote about a year ago, which states: Studies have shown that bikers, even on busy, car-filled streets, inhale less dangerous pollutants than car drivers. In addition, a recent study in Mexico City shows that “car drivers are more exposed to smog than public transport passengers, mainly because of the car’s lower height and poorer ventilation.”

Let’s face it, studies are always changing, reporting new results and contradicting one another. So, let’s not focus too hard on which commuter inhales the most chemicals. What’s more significant to note is that while reports have always focused on the respiratory system, little research has been done to determine the effects of airborne pollutants on the brain.

Morgan stated that while this study does show ill effects on the brain in rodents, more research needs to be done before the effects of car pollution on the human brain can be truly understood.

[Via: California Watch]

[Photo Via: epSos.de]

If you’ve ever wanted to try dog mushing from the convenience of your own backyard, a man by the name of Mark Schuette has just the thing for you. With his uniquely crafted devices, you can ride a bike, scooter or skateboard with the help of up to four of your furry friends, sans the training and the snow.

Schuette’s devices are designed to be used as sport, with more accessibility than traditional sport of dog mushing. They’re created to be “urban appropriate” and easy for human and dog use. From the looks of it, dogs need simply be clipped into a harness of sorts, so they can run along and help propel you on your ride. Schuette’s rides position dogs behind the person steering, which gives the human ample control in terms of steering and breaking. One disclaimer, from the website: “These units are not recommended for couch potato or overly spooky dogs.”

For hyper, energetic and overactive dogs, though, this could just be the perfect treat. And it’s certainly an interesting take on sustainable transportation.

[Via: Environmental Graffiti]

On April 25th, Timbuk2′s retail store in Hayes Valley, SF, will begin offering visitors–travelers and locals alike–with free access to a bike and all the necessary gear to take a trip around the city. During store hours, patrons who fill out a registration form will be given access to a Globe bicycle, a Bern helmet, a Timbuk2 bag and a Timbuk2 bike map, with an outline of local trails and the company’s suggested “must-see” spots in town.

According to Timbuk2, the purpose of its bike share program is to give San Francisco dwellers or visitors an eco-friendly option for travel, whether they want to tour the city by bike for an entire day or run a quick, car-free errand.

The Voltitude–a folding electric bike–isn’t actually manufactured by the same company that makes the Swiss Army Knife, but its concept and look were inspired by the famous folding tool.

This electric bike prototype weighs about 50 pounds, runs 55 inches from wheel to wheel, and can be folded into a compact 24 inches wide and 35 inches tall. With its minimalist structure, the Voltitude packs a 250-watt motor that can propel its rider up to 15 mph. Also, according to the Voltitude website, “… it can be unfolded in exactly one second.”

The Voltitude electric bike was developed in Switzerland, and is currently only available for purchase in its country of origin–in limited quantities. However, Voltitude promises that the bike will be available for purchase online (with “free international shipping“) soon. You can even pre-order your bike now, here.

[Via: Huffington Post]

Of course, this means that 10,000 pounds of old inner tubes have literally been saved from a landfill. Cycle Dog alludes to this on their website, stating, “Over 60 million bike riders in the U.S. means a lot of flat tires and old inner tubes. By repurposing these tubes into our collars and leashes, we are keeping this waste out of our landfills.

Interested in keeping unnecessary materials out of giant trash heaps? Get your pooch a recycled collar or leash or check out Cycle Dog product here.

[Via: Bicycle Retailer]

The six-pack holder shown above is made by Walnut Studios in Portland, OR, and although the designers state it was originally crafted to carry a mallet for hardcourt bike polo, they’re quick to suggest, “… we since learned that this useful item can hold all kinds of things to your bike – why not a six pack?”

And, while we’re on the subject, Walnut Studios also makes a bike-friendly can holder (shown below)… in case you’re interested in a drink appendage of that variety.

