They may not have a little bow on them, but man, they have attitude! Next time someone tells you it is better to cycle in lycra, remember this picture. I rode 19 miles today, in San Francisco traffic, I rode from City College to the Mission, back to CCSF and out to the beach. From there I picked up my 40lb son, 5 lbs of potting soil and a tomato plant and rode the 8 miles home, up hill the whole way. In these jeans, these high heeled boots on my drop tube 30 lb bike. I have had 4 knee surgeries (right knee) and am considered partially paralyzed in both arms. I had surgery on my right wrist in October of last year. So there!
Change your life, ride a bike!
I usually can't stand bike salmon- those who ride the wrong way in the bike lane. But this guy was smiling and open to photographers (in short black skirts BTW). I had to edit the heck out of this shot to be able to see his face, but that's OK.
Although this is one of my favorite cafés in SF, and I have looked out this window many times, I do not see anything I know of this place, today. For the many years I lived about 3 blocks away from here, the housing across the street was a housing project that was fenced off and patrolled by police all the time. It was crowded and violent. It was not a place I chose to walk by if I could help it. Now, the project is gone and these apartments and businesses have replaced it. People walk down the street all the time. There is still homelessness and drug addiction to be seen, but it is lessening every day.
I wonder where all of those people went?
When he was coming up behind me, his chain was squeaking to high hell, a sound I dislike (I have often thought of setting up shop at the side of the road with a can of lube to fix this issue for people ). I thought for sure it would be some beat up old heap with an old guy on it, but no. It was this man with his suit and work shoes!
I was disappointed that there were no Hot Crossed Buns at the café.
Note- Cameron is wearing a camera. Úna has her camera in her bag. Bikes and cameras are contagious : )
Community meeting April 6 at 6:30 - 8 p.m. at the County Fair Building 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park
The proposed fees are:
-- Adults: residents, $5; non-residents $7
-- Seniors: residents, $3; non-residents $4
-- Youths, ages 17-20: residents $3; non-residents $4
-- Children, ages 5-11: residents $1.50; non-residents $2
-- Children, under age 4: free
-- Annual family pass for the garden, the Japanese Tea Garden and Conservatory of Flowers: $75
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/24/BAKS...
Community meeting to discuss proposed fees for S.F. Botancical Gardens
She pedaled away before I could snap a close-up, but I met this lovely woman and her little daughter, visiting from Klamath Falls, Oregon. She said she is car-free. Her daughter kept showing off her glasses, pedaling beside me. "See, see, I just got these today!" "Those look very cool on you!" I said.
He just pulled up and started playing. I love Golden Gate Park in the sun!
Today's Random Fact- I want to play the cello. I love the mellow sound and the way you hold it.
I was riding in front of her for quite a wile, but the camera isn't working : (
For more on Yahoo's super cool project- purplepedals.com/?p=14
For this bikes photostream www.flickr.com/photos/amits_bike/
Centennial Way, a path in San Mateo County, is nearing completion, and I checked it out on Tuesday. The northern half isn't yet open - some of the hard surfaces and plants are still going in, and a few fences are still up, so I don't actually encourage people to ride it yet...but I made it through. I started at the South San Francisco BART, rode on the new segment (see the path without stripes). The southern part of the trail was opened in April 2008.
Last month’s Metro Board meeting started out abuzz over Duarte Mayor and Metro Board member John Fasana’s proposed motion to include all Measure R projects (including the Foothill Extension) into the existing Long Range Transportation Plan (approved in 2001), but it ended when the board decided the motion should be discussed at its Planning and Programming Committee.
One of the biggest and most touted health benefits of electric-powered light rail systems – like the proposed Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension – is the decrease in air pollution. But what about the impact of vehicle dependency on our lifestyle?
GM's answer to Obama's call for more energy-efficient vehicles falls far behind the simple bicycle in sustainability, efficiency, and practicality, and is a poor solution for those who depend upon the auto for journeys a bike cannot provide them.
Supreme Irony, WebMD uses 100 spaces of reserved parking in New york City in their building so that their employees and correspondants can drive to work. A subway stop is located on the same block as tehir office building. They recently testified they could not operate without the parking.. It time to practice what your preach!
Earlier this week we posted a story from the Pasadena Star-News about an open design bid for an “iconic” bridge over the 210 freeway in anticipation of the construction and opening of the Gold Line Foothill Extension. We recently received an important update from Habib Balian that all artists who are submitting design bids should be aware of.
There is nothing more brutal that the injudicious use of Comic Sans. It’s latest victim is this poster, ostensibly from the wall of the Muenster city public planning office.
Miranda Purves and Jason Logan recently surveyed a bunch of riders of bus and subway lines that the MTA is attempting to eliminate because of a budget crisis.
