Here’s Why Bikers Get On Commuters’ Nerves:

Basically, we’re vulnerable – which should give us the upper hand. When you’re riding a frame with wheels and “sharing the road” with cars, we feel like these heavy metal things rolling around have a good chance of being bullies. Some (and I mean only some) of them are, and dangerously so. More on that later.

The most un-lazy. I think I can count on all my digits how many times I’ve taken the bus to work this year rather than bike – and I live in a super rainy part of Canada. So there. See, I love myself more than you already. With this, the fact that we’re “un-lazy”, we have more reason to act snobbish around potential bullies (see above).

We’re “greener”, and yes, many of us believe that. While not all road-bikers (exercise and pastime) may be workday bikers – most will have two bikes for that reason.

Stubborn – when we think that we should use the road “as if we were a car”, it is for our own safety. Drivers should understand that we wouldn’t risk losing limbs just because we’re stubborn. But if we’re in a 40k zone downtown, and safer away from the danger from parked car doors opening, we’ll use the middle of the road.

Which leads me to dangerous time stories. My girlfriend really hates it when I come home with stories like this, because she thinks I’m a douche who probably puts his life in danger. I’m not – I’m stubborn and un-lazy.

Stubborn story. Biking along a slow, downtown harbourside road. In a 40 zone and I’m doing 45, at least. I take the middle of the road because of its narrowness. Car behind honks once, I glance back and wave. Car honks again and revs engine. I shake my head, keep biking. Traffic light 100m ahead, so I keep going. Driver (two lane road) overtakes me on my left, gives me the finger – “pretends” to swerve into me (and that’s a fucknut move) accelerates last 20 metres and stops right ahead of me at the light. Lucky him.

Other story. The road en route to work each morning, never a problem in the past. At one point the bike lane ceases to exist and the road narrows as we come up to a stoplight where I would turn right. Huge truck overtakes me, leaving about three feet between me – himself – and the curb. Tight squeeze but I hold my ground. He’s raging a little and I can see him in the passenger side mirror (which is a method all bikers should use, on both sides of the car – IT MEANS THEY CAN SEE YOU). He’s stopped at the light and I pass the cabin to make my right turn as he yells out the window, “…get off the fucking road“. I call him a “ridiculous shithead” and roll away smirking. At this point I’m all worked up, and it’s probably a testosterone issue on both our parts. That, and it’s before 8 in the morning.

Truck vs. bike ?? C’mon! – THAT is why I hold my ground. While I will openly admit to some occasional snobbery, bullying a biker by using one’s vehicle as a tool is not cool. It’s like punching the kid with glasses; it’s common courtesy not to.

*disclaimer: I wear glasses too.

For The Love Of Biking

I took a roundabout route to work yesterday morning for the sake of this video. You guessed it; I’ve bought myself a new Canon digicam with a time-lapse video option. Shall we see how long that excitement lasts!!?

Long enough.

Enjoy the short vid:

(music is ‘New way new life’ by Asian Dub Foundation)

For The Love Of Conservation

Gone are the days when one left the tap running while brushing our teeth. Gone are the days when leaving all the lights on in the house made one feel safer, more at home. But still we drive six blocks to the store. Fault of the city planner? This post is about working on the little things.

I’d like to blast out a little tune-up on several little things one can do to be the mini-environmentalist without even working too hard. Here are critical areas we should all be conscious of:

WATER: This is an easy one to conserve and is of utmost importance. All I’m saying is do what you can. Be more efficient in doing the dishes (don’t just leave ‘er running). Put a (well sealed!) Gatorade bottle full of sand (or water) in the toilet tank to save just that much each time you flush. Shower with a purpose. All the little things count, and if you’re on the west coast you know we’re in a bit of a drought now.

In British Columbia our electricity is supplied by at least 70% hydro power, so when there’s a drought we’re low on power too…

ELECTRICITY: This one’s been covered time and again, but it’s important to keep stressing. Do more of the little things like changing your lightbulbs (energy efficient) for the long-run. You’ll save in the long-run, there’s no doubt about that. If you live in Vagas you may think it’s a lost cause – but do the little things for your own wallet and you won’t mind as much.