[Via: KNSTRCT]

[Photos Via: Etsy]

“Me and My Bike” is an environmental advocacy video that boasts bikes for transport. The best part? It features young kids from the impoverished towns of Nairobi who argue, through lyrics and a hip-hop style of music, that bikes are a way to help the earth from its environmental issues. What’s more, “Me and My Bike” is the winner of the 1 Minute to Save the World competition, which asked young filmmakers from around the world to make a one-minute film about climate change.

This video is not only entertaining, it’s inspirational. Listen to the lyrics for seriously practical explanations from the teens about why biking is a great way of transport.

[Via: Huffington Post]

With four bicycle wheels beneath its cardboard frame, this Porsche is the brainchild of one incredibly creative and talented man who created it as a life size replica of a small toy car version of the high end sports car.

The best part about this car is its utter lack of engine; it might even be the coolest zero emission vehicle we’ve ever seen.

[Via: Inhabitat]

[Photos Via: Inhabitat]

According to Yellowstone Chief Ranger Tim Reid, a bike is not an “approved” means of transportation for winter travel. Although Buchanan and his companions were prepared with fat tire winter bikes, they weren’t allowed to enter the park at all. Approved winter travel methods include snowmobiles, skis, snow shoes and the like.

This incident begs the question: Why aren’t bikes OK for riding on trails and paths in the winter? Is it simply the fact that bikes aren’t traditionally considered a winter mode of transport?

Do you ride your bike in the winter? In the snow and ice? We welcome your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

[Via: USParks.about.com]

[Photo Via: nodomain.cc]

Rolling behind the car at 78 miles per hour, Lane Segerstrom, founder of Stalk It Skateboards, officially set a Guinness World Record for the fastest speed on a towed skateboard. Segerstrom’s new record, set on December 6th of this year, beat the previous 74-mile-per-hour record (2008) held by Danny Way for the MTV show Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. What’s more–Segerstrom achieved the new record on an entirely new kind of board–one made from corn.

Part of the reason Segerstrom set out for the record was, in fact, to demonstrate the sheer strength of a board made from this non-traditional resource. Hitting a speed higher than I’ve ever driven, he seems to have made his point. Stalk It boards, like the one Segerstrom was towed on, are made out of CornBoard, an alternative to wood that’s made from corn stover; the stalks and leaves of corn that are left over after corn has been harvested. The effect of combining stover with resin and bonding the mixture under high heat and pressure is a product similar to that of pressed wood. The result is an extremely durable and eco-friendly material that can be used for skateboards and skating pursuits of any kind.

[Via: Guinness World Records]

It’s Christmas Time in the City. That’s right, the day after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of Christmas celebration for many–so if you’re already itching for a way to begin the holidays, get a Christmas tree delivered to your door by TreesByBike.

TreesByBike is a unique local (Portland) collective of bike riders who, as they aptly state on their website, “are looking to spread some holiday cheer, make a little extra money, and raise some cash for things we care about.” So, in the spirit of the season, they’ll deliver a locally-grown tree by bike to you, and 10 percent of the total cost will be donated to the foundation, charity or organization of your rider’s choice. Each ‘Rider of Yule’, as they’re called, chooses where, exactly, those proceeds go to; you can see where they’ll donate their chunk of proceeds on the ‘Riders’ page here.

Choosing a tree and ordering it through TreesByBike is easy. Just go here, pick your tree type and size, and add it to your cart. Then, pick the day and time of delivery you prefer, and TreesByBike will try as hard as possible to deliver your tree then. Deliveries are done Thursday through Sunday between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The only downside is that, currently, due to high demand in just one area, TreesByBike delivers only on the East side. But the site does mention that if high demand grows outside of their normal delivery areas, they will accomodate.

TreesByBike is also happy to announce that now through December 1st (the first day of Hanukah), they’ll also deliver Hanukah candles by bike–so if you don’t celebrate Christmas, you can bring the Festival of Lights to you through a pedal-powered delivery.

