Shanghai cyclists keep riding to keep the skies blue
On Saturday Shanghai residents turned up in force to show their support for biking as a cleaner healthier transport choice for Shanghai.
The launch event for Good to Shanghai; 01 Coolbike started at the Specialized store in Pu Xi, and riders set off in the winter sunshine on a leisurely ride across the ferry to Pu Dong ending up at the Pearl Tower to sign a commemorative banner.
With Copenhagen kicking off today, the signatures and messages collected on the ride here in Shanghai will join those of other cyclists across the world, in conjunction with ‘Ride Planet Earth’, to show global leaders in Copenhagen the commitment of the people in ensuring a healthy future for the city and reduced pollution of our skies.
Among the signatures were Prof. Lou Yongqi, designing for social innovation and sustainability, College of Design & Innovation, Tongji University and Coordinator of DESIS-china, Richard Hsu H+ branding plus many other leaders in their fields.
Susan Evans, founder of Good to Shanghai and 01coolbike says;
‘The response was fantastic, from residents of Shanghai, both those taking part, supporters and spectators along the way. We are planning to roll out the initiative to other cities in spring 2010 to support and elevate this growing movement towards eco friendly urban transport choices in China. We thank all those who were involved in bringing this great event together and making a sustainable impact a possibility!’
Open to all and free, this was the first of many events and activities planned to communicate that each person can do a little bit to help themselves live a good and healthy life here in Shanghai or in other urban cities in China. By riding bikes around Shanghai’s beautiful, dramatic and eclectic streets, 01Coolbike riders showed support of the local government in their plans to put into place safe, non-polluted and regulated bike lanes in downtown Shanghai. The next event will be in the spring and will tie up with Expo events.
For hi-res photos and further information on this or future events, please contact hannahlane@hotmail.com
Further information can also be found at www.goodtoshanghai.weebly.com
Editor’s Notes
About Good to Shanghai
01.coolbike is the first of a group of environmental initiatives under the umbrella platform of “GoodtoShanghai”.
This environmental initiative is focused on reducing Shanghai’s air pollution, specifically CO2 emissions, by positioning the bike as an integrated element of urban transport to help support sustainable transportation. This involves creating social change – through changes in infrastructure, product and people’s perceptions.
The perceptional issues with bike riding in china, are that bikes are viewed as yesterday’s transport and are to some extent associated with non-achievers and low income groups: this perception requires addressing if we are to succeed in getting chinese people to actively choose a bike and continue to use it as part of their overall transport needs.
The initiative, will initially aim to involve people in fun and enjoyable bike riding experiences. We will communicate positive reasons to ride a bike, that are focused on, healthy, good for the environment, fun and exhilarating. To gradually move the perception and involvement with bikes towards the transport of the future rather than yesterday’s transport.
The ultimate goal is to create an integrated, amenity supported, better-connected green bike pathway system within the urban environment. So, that people, can both get to work, school or enjoy a beautiful outdoor riding experience along a canal, or around the city at the weekend.
The 01.coolbike program will stress the perceptual connections to support infrastructure and product development.
Behind this initiative is a strong team led by Susan Evans, principal of Kplunk: Creating demand for sustainable living. Supported by IDEO shanghai, Richard Hsu principal of H+ branding, James Brearly, principal of BAU architects, Richard Brubaker CSR, visiting professor of sustainability and responsible leadership CEIBS
About Ride Planet Earth
The Ride Planet Earth Project culminates in a series of cycling events happening around the world on 6th Dec 09. This is the day before the UN Climate Change negotiations begin in Copenhagen.
The aim of the event is three-fold: (1) Raising awareness about the current and future impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities around the world, highlighting the need to take immediate action. (2) Demonstrating the capacity and willingness of ordinary people to take action against dangerous climate change, action such as using carbon-neutral transport. (3) Urging the world’s governments meeting in Copenhagen to take the necessary action on their part. Agree to reduce carbon emissions to safe levels, agree on the means to do so and agree to start doing so immediately.
This includes the governments of developed countries to fulfil their international obligations, take responsibility for their historic and current greenhouse emissions by reducing emissions immediately and making domestic emission reduction targets of at least 40% by 2020.
Also, to assist countries in the developing world to adapt to climate change impacts, reduce their greenhouse emissions and finance low-carbon technology, enabling them to develop in an ecologically and socially sustainable way.