GAS/TRAVEL: Uh-oh, here we go again. Find ‘alternate’ ways to carpool and/or commute. There, I said it. The fact that I bike to work and around my town clearly makes me a better person than you. Har har, just kidding. I’m too cheap to own a car, and you know what, that’s reflected in my savings account. I think that it’s been made clear (in many and most cases) that personal vehicles are utter overkill. Utter, I tell you. Keep it simple on two wheels, and get those legs working for you!

There we have it. I believe that change is becoming accepted as normal, but there’s still some thick skulls out there. I’ve been surprised myself at who’s never cared so little in their life. It has opened up my eyes to the fact that not everyone is willing to change the larger picture, but we can start with the smaller and work our way up.

Big change is scary. Good luck.

Link Only: Cars are the new smoking

This is an interesting post, with a good discussion to boot. I love how people got offended, cause I too do not own a car. I see people who view their car
“as an extension of themselves” (to quote a commenter) as literally offensive.

http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/07/25/cars-are-the-new-smoking/

My girlfriend and I live 3 blocks from the grocery store and we see people drive there from our building all the time. Absolutely fattening is what that is.

Note: I’m a car user when I want to – and borrow and rent when necessary.

That Fancy Green – more than just a colour of underwear

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, indicates a property’s overall sustainability by awarding points for just about any sustainable feature imaginable, from bike racks and rainwater collection and reuse systems, to energy-efficient lighting and low-flow plumbing fixtures. It is comprised of specific programs tailored for new buildings, existing buildings and tenant build-outs, and awards different tiers of certification such as Silver, Gold or Platinum, the highest.

Over the past few years, LEED has emerged as the industry’s de facto sustainable property rating system and become nearly synonymous with the term ‘green building’.

As much as I respect bike racks and rainwater collection, don’t mind me as I call LEED on certification shenanigans (in the simplest of terms) in awarding ‘certification’ for Green Building with low ratings in perhaps some of the most important categories.

See Orchard Garden Hotel. 26/69 points, 37%. A pass?

Enegry and Atmosphere, 1/17. Yea, not important, “energy”.

Neither is water efficiency at 2/5.

I only just ran into their site while researching something else and wanted to take note. Things labelled ‘green’ should be planned from the ground up, not just labelled and certified later in their lifetime to increase investment and occupancy.

Is Green much more than a pansy-ass word? I thought greenwash would be towed away…not yet it won’t.

On Solutions, Bikes, and Tax Rebates

Carrying my bike up the stairs to my apartment I ran into a neighrbour on his way down, also carrying a bike. I backed off, letting him through, and he said, “What are the chances!?”, “Pretty slim”, I said, adding “…but getting better with gas prices and all”… It’s the modern pill – take to the solution when the problem has finally come far enough.

So while some move to bikes, in suburban America houses are losing value as gas prices go up. What used to be a good trade off and selling point – cheaper house for added commute – is no longer adding up.

Rack up a new inverse correlation: gas prices to real estate value…what exciting times we live in!

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In other news, I got my $100 Climate Action Dividend rebate from my friendly Provincial government last week. It is supposed to be an incentive to “help British Columbians live a lower carbon lifestyle”. That said, they’d like us to spend it on something to help us become (or continue to be) environmentally friendly. I like the idea, and I may spend it either on bike parts which I needed anyway, or one of those apartment (balcony) worm farm composting trays…yet to be decided.

Some potential problems with the friendly rebate:

• People will spend it on gas, directly or indirectly
• It will get lost in their chequing account, and spent on food. Or on gas getting to food.
• They were all sent out on paper cheques, in envelopes. Accompanying those cheques was a pamphlet with ideas on how to spend your carbon friendly rebate.
• Free-ish money sends mixed messages.

The population of British Colombia is approx 4.3 million, that’s:

• 4.3 million pamphlets wasted (or hopefully recycled)
• $430 million back to taxpayers, at least $200 million back to oil companies (sigh)

Positives:

• Conscious people will spend it on the right things, i.e. change light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs, water saving technology, etc. – and I like to think British Columbia is packed with conscious people.
• $430 million injection into the local economy, layered throughout the summer.
• We can look forward to more rebates/savings, this time available through the actual gas/carbon tax now (as of July 1st, Canada Day) officially implemented in British Columbia.