And, if you’re curious, the TreesByBike mantra/jingle goes a bit like this…

“Holiday cheer need no automotive support,
why not is it spread with wheels and legs and just heart?
Internal combustion, need not apply,
for next XMAS we’re riding bikes with trees stacked ridiculously high.”

“For the sake of all goodness, we must do this well.
Mount up on your bikes and deliver like hell:
Now, Riders! Now, Racers! Now, Couriers, and Gophers!
On, Commuters! On, Street kids! On, Hipsters and Bro-dogs!”

“To the valleys and gorges! To the top of the hills!
Now ride away! ride away! Coffee helps, for reals!”

[Photos Via: TreesByBike]

In New York, there’s a bit of a battle brewing between bicycle transportation advocates and those who want city streets to remain unchanged. In the last four years, thanks to Mayor Bloomberg’s administration, over 250 miles of bike lanes have been added to the asphalt– to many drivers, pedestrians and business owners’ great disapproval.

New Yorkers opposed to cycling lanes aren’t necessarily anti-cycling, but many of them argue that the increase in bike lanes has caused several issues–they’ve decreased curbside parking, caused difficulty for truck deliveries to businesses and have changed the way drivers are used to zipping through the streets.

Several of those who oppose bike lanes have, in the last year, begun publicly opposing them in the hopes of creating change. Last month in Brooklyn, opponents protested together next to supporters of bike lanes; on Staten Island, a nearly 2.5-mile lane is being removed after drivers and elected officials voiced their disapproval; and in Manhattan last month, a long-time resident organized a protest in the East Village (where she resides). She’s also planning rallies against nearby lanes with two groups of bicycle lane opponents. In response to public opposition, cycling advocates are making appearances at rallies and protests, in order to voice their opinions as well.

The City is working to diffuse conflicts between the two groups. In fact, on December 9th, City Council will hold a hearing to address the need to balance the transportation needs of New York City cyclists, drivers and other road users. Additionally, police and traffic officials have already begun to more strictly regulate bicycle traffic.

Hopefully, the two groups can find some common ground, learn to share the road and agree to disagree on the significance of bicycle transport.

[Via: The New York Times]

[Photo Via: compujeramey]

If you live in Portland, chances are you’ve at least seen a B-line delivery trike equipped with a big, snappy yellow cargo box perched behind its rider. These pedal-powered wonders began zipping through the streets of PDX in February 2009, partnering with local businesses to take over their “close-in” delivery needs. Since then, B-line has not only reduced those businesses’ dependence on trucks and vans, it’s also covered an estimated 16,000 miles of travel, delivered about 300,000 pounds of organic produce and reduced CO2 emissions by an approximated 37,000 pounds.

This year, we’re excited to see that B-line will also be a part of the holiday season. According to B-line’s Facebook page, they’ll be delivering Thanksgiving turkeys to the Whole Foods Market Laurelhurst location every morning, which makes for an entirely carbon-free turkey delivery. If you’re excited by that, place your turkey order early and get a carbon-free-delivered bird. That’s something to be seriously thankful for next Thursday.

… Just so you know.

… And so we can keep gloating, of course.

[Via: GOOD]

The fish on bikes that overtook the Tauride Gardens in St. Petersburg, Russia this September were made out of cardboard, but their message was as real as it gets. The biking fish urged participants and onlookers to respect nature and be aware of environmental issues facing not only Russia, but the world.

The biking fish appeared as a part of The World Around Us Festival, during which life in harmony with nature is highlighted through art, games, and, of course, biking fish.

The concept for fish costumes spawned from the sad reality that the ponds in the Tauride Gardens are so dirty that fish can no longer live in them. Alexander Mel, the Festival Organizer, believes that the environmental cleanliness of St. Petersburg directly represents that of society. Festival participants hoped that by raising awareness of environmental issues, as well as urging the use of more eco-friendly transport such as bikes, a shift toward a greater harmony between man and nature will commence.