In anticipation of the construction of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension, artists are being asked to submit proposals for the design of a bridge over the 210 freeway that will serve as an “iconic statement and a gateway to the San Gabriel Valley.”
We covered the meeting live on Twitter @iwillride, but in case you missed it or would like something more in-depth, here’s a summary of the meeting recently sent out by Habib Balian on what happened with the Fasana motion.
All cyclists must have their bags screened every day by police dogs before being allowed to board the ferry, while other passengers enjoy much more sporadic searches.
resident Obama's economic stimulus package includes $8 billion for speeding up train travel. America is far behind other industrial countries in high speed rail. A few years ago, Spain was also behind the curve. But the Spanish network is expanding fast, and the trains are beating planes.
I came across this article by Jan Gehl - an urban design rock star - in which he discusses the importance of the design of the first-floor of urban buildings in attracting pedestrians and creating active streets. Downtown Oklahoma City has made tremendous gains since MAPS, but we still have very few streets with the restaurants, shopping, and (above all) people most often found in a pedestrian-friendly urban environment. In the article Close Encounters with Building (note: downloads as a .pdf), Gehl explains the importance of the first ten feet of a building and how it can either help to create a street or public space that pedestrians want to visit or conversely, create a place that pedestrians will avoid.
Here's my humble theory: I believe that Tokyo's streets succeed as shared spaces in large part because of the quality of driver's education and rigorous licensing procedures in Japan.
Amid talk by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood of converting the gas tax into a vehicle miles traveled tax, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated that the plan "will not be the policy of the Obama administration."
The crash of 2008 continues to reverberate loudly nationwide—destroying jobs, bankrupting businesses, and displacing homeowners. But already, it has damaged some places much more severely than others. On the other side of the crisis, America’s economic landscape will look very different than it does today. What fate will the coming years hold for New York, Charlotte, Detroit, Las Vegas? Will the suburbs be ineffably changed? Which cities and regions can come back strong? And which will never come back at all?
Via Curbed: "Electric Model T" plan could actually be a land grab on the part of Edison Properties. Suggests reserving the northern two lanes of Central Park South for horse-drawn vehicles only.
The Senate is considering adding an additional $50 BILLION to highway expansion in the latest stimulus package.
If the new Democratic leadership wants to be 'green', they'll recognize that highways aren't the answer- transit and smart growth are the 21st century solutions.
To show that, I remixed of the 70's 'Crying Indian' PSA. Originally for showing that litter was bad for the environment, it's clear today that highways, through pollution and urban sprawl, do far more damage than any amount of personal litter.
For more on how to stop the highway expansion see:
www.streetsblog.org
www.t4america.org
This has been happening every day, for much of the day, for a couple years (they're even visible in Google maps street view). I believe the vehicles are owned by, or serve, the Park Central Hotel. I have emailed them twice to try to get them to stop but I have seen no response or action.
I will post more videos of this same group of vehicles idling to show how it is a constant problem. It is, of course, illegal, and destructive in countless ways.
This video was recorded the morning of 2/3/09.
Time lapse video of my roughly 2-mile walk to work through SF's Potrero Hill, Showplace Square and SoMa neighborhoods.
Music: Royksopp - Sing A Song
Higher res: http://www.vimeo.com/2354287
Community Design Group is an urban planning firm specializing in bicycle and pedestrian planning, placemaking and urban design, and community engagement. They work with communities of all sizes to develop people-centered, asset-based and sustainable approaches to mobility and place. Antonio Rosell, director and founder, says that the purpose of the firm's work is to support the creation of humane, interesting, thriving and sustainable environments that allow our communities to grow and prosper economically, socially, artistically and ethically.
High speed pass before sunrise. Kent Ave is a race track and is without any NYPD presence. 18 wheelers pass each other just like this moron passed us and another car
Green Spaces and SPN: Blogging Sustainability Pt.3
Green Spaces hosted Blogging Sustainability in Partnership with the Sustainable Practice Network on June 26th, 2008. Over 60 people showed up to hear the take from leaders in blogging, take a rooftop tour and have some organic wine provided by the Greene Grape in Fort Green Brooklyn.
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor, Inhabitat.com
Jill Fehrenbacher edits Inhabitat www.inhabitat.com, and is a freelance designer and student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She created Inhabitat in the Spring of 2005 as a way to catalog her endless search for new ways to improve the world through forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at Brown University, where she received a B.A. in Art Semiotics, and Central St. Martins, where she received an M.A. in Design Studies, she currently resides in New York City, which so far has been good for her obsession with rooftop gardens and vegan junk food restaurants.