So, will we start to see more personal and government action? Will it be, again “the more things change, the more they stay the same…” ? From what I’ve seen and heard, Canadians are ahead of their government when it comes to environmental consciousness. That’s normal, as bureaucracy takes time, especially implemented through dinosaurs.

But here we have the chance, with ‘free’ money, to make a personal change thanks to the government.

If you’re in BC, what will you spend it on? If not, what would you spend it on? Do express.

Gen Y: Think back to the basics, choose your own brand of sustainability

There’s a ‘fog of war’ surrounding all things green. We don’t know what green really means, are confused about how it affects us on a personal level, and it leads to literal competition: who’s greener than who. That’s enough to make any ‘green’ and climate-change skeptic drool; but doesn’t mean that we should give up hope. Some initial problems with green environmentalism are:

One: green has become expensive and elite, and those pushing it know how to collect its cash flow.

When green is about technology and living sustainably, it comes down to trends and spending. There’s nothing wrong with that in theory, but it certainly takes a certain brand of sustainability away from our generation. I like the thought of sustainable-living developments, but don’t have $350,000 for a self-sustaining bachelor condo.

Two: green definitely has its heart in publicity, which has its perks but is not eco-focused.

Besides the slight chance of pollination, things like green roofs will never connect themselves to other ecosystems, a key element driving ecosystem health. But, they do provide a cooling effect vs. the city’s concrete, and at least some benefit to air quality. I’m never against such initiative, but the benefits are only slightly more than peace of mind.

So, for now, forget green and get back to the basics:

1. Ecosystems

The first thing I’d like to reflect is that our cities don’t actually separate us from nature. It may appear that way because of the infrastructure or the way we live day-to-day, but we are very much in there. In fact when you look at our input, output, and the energy it takes to maintain urban economies – we are very much an ecosystem in ourselves. A big dirty one.

Simple advice? Think of your (that’s right, your) environment as a system of climate, land and water. Along with ‘green’, the ‘environment’ picked up some bland meaning so that recycling and going easy on gas mileage was becoming enough. It takes the input-output mindset, and ecological awareness to realize how we affect our surroundings.

Also, Zen-up your office work space by buying some plants. Not only is green a relaxing colour, but having plants can demonstrate the care needed to sustain life.

2. Keep doing what you’re doing

Don’t stop now, because your habits are improving and you’re doing great, I know you are. Your new-found travel habits are soft on your bank account, and that’s critical in your saving years. The fact that you are recycling shows you just how much you’re consuming (because taking it out back is a bitch), forcing you to consume less packaging.

Take the opportunity to compost too, so that ever-important organic matter doesn’t go to waste. Even if you live in an apartment. (<< I love how they mention that the worms eat through your compost “and junk mail“, that’s productive recycling!)

3. Basic, and Early Education is Key

Start educating yourself and kids now. Many Gen-Yers complain that right now, in this stage of their life, ’saving the planet’ comes after family and career. Fair enough. But what if every child grows up to pass on that same mindset? What a disaster our world would be, seriously. We could all use some time outside, where nature counts, to show us what our grandchildren need to survive.

Young parents, have a look at this site promoting early education in fun and eco-friendly ways.

Take some time: At the bottom of this recent post are some links to get your curiosities flowing.

And finally, don’t get caught up in ‘buying green’. Your actions are still more important than which green movement you’re supporting. Customize a sustainable life to fit your priorities, because every bit counts.

LA River Part II: Restoration vs. Social Enhancement

Today, ecosystem care is a response. When we’ve trashed something enough that people start to feel the effects, it’s time for a ‘fix’. When it’s time for a fix, it is usually up to money – and whether it’s there or not – to decide which direction a project moves. Usually, when projects won’t turn quick profit the money won’t show up. The LA River group is likely led by business groups and advised by scientists; to find the money and think long-term, respectively.

The LA River project is one that I’ve written up as being rather groundbreaking. Its goals are listed below, and are predominantly social and economic. It is only groundbreaking because the publicity it will get – and following movements it will spark could be great. But I’m afraid that it may not be as landscape focused as it should be. Landscape restoration (which is what ‘restoration’ should be) takes into account the natural systems that surround a system, as well as the ecosystem at hand. That’s called connectivity, and should be a part of the initial planning phase for any restoration project no matter its size.