[Via: NTD TV]

The simple act of riding a bicycle seems eco-friendly to most of us, so much so that we usually don’t even think to measure how “green” the frame and parts are. Generally, they consist of resource-intensive materials that don’t biodegrade–Your average frame may be aluminum, titanium, steel, or carbon, your tires made of rubber, your fenders–plastic to boot. Of course, much of this is offset by the fact that bikes can transport us nearly anywhere without any harmful emissions. But what if bike manufacturers could make cycling even more environmentally friendly by making the components of their bikes more natural and less harmful to Earth? That’s exactly what Schwinn did when they made the Vestige–the perfect commuter bike, made out of flax.

The Vestige’s frame was developed from natural, biodegradable flax fibers (flax is a plant, one of the oldest fiber crops in the world, and also what linen is made of). The frame is then coated with a water soluble paint, which is non-toxic, gives off virtually no smell, and most importantly, isn’t oil-based like many coatings. The Vestige also has bamboo grips and fenders, and a front hub dynamo that powers the frame’s internal lighting system without the need for batteries. And its tires come with a recyclable rubber insert.

Despite its differences, the Vestige performs similar to, if not better than, a carbon frame bike; the flax fiber frame absorbs and dampens vibration even better than carbon fiber, according to Schwinn.

This September, the Vestige won the 2010 Eurobike Gold Award for innovative design, and it now stands as the bike industry’s first flax fiber bicycle. Schwinn has been building bikes since 1895, but with the development of the Vestige, it’s now pioneering eco-bikes as we know them.

There’s something about riding a bike–whether commuting to work or cruising down a single track trail–that welcomes thought. Perhaps that’s why Andrea created this visual depictions of some of her thoughts on her bike.

But the creator of this video doesn’t just delve into the “la-tee-da” thoughts. She goes right into those relating to global climate change and the environment… and what we need to do about it.

Watch the above film and be amazed at the creativity and the simple artistic beauty of it. And–of course–ride your bike!

[Via: the adventure life]

Australian Musician Kristin Rule coins herself “The Unconventional Cellist,” a fitting title considering the way she’ll tour her most recent album. Instead of making the 400k route by bus, as many musicians do, she’ll tour by bike, pedaling herself, and everything she needs on tour–cello included–the entire trip. As she puts it on her website, “When you ride a bicycle, all things in life slow down, including album launches!”

Rule’s tour will be entirely pedal-powered, but she’s open to a little help along the way. That’s why she has attached an electric assist trailer to the back of her ride, one that gains its power through solar energy. The device itself is called the ‘Watt-Bott’, developed by Mechanarachy to assist riders carrying heavy cargo. It helps a rider in the same way that “a strong tailwind” might, according to the Mechanarchy website.

Rule’s “Slow Ride Album Launch” is set to start this November in Melbourne, Australia. You can follow her bicycle tour here.

[Via: Treehugger]

[Photo Via: Treehugger]

The body of the car will be made up of impact-resistant composite material from mats of hemp. Nathan Armstrong, President of Motive Industries, says hemp has around twice the strength of other plant fibers, adding that Henry Ford himself built a car out of hemp fiber and resin over 50 years ago.

The Kestrel will be a compact car, built to contain a driver and up to three passengers. It will be powered by an electric battery, and will have a top speed of just about 56 miles per hour. The Kestrel is just one of five electric cars in development by Project Eve, founded by Motive Industries and Toronto Electric. The hope is that Project Eve will help boost the production of electric cars in Canada. Hopefully, it will motivate car-makers in the U.S., and inspire more hemp-based endeavors, as the plant itself is an astonishingly eco-friendly alternative to the many pesticide and water-intensive plants we use today.

[Via: CBC News]

[Photo Via: Naturally Advanced]

In total, the event brought out three million people, many of whom crowded near various sections of the 37-mile-long collective giant table that spanned the length of the closed-off section of the highway that was comprised of 20 thousand individual tables. A traffic report announced during the festivities warned drivers about the highway closure: “Attention on the A40… There is a 60-kilometer (37-mile) closure between Duisburg and Dortmund due to the longest table in the world.”