Ken Rother, President/COO of Treehugger
Ken, President and COO, is responsible for bringing the vision and strategy of TreeHugger to life. Ken has been involved in the Internet since the early 90's when he co-founded Mountain Lake Software in Toronto Canada. Mountain Lake helped some of Canada's largest financial institutions take their first steps onto the WWW. Ken has held various roles including VP of operations responsible for all deliverables of their internet consulting division and later as divisional CIO introduced process altering technology to their globalization business. His interest in the environment dates back to his first summer job leading low impact canoe trips in northern Quebec.
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Aaron Naparstek works for the Open Planning Project where he is editor-in-chief of StreetsBlog.org. Aaron is a journalist, author and community organizer working on urban environmental issues in NYC. He is the author of Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage, a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the unique brand of motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Naparstek lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. He is a founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and an organizer of the Grand Army Plaza Coalition.
Green Spaces and SPN: Blogging Sustainability Pt.2
Green Spaces hosted Blogging Sustainability in Partnership with the Sustainable Practice Network on June 26th, 2008. Over 60 people showed up to hear the take from leaders in blogging, take a rooftop tour and have some organic wine provided by the Greene Grape in Fort Green Brooklyn.
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor, Inhabitat.com
Jill Fehrenbacher edits Inhabitat www.inhabitat.com, and is a freelance designer and student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She created Inhabitat in the Spring of 2005 as a way to catalog her endless search for new ways to improve the world through forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at Brown University, where she received a B.A. in Art Semiotics, and Central St. Martins, where she received an M.A. in Design Studies, she currently resides in New York City, which so far has been good for her obsession with rooftop gardens and vegan junk food restaurants.
Ken Rother, President/COO of Treehugger
Ken, President and COO, is responsible for bringing the vision and strategy of TreeHugger to life. Ken has been involved in the Internet since the early 90's when he co-founded Mountain Lake Software in Toronto Canada. Mountain Lake helped some of Canada's largest financial institutions take their first steps onto the WWW. Ken has held various roles including VP of operations responsible for all deliverables of their internet consulting division and later as divisional CIO introduced process altering technology to their globalization business. His interest in the environment dates back to his first summer job leading low impact canoe trips in northern Quebec.
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Aaron Naparstek works for the Open Planning Project where he is editor-in-chief of StreetsBlog.org. Aaron is a journalist, author and community organizer working on urban environmental issues in NYC. He is the author of Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage, a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the unique brand of motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Naparstek lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. He is a founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and an organizer of the Grand Army Plaza Coalition.
Green Spaces and SPN: Blogging Sustainability Pt.1
Green Spaces hosted Blogging Sustainability in Partnership with the Sustainable Practice Network on June 26th, 2008. Over 60 people showed up to hear the take from leaders in blogging, take a rooftop tour and have some organic wine provided by the Greene Grape in Fort Green Brooklyn.
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor, Inhabitat.com
Jill Fehrenbacher edits Inhabitat www.inhabitat.com, and is a freelance designer and student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She created Inhabitat in the Spring of 2005 as a way to catalog her endless search for new ways to improve the world through forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at Brown University, where she received a B.A. in Art Semiotics, and Central St. Martins, where she received an M.A. in Design Studies, she currently resides in New York City, which so far has been good for her obsession with rooftop gardens and vegan junk food restaurants.
Ken Rother, President/COO of Treehugger
Ken, President and COO, is responsible for bringing the vision and strategy of TreeHugger to life. Ken has been involved in the Internet since the early 90's when he co-founded Mountain Lake Software in Toronto Canada. Mountain Lake helped some of Canada's largest financial institutions take their first steps onto the WWW. Ken has held various roles including VP of operations responsible for all deliverables of their internet consulting division and later as divisional CIO introduced process altering technology to their globalization business. His interest in the environment dates back to his first summer job leading low impact canoe trips in northern Quebec.
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Aaron Naparstek works for the Open Planning Project where he is editor-in-chief of StreetsBlog.org. Aaron is a journalist, author and community organizer working on urban environmental issues in NYC. He is the author of Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage, a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the unique brand of motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Naparstek lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. He is a founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and an organizer of the Grand Army Plaza Coalition.
7 miles of NYC streets, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, is closed to traffic and freed for use by everyday New Yorkers and visitors. We loved it!
This clip is in front of the south façade of Grand Central, which is usually only accessible to cars. Everyone was so thrilled to be able to take in the iconic view and see the Vanderbilt statue up close for the first time!
7 miles of NYC streets, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, is closed to traffic and freed for use by everyday New Yorkers and visitors. We loved it!
This is a stretch through Astor Place and south down Lafayette St. Listen for Kate Mikuliak from Councilmember Rosie Mendez's office saying hi to me as she rode past in the first 0:15! Everyone was out in the streets!