LA’s river project looks more like an ‘enhancement’, and much of the riverbank may turn out like this project in San Antonio:

Fair enough. It cannot be denied that the river is highly urbanized. Can we hope that the project will be designed to allow for the river to maintain itself naturally, through natural steam flow and tributaries? Probably not. What I do like is the community awareness and pride aspect. I just hope it encompasses some eco-based pride, and not just prime picnic space.

Are the project leaders seeing, but not particularly focusing on the greater story of the ecosystem? One needs to remember that Los Angeles rests on what was in fact a wetland and river system. All of which was eventually paved over, even the rivers. Where do rivers run? How will the ocean react? One of the first things that should be planned and assessed is the river enhancement’s effect on the ocean. To name but a few we should be seeing increased sedimentation, perhaps less water, and more organic matter. All of which would be okay (with an adjustment period), but the effects would have to be accounted for very early on in the process.

As it stands the publicized goals of the project are largely social, and mildly natural:

• …create economic development opportunities to enhance and improve River-adjacent communities by providing open space, housing, retail spaces such as restaurants and cafes, educational facilities, and places for other public institutions.
• Improve the environment, enhance water quality, improve water resources, and improve the ecological functioning of the River.
• Provide public access to the River.
• Provide significant recreation space and open space, new trails, and improve natural habitats to support wildlife.
• Preserve and enhance the flood control features of the River.
• Foster a growth in community awareness of the Los Angeles River, and pride in the Los Angeles River.

On restoration background, this is a good story showing that by restoring one element, others will naturally follow suit:
…”Part of the reason the Picayune Strand (Florida Everglades) is succeeding is because its objectives and strategies were sound. The project’s core initiative, to restore water flow, was right on the money. Restoring the flow of water impeded by canals brought back the flora, and now the fauna follows.

Though we have yet to see its real development, the LA River project stinks of visual enhancement. Like filling a lake with a certain species to ‘enhance’ the fishing experience, I fear ‘open green space’, (read: grass) so that people can walk and enjoy the scenery whilst shopping. It does have its charms, but serves a human purpose first. It’s no secret that they’re calling it revitalization, and if it weren’t so community oriented I’d bitch even louder. Oh, the horror!

re Revitalization : What do you think should be most vital to the LA project? Any comments regarding if city planning, in general, is natural systems focused at all?

The Best Trip to Work: Adding Value to Your Commute

Part I – Green space, Commutes, and moving them below ground.

First, imagine that you had to walk or bike to work – or downtown – everyday. Imagine that it wasn’t particularly because you felt like it, it was because there were no public roads to downtown – only paths through forested greenspace. This would be my impossible city planning ideal: if downtown, one’s common Central Business District (CBD) – would be the centre of a donut-shaped Green Barrier separating the residential space from the work and social space. A barrier that not only works for the environment, but keeps chaos out of a pedestrian haven by having you park outside its perimiter.

Sadly, I’m not building a city from the ground up, and neither are you (I assume), so the best I can do is provide you with tips to make your commute useful, healthy, or productive.

Before I go on, you should know about projects like this, which are always going to suffer for lack of funding. The gist of it is that several cities are interested in “capping” their highways. The idea is to purchase land in the airspace above freeways (yep, you’ve got to purchase that), and build green space so that it “caps” the highway and keeps it in a tunnel for a portion. It allows for new parks (<–visualization) where space to build them just isn’t available. In certatin parts of LA, up to 66 percent of children do not have access to parks or open space at a walking distance. Compare that to NY where only nine percent don’t have that access. Central Park must be partly to blame for that number – and a damn fine park it is. *endnote

Part II – Value-added Commutes

…But, highways won’t be underground and embedded beneath parks for a while. Furthermore, my donut-shaped traffic-cutting green space is only a half-reality in its more minor form where it does exist. So, thinking in more realist terms, if you do have a commute here are some ways to add value to it:

1) Taking it to a train and working during that time could add hours to your at-home life. Instead of staring at the rear of the car in front of you, leave work early and bill those hours you work during your commute.