This might be the coolest event we’ve ever heard of. And we’re happy to hear that cyclists took advantage of the car-less pavement and hopped on their bikes for a carefree (and carfree) ride.

[Via: Treehugger/BBC News]

[Photo Via: Huffington Post]

Before I tell you about my test drive this week of the new, all-electric Nissan Leaf, a disclaimer: If you’re looking for a review packed with performance stats (or any mention of the word torque), you’re out of luck; my experience with cars consists of putting about 4,000 miles a year on a fairly battered 2004 manual transmission Volkswagen Jetta that my husband refers to as Robocar.

(Before that, I lived for eight years sans car in Philadelphia, then Boston, then New York City; before that, I had a 1985 VW Cabriolet that spent more time on a AAA tow truck than it did on the road.)

OK, now the test drive results. Here’s what I can tell you about the Nissan Leaf:

It’s a real car. This may sound silly, but I think people expect electric cars to feel more like a toy than an all-purpose vehicle that you could take on the highway, on a road trip, and up in the mountains to go camping. The Nissan Leaf is not a novelty; when you’re in it, you would never know that it’s an “alternative” vehicle, save for the ultra-quiet driving experience and the fact that you’re fueling it for practically free.

Read the rest of the review here.

Same message though–DITCH YOUR CAR! RIDE YOUR BIKE!

A $1.32 million federal grant will soon make the I-5 corridor from Canada to Oregon the country’s first electric highway–complete with electric charging stations plugged at every 80 miles (the average e-car has a charging range of about 100 miles). In total, ten Level-3 electric power stations will be placed along the I-5 highway, and will have the capacity to charge a typical electric vehicle in a little over 30 minutes.

The state plans to make I-5 an e-highway this fall, after this summer’s bidding process by electric charging station manufacturers.

One thing to keep in mind is that Level-3 electric power stations only have the capacity to charge the average electric vehicle to about 80 percent, and electric car battery capacity can change as a result of inclement weather. That said, the fact that we’re in the process of building the nation’s first electric highway is absolutely a step away from oil dependency, which is hugely significant in and of itself. Here’s to the first U.S. electric highway!

[Via: inhabitat]

[Photo Via: inhabitat]

Riding your bike to the store, as innocent of an act as it may be, has some inherent liability written into it. It’s altogether possible that you’ll park your bike outside, lock it up, go in to do your shopping, and come out to find that it (or any of its parts) has been stolen. But this is something you’d never even think twice about if you rode around on the newly designed Cannondale Ville commuter folder bike because it turns into… a shopping cart.

The bike folds twice and essentially doubles back onto itself to make a tall-ish two-pronged cart. Created by designer Hyuk-Jae Chang, the concept is deemed ingenious by some, idiotic by others. We’re not willing to place judgment at this junction, but we would argue that most commuters probably wouldn’t actually ride around town on this… and then pop it into place to shop with. A rad concept nonetheless.

[Via: Gizmodo/Wired]

[Photo Via: Gizmodo/Wired]

What if the energy you expend while cycling could do more than just propel you from place to place? What if that energy could actually do double duty–and be utilized not only to move our bicycling bodies–but also to power our very own cell phones…

The cell company Nokia is thinking along these lines, and has, in fact, created a device that will allow cyclists to charge their cell phones on the go–with their own muscle power.

From Daily Finance:

Nokia’s kit features a small electrical dynamo, a cell phone holder and a charger. As a cyclist pumps the pedals of a bicycle, the turning wheels also turn the dynamo, which charges the handset via a standard 2-mm charging jack. A cyclist traveling at 20 kph (about 12.4 mph) can charge up a cell phone within two hours, says Doug Dawson, a Nokia spokesman.

Nokia plans to have the product available and on the market by the end of the year, and will market the bike charger to two drastically different groups–those with limited access to electricity and those who are part of a dense cycling community, such as rural China and parts of Europe.

[Via: Daily Finance]

[Photo Via: Daily Finance]