Well not all plastic bags as it turns out. There is a mirrored of views on this subject, like: 'I reuse them for bin liners' ,'People will have to buy plastic bags for bin liners', and that 'reusable bags will cause cross contamination for the checkout operators'. I wonder what we did before plastic bags? People are just lazy these days and don't like change.
I like this video by the Save the Bay (San Francisco) action group and it also features someone on a bike....
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
The SUV's of Holland & Denmark
We know that SUV's are the biggest seller of Motor vehicles in Australia, It is also said that you can't take 3 or 4 kids to school and go to work on you bike, or can you...............
and here in Denmark...........
They are now available in Australia
http://www.dutchcargobike.com.au/
http://psbikes.com.au/
http://www.cargocycles.com.au
http://www.kornart.com.au/
http://zigoaustralia.com.au/
and here in Denmark...........
They are now available in Australia
http://www.dutchcargobike.com.au/
http://psbikes.com.au/
http://www.cargocycles.com.au
http://www.kornart.com.au/
http://zigoaustralia.com.au/
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Perfect day for a Ride
Perfect day to ride home from school, on one of the better cycle paths in Canberra we took a nice casual ride home......
and met some school kids riding the other way.....
and met some school kids riding the other way.....
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The 'War' against Childhood Obesity
The Productivity Commission has released a study into childhood obesity and the various programs and costs associated to help reduce its prevalence. Its conclusion is that these programs overall are having little impact on reducing the levels of childhood obesity.
There have been several issues raised by various studies as has been highlighted in this report, basically an increase in high energy dense foods and the lack of physical exercise especially in 'incidental exercise' like walking and cycling to school. No surprises there ,you only have to look at the number of bike s in the bike racks at various schools here in the ACT to know that. Back in the day when I attended primary school the bike racks were full, so what has happened over this period of thirty to forty years,. The parents now who were walking and cycling to school are now driving there kids to school.
The perception of safety has become a big issue for most, something that Leonore Skenazy is trying to dispel in her blog ' Free Range Kids'. The ACT is a relatively safe place to ride a bike ,even for school children and even before Mandatory Helmet Laws. Residential road speeds remain quite high compared to European countries as our default speed is 50km/h with some shared zone speeds at 10km/h though rare. That's something we will need to look at if we want to encourage more cycling and walking and also to achieve Vision zero.
Before my kids started school I was not aware of the change in attitudes to local schools and there importance for the fabric of the local community. When the School Closures was announced I received a copy of the report relating to a question that Deb Foskey ( former Greens MLA) asked the newly appointed Education Minister Andrew Barr MLA.Which looked at the number of children within each priority enrollment area (living close to the school) and the schools that they attended.While some schools had low enrollments most of the children in the local area weren't going to the locals schools, but being driven to other schools further away. I like to call them the 'drive-thru' schools. In fact some of these schools, have most of there enrollments from out of area, rather than local children. At morning drop off and pickup there is major congestion.
We also spend millions on school buses to ferry kids around which is heavily subsidized by the ACT Taxpayer and also in NSW, the School buses are free, which is argued that it reduces congestion, though does nothing for active transport. Parental choice in schooling has been the major factor why children are not walking and cycling to school. The Education performance of the school certainly out ways any health and community benefit ,of attending the local school in most parents minds these days.
Australia now matches the US in childhood obesity levels, though other reports have US Childhood obesity levels at one third of children. In any event a worrying statistic. Note the cycling culture countries of the Netherlands and Denmark, you could also add in Belgium and Sweden. I know that Denmark has been concerned about there childhood obesity levels at there current levels, but has now declined amongst most age groups.
While diet is an important factor particularly the consumption of fast foods and sugary drinks. The importance of physical exercise, like walking and cycling to and from school needs more attention from the relevant authorities. The recent Pedestrian and cycle network review only focused on cycling to work. Cycling kids become cycling adults ,infrastructure supporting cycling and walking to school needs to be funded also.
This video highlights the dominance of the car in the ACT and what Holland has been doing to reduce the dominance of the car.
and a video from David Hembrow's blog of cycling to school in Assen, Holland .
 |
| Canberra Times |
There have been several issues raised by various studies as has been highlighted in this report, basically an increase in high energy dense foods and the lack of physical exercise especially in 'incidental exercise' like walking and cycling to school. No surprises there ,you only have to look at the number of bike s in the bike racks at various schools here in the ACT to know that. Back in the day when I attended primary school the bike racks were full, so what has happened over this period of thirty to forty years,. The parents now who were walking and cycling to school are now driving there kids to school.
The perception of safety has become a big issue for most, something that Leonore Skenazy is trying to dispel in her blog ' Free Range Kids'. The ACT is a relatively safe place to ride a bike ,even for school children and even before Mandatory Helmet Laws. Residential road speeds remain quite high compared to European countries as our default speed is 50km/h with some shared zone speeds at 10km/h though rare. That's something we will need to look at if we want to encourage more cycling and walking and also to achieve Vision zero.
Before my kids started school I was not aware of the change in attitudes to local schools and there importance for the fabric of the local community. When the School Closures was announced I received a copy of the report relating to a question that Deb Foskey ( former Greens MLA) asked the newly appointed Education Minister Andrew Barr MLA.Which looked at the number of children within each priority enrollment area (living close to the school) and the schools that they attended.While some schools had low enrollments most of the children in the local area weren't going to the locals schools, but being driven to other schools further away. I like to call them the 'drive-thru' schools. In fact some of these schools, have most of there enrollments from out of area, rather than local children. At morning drop off and pickup there is major congestion.