My sister – who lives in Dublin, Ireland – commutes by train or bus for up to an hour and a half in the mornings, and sometimes two hours in the evenings. In which case she’s purchasing a laptop to take the work to her commute where possible. This greatly adds value to an otherwise crap commute.

Seek out if your city offers a ‘park-and-ride‘ service. This allows people commuting in from the ‘burbs to park away from the CBD, and ride the train or other public transport for the final portion. No more parking or traffic hassles!

2) Straight-up bike. This is a more difficult option for many, but if it’s there as an option I highly suggest you take it. Just do it. Do it twice a week to start, and move on up from there. Also, try that park-and-ride service by stuffing your bike in your car and pedalling that last bit to town. When your city has a capped highway (finally), take a route through that space knowing that you’re benefiting while the drivers below wish they were biking.

Taking this active approach allows you bonus exercise when you otherwise woulnd’t be able to get it. You don’t have to search far to read about the benefits of exercise to your workday efficiency.

3) Meddling with a car habit and finding alternatives such as the above is a great way to save some time and money. Time is money. Once you are finding ways to save money on commuting you are adding value to a commute. Explore your options!

I don’t commute (in its most proper form) and have never needed to. I bike about 10 minutes, or bus when I have to. I can’t really imagine having to properly commute, but if I did I sure would look for ways to maximize that time spent, or cut it out completely. The only value I’ve been able to add to my ‘commute’ is (besides my cheap alternative of biking) 10 minutes of iPod time, or reviewing class material when I was busing to my night class at the university.

How do you add value to your commute? Any ideas to add for other readers?

**(Giant hat-tip to my Los Angeles urban connection Reid Keller for help in my last posts on L.A…Reid works in the field of urban planning and has added unequivocal value to these two posts.)

The Los Angeles River: Intro to a Case Study in Urban Revitalization

If there is one environmental movement that can gain near-unanimous support, it is the revitalization of visible, past human impact. Climate Change needs evidence beyond scientific fact in order to become a larger accepted issue – there is no doubt about that. But closer to home, something we at least recognize, are mistakes from past undertakings, which today, make sense to pull back in time in order to benefit the future.

This is an introduction to restoration and revitalization, which go beyond just making things ‘pretty’ again; they aim to restore the integrity of once functioning ecosystems.

Engineers look at the Los Angeles River and see an elegant work of design. It does what it was supposed to do beautifully: Keep flood water away from the city. But to many, it’s mostly an eyesore, and they want it to do more than just speed water out to sea. The City of Los Angeles is hoping to redesign some of the 32 miles of river channel that run through L.A. Over the next year, city engineers and consultants will be developing a master plan for the river. (source)

Creating more parks is the primary goal – for human use and enjoyment – and getting communities involved is integral to that goal. Second, is attempting to create functioning systems so that the area of impact can begin to live again, and even attract natural renewal and species diversification. It should come as no surprise that functioning ecosystems and biodiversity are very important to the health of a city. It was the water which flowed through the flood basin that gave the land its original appeal: fertile soils, functional systems and drinking water. But they were constantly meandering and variable steams. So when repeated floods in the 30’s killed as many as 50 people – between the 1950’s and 60’s the Federal Government deepened and reinforced the river with concrete to create the 32 miles of river as L.A. sees it today.

Unfortunately the vital (flood control) areas of the river may never see soil again, and I believe that they are instead choosing parts of the river closer to communities and existing parks to focus their efforts. I’ve read that up to 45 percent of communities (primarily Hispanic) near the River itself have no access, or are not within walking distance to parks of any kind. Many people generally have no way (and hence limited desire) to experience nature as we know it.

For me, this project represents a milestone in the area of restoration of natural systems. Restoration has seen some hard times, primarily due to lack of funding. I see this first hand in the forest industry where standards are designed to be met (and barely), and those rarely include restoration and revitalization of damaged ecosystems. But I now see a revitalization in the field of restoration – especially with increased funding of urban renewal – so seeing a city such as L.A. charge headfirst into such an endeavor is absolutely enlightening.

This massive project is more than just the revitalization of an old eyesore: it is an attempt to reintroduce the beauty of green space and riparian zones, something which many Angelenos are truly unaware of. I plan to follow and occasionally report on the undertaking as it progresses and evolves.