Here's a 3 minute short video of the Aug 9th "Summer Streets" in NYC which closed 7 miles of roads to cars and opened them to pedestrians and bikes etc
Blogging Sustainability
Moderator: Bonnie Hulkower, Treehugge
Panelists:
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor-in-chief Inhabitat.com
Ken Rother, President/COO Treehugger
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Date & Time:
Thursday June 26, 2008, 6-8pm
Location: Green Spaces
33 Flatbush Ave (corner Flatbush & Livingston)
Brooklyn
Mass Transit - take B, Q, and R to Dekalb Ave, or the 4, 5 to Nevins Street, or A, C to Hoyt Shermerhorn St.
Please RSVP events@sustainabilitypractice.net
For more information, or to join SPN, visit www.sustainabilitypractice.net
Blogging has become an influential form of information gathering, particularly in the green world. New media forums, websites, and blogs have played a major role in furthering the message of sustainability. In doing so, they have helped move sustainability to the mainstream, often covering issues before the traditional media gets to them. Websites vary from magazine offshoots to personal advice to the musings of corporate executives. What these websites often share is an informal and interactive readership.
On these websites writers are often more easily criticized and held accountable, and commentators evoke a wide range of perspectives. Yet, fact-checking is not mandatory, and people may seek out like-minded "communities of interest" and echo chambers, which can foster a narrower perspective.
How do today's citizens inform themselves? What are the effects of the shift away from one-to-many media formats?
This panel will examine how websites such as www.streetsblog.com, www.Inhabitat.com, www.Treehugger.com, and others further the message of sustainability. Panelists will discuss how new media can reach out to untapped audiences, and how to spread the message further.
Bios:
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor-in-chief, Inhabitat.com
Jill Fehrenbacher edits Inhabitat and is a freelance designer and student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She created Inhabitat in the Spring of 2005 as a way to catalog her endless search for new ways to improve the world through forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at Brown University, where she received a B.A. in Art Semiotics, and Central St. Martins, where she received an M.A. in Design Studies, she currently resides in New York City, which so far has been good for her obsession with rooftop gardens and vegan junk food restaurants.
Ken Rother, President/COO of Treehugger
Ken, President and COO, is responsible for bringing the vision and strategy of TreeHugger to life. Ken has been involved in the Internet since the early 90's when he co-founded Mountain Lake Software in Toronto Canada. Mountain Lake helped some of Canada's largest financial institutions take their first steps onto the WWW. Ken has held various roles including VP of operations responsible for all deliverables of their internet consulting division and later as divisional CIO introduced process altering technology to their globalization business. His interest in the environment dates back to his first summer job leading low impact canoe trips in northern Quebec.
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Aaron Naparstek works for the Open Planning Project where he is editor-in-chief of StreetsBlog.org. Aaron is a journalist, author and community organizer working on urban environmental issues in NYC. He is the author of Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage, a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the unique brand of motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Naparstek lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. He is a founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and an organizer of the Grand Army Plaza Coalition.
The Sustainability Practice Network (SPN) is a NYC-based forum and list server for professionals, academics and students working with corporate responsibility and sustainability issues to build a community based on learning, discussion, information and idea exchange. SPN supports the growth of sustainability practice and bridges disciplines to advance sustainable development by drawing on the knowledge and expertise of its members.
Green Spaces Green Spaces is a hub for leading green entrepreneurs, providing networking programs, infrastructure and a community to launch their business.
This message was sent from Jennie Nevin to feinberg@design21sdn.com. It was sent from: Green Spaces, 33 Flatbush Ave Floor 5, Brooklyn, NY 11217. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below.
The Great Commuter Challenge is a race between 3 modes of transportation: the bicycle, the car, and walking/transit. Three local celebrities raced along one Twin Cities route, running typical errands on the way to to the finish line. The outcome is certain keep you on the edge of your seat!
Watch watch the action right here and root for one of three contestants:
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak - Bike
Roadguy (aka Star Tribune reporter Jim Foti) - Car
Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter - Walking & Transit
Green Wheels NEC members noticed sidewalks were overgrown in Arcata, California, making it difficult to walk. So they headed out to do something about it...
More at www.green-wheels.org
Volunteers are Chris Rall, Chad Johnson, Sara Dykman, Aaron Antrim and Adam Jamin
Radar gun session demonstrates routine speeding by motor vehicles on 65th St. Transverse in New York's Central Park during morning rush hour. the speed limit here is 30 MPH, and the traffic sign the back of which is visible on the left reads: CAUTION-SLOW-LANE NARROWS TO 11'0."
An account and discussion of the fatal crash that occurred here in December 2006 is found here:
http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/
Pictures and excerpts from the police investigation of the fatal accident are found here:
http://flickr.com/photos/11992136@N08/sets/72157601595007852/
New York Department of Transportation and Police Department have been advised of this dangerous condition. Will steps be taken remove the hazard presented by the routine speeding next to this hazardous pinch point before another bicyclists is injured or killed?