We also spend millions on school buses to ferry kids around which is heavily subsidized by the ACT Taxpayer and also in NSW, the School buses are free, which is argued that it reduces congestion, though does nothing for active transport. Parental choice in schooling has been the major factor why children are not walking and cycling to school. The Education performance of the school certainly out ways any health and community benefit ,of attending the local school in most parents minds these days.
Australia now matches the US in childhood obesity levels, though other reports have US Childhood obesity levels at one third of children. In any event a worrying statistic. Note the cycling culture countries of the Netherlands and Denmark, you could also add in Belgium and Sweden. I know that Denmark has been concerned about there childhood obesity levels at there current levels, but has now declined amongst most age groups.
While diet is an important factor particularly the consumption of fast foods and sugary drinks. The importance of physical exercise, like walking and cycling to and from school needs more attention from the relevant authorities. The recent Pedestrian and cycle network review only focused on cycling to work. Cycling kids become cycling adults ,infrastructure supporting cycling and walking to school needs to be funded also.
This video highlights the dominance of the car in the ACT and what Holland has been doing to reduce the dominance of the car.
and a video from David Hembrow's blog of cycling to school in Assen, Holland .
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Intergrated Transport
Bike & Ride or Multi-mode transportation is something of a rarity in Australia and hardly ever promoted ,yet this is a normal thing to do in Holland and Denmark. Because of the spread out nature of Australian cities, this can be a viable option as distances to and from work can be beyond the average bicycle rider. This creates the active city as opposed to the other option Park(car) and ride which is expensive and uses a much larger area.
The bus stop above is a classic example, people on their bikes that want to use such a facility are limited by what you can lock your bike to, some simple bike racks/rails would do. There is some facilities at larger Bus stations but you are limited to some bike lockers and a few rails the lockers until recently you had to pay for.
The problem with lockers is that if you have a basket, child seats or a non standard bike they wont fit. I think they look unsightly, I guess if your riding a couple of thousand dollars worth of bike, then a bike locker is the way to go,but when your simply biking and riding, maybe a cheaper bike is the option.
In the Netherlands you can see the options available ,and in some of the bigger parking facilities the only trouble you have is in trying to find a park and remembering where you left it.
One of the best bike parking facilities that I have seen in Canberra, is in the new Siruis building in Woden, a two level bike parking facility for about a 100 bicycles. The Architect who is also designing the replacement building behind the new Sirius building will also have a bike parking facilitiy for another 270 bicycles. This obviously helps with the buildings green star rating, and secure facilities like these also encourage this use of cycling to work as well.
What is needed is the infrastructure connecting the town centre to be upgraded. Though I didn't see this underpass on the recent priority list announcement.
 |
| Bikes parked at an old sign near a bus stop |
 |
| Civic Interchange bike lockers |
The problem with lockers is that if you have a basket, child seats or a non standard bike they wont fit. I think they look unsightly, I guess if your riding a couple of thousand dollars worth of bike, then a bike locker is the way to go,but when your simply biking and riding, maybe a cheaper bike is the option.
In the Netherlands you can see the options available ,and in some of the bigger parking facilities the only trouble you have is in trying to find a park and remembering where you left it.
 |
| Underground bike parking,Groningen. David Hembrow |
 |
| Bike parking at Bus stop |
 |
| Bike parking at train station |
 |
| School Bike parking, David Hembrow |
 |
| Hospital Bike parking, David Hembrow |
 |
| Electronic Key card entry |
 |
| Ground level parking, Siruis Building |
What is needed is the infrastructure connecting the town centre to be upgraded. Though I didn't see this underpass on the recent priority list announcement.
 |
| Shared path underpass,with unsafe barrier. |
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Milton has a stack on his bike
One of Canberra's favourite sons crashed his bike into the back of a garbage truck. The Canberra Times Reports:
'Canberra Paralympian Michael Milton is recovering in hospital with spinal, shoulder and rib fractures after a cycling accident in Dickson last week.The five-time Paralympian lost control of his bike along Cowper Street and collided with a garbage truck last Friday.
Milton spent the long weekend in Canberra Hospital in a stable condition, but had no memory of what had caused the accident.
Competing with just one leg, the Paralympic champion has won 22 international ski racing medals and is the fastest snow skier in the world with a disability.
In 2007, Milton also began competing in cycling, winning gold medals at the 2007 and 2008 Australian Track Cycling Championships and overcoming oesophageal cancer to gain selection for the Beijing Paralympic Games.'
This man has certainly had it tough, losing a leg at an early age due to Cancer then going on to win paraolympic gold in skiing and world downhill speed skiing records and then turning his abilities to cycling. If losing a leg wasn't bad enough he then had been diagnosed with oesphageal cancer. He fully recovered after having his oesphagus removed, and then qualifying for the Beijing Games.
Get well soon Michael, you are an inspiration to us all!
'Canberra Paralympian Michael Milton is recovering in hospital with spinal, shoulder and rib fractures after a cycling accident in Dickson last week.The five-time Paralympian lost control of his bike along Cowper Street and collided with a garbage truck last Friday.
Milton spent the long weekend in Canberra Hospital in a stable condition, but had no memory of what had caused the accident.
Competing with just one leg, the Paralympic champion has won 22 international ski racing medals and is the fastest snow skier in the world with a disability.
In 2007, Milton also began competing in cycling, winning gold medals at the 2007 and 2008 Australian Track Cycling Championships and overcoming oesophageal cancer to gain selection for the Beijing Paralympic Games.'
This man has certainly had it tough, losing a leg at an early age due to Cancer then going on to win paraolympic gold in skiing and world downhill speed skiing records and then turning his abilities to cycling. If losing a leg wasn't bad enough he then had been diagnosed with oesphageal cancer. He fully recovered after having his oesphagus removed, and then qualifying for the Beijing Games.
Get well soon Michael, you are an inspiration to us all!
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