Bixi Bikes Coming to Vancouver

We're thrilled to see progression in the plan to introduce Bixi bikes to Vancouver as the Velo-City Conference was attended late last month: 

Bike share is coming to Vancouver, and we must make it work

The international Velo-City conference is underway in Vancouver as of Tuesday morning and I arrived in time to hear an inspired talk by urban cycling advocate Gil Penalosa. Judging by the Twitter activity throughout the morning, Penalosa's message excited the full house in attendance at the Wall Centre. While Penalosa's full presentation — available here — is fast-paced and rich with detail, it was nicely summed up by an Australian delegate named Stephen Yarwood.

Given the way the Vision council have married themselves to the cycling issue, it was perhaps predictable that the site of the Velo-City conference felt like an offsite City Hall. Mayor Gregor hung around to do interviews while his chief of staff parked himself in front of the venue most of the morning. Even Penny Ballem paced around the site. The always affable Jerry Dobrovolny, Vancouver's Director of Transportation listened intently to Penalosa's speech, which he quipped might put him out of a job. Penalosa's message was to be bold, to be fearless in the face of public opposition, and to make cities as safe as possible for cycling with many miles worth of separated bike lanes. Vancouver, said Penalosa, has not been nearly bold enough when compared to cities like Chicago.The real star of the show that morning, however, were the over 600 Bixi bikes shipped in for the conference and parked in front of the Wall Centre convention facility. Bixi is the Montreal-based bike share manufacturer that will be providing the two-wheeled transport for Vancouver's bike share program. The operator for the Vancouver bike share will be the Alta company based out of Portland, Oregon.

I had the pleasure of having my first bike share experience, after I signed an insurance waiver and gave conference organizers a stamp of my credit card. To get access to a bike I simply inserted the card provided by Velo-City, waited a few seconds for the light to turn from red to green, and pulled the bike out while slightly lifting the rear of the bike from the seat. With my complementary Lazer bike helmet strapped on I took a short ride downtown. 

The Bixi bikes are beautiful machines. They are definitely more sturdy than your typical hybrid or road bike, and sport wide tires with a street-friendly tread. The seat is wide and comfy, something many casual riders prefer. 

The seat post – which I got a blurry image of – is easily adjustable, and thankfully you're not able to easily slide the seat and post right off the bike. That would be a big target of theft otherwise. 

My demo bike was a three-speed but the bikes on order for Vancouver's bike share will be a seven-speed bike to better manage our city's hilly terrain. The gear changer is located in the right half of the handlebar, and the left side has a small bell you can ring with your thumb when needed. There is a small amount of space over the handlebars to locate a small basket if necessary. 

The brakes are built into the wheel hubs, and while you're riding enough power is generated to run safety lights embedded into the frame of the bike, improving your visibility in traffic. Overall it's a solid and comfortable ride, but the slightly heavy frame had my quadriceps burning up a few hills. For all my Bixi bike images see this Flickr set... Read the full story at City Caucus

Bicycle sharing programs have been active in many cities throughout the globe, much like car-shares and other eco-transportation services that are new to Vancouver. As part of Vancouver's Greenest City Action Plan we are expecting to see a significant increase in bicycle transportation services and improvements. The increase in bikes and bike lanes pose a natural deterrent to motor vehicles as those that are inclined to choose cleaner modes of transportation can with ease, and those that prefer to utilize motor vehicles may chose to go elsewhere. The city's green transportation initiatives focus on walking, cycling, transit, and greenways. By designing streets with pedestrian priority, expanding the bicycle network, improving public transit, and increasing public green space, one can imagine a healthier, greener city in the future. Bixi is expected to be active in Vancouver by 2013.


Watch here to learn more about Velo-city Vancouver:

Sources: City Caucus, Bixi, Vancouver Greenest City, Velo-city, Vancity Buzz, UBC Transportation

Eco-Friendly Flowers

Flowers are a well-known holiday gift and with Valentine's Day just around the corner we encourage you to think green instead of red. There are arguments for all sides of "what's best" in the flower industry but to do your part for the planet, and the people in it, consider local, organic, and fair trade flowers.

LOCAL

Crocosmia - February

Locally-grown flowers can have a significantly reduced carbon footprint by employing a limited amount of harmful emissions to transport them from the garden to the store (as opposed to a large plane ride and more). When making your green flower choice, look for those that are in season at the time of your purchase, as this article shows some flowers grown in a greenhouse can have a greater carbon footprint than those flown for miles.

This website has put together a list of flowers by month to help you make your green flower choice easily: Flowers By Month Be sure to search your local area for what's in season near you!

February

Marigold	Calendula	Popular daisy-like flower with a country garden feel
Carthamus	Safflower	Unusual slightly thistle like flowers, dries well
Crocosmia		Tall spiky flowers generally known as Montbretia when grown as a garden flower.
Cynara	Artichoke	The flower of the artichoke
Delphinium		Tall flower spikes. Also, Larkspur which is a type of delphinium.
Echinacea		Daisy like flowers with backward sloping petals.
Eremurus	Foxtail Lily	Large dramatic flowers, usually yellow or orange, with other colours less commonly available
Euphorbia	Spurge	Graceful curving stems with loads of tiny flowers. Note not all colours are available at the same time, check with your florist
Eupatorium		pretty white small flowers, used as a filler
Fritillaria		Exotic looking flowers which hang downwards in a cluster on top of tall straight stems
Gentiana		Long lasting trumpet shaped flowers up straight stems.
Leucospermum	Pincushion Protea	Large flowerheads which resemble a pin cushion. Long lasting
Lily-of the Valley	Convallaria	Tiny bell shaped flowers on short stems. Very popular in wedding flowers.
Vuylstekeara		A hybrid orchid, with highly patterned petals

ORGANIC

Much like produce, organic flowers are a great way to cut down on harmful pesticides and other chemicals being released into the environment through farming. Eco Business Links offers a list of some organic growers in North America but be sure to search and ask around for more in your area. Often stores that are not solely organic will also carry some organic products so always look for "Certified Organic" labels to help you identify the right ones.

FAIR TRADE

Fair trade flowers are a great way to do your part for the planet and the people in it; by supporting fair trade, you can help increase the benefits and safety for the workers and reduce the use of harmful chemicals as a benefit for the planet too. Learn more about fair trade flowers and other products here at Fairtrade.ca.

"Flowers are a symbol of celebration, and are popular purchases for occasions like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or a graduation. But many people admire the beauty of a red rose without thinking about where the cut flower was produced, or under what conditions. 

The Dutch were the first to produce flowers for auction, and began exporting in the early 1600s. Today, half of the world’s flowers are grown in the Netherlands, and Dutch flower auctions amount to 19 million flowers per day. In this multi-billion dollar global industry, developing countries control most of the relevant technology and expertise.

A growing proportion of cut flowers are produced and exported by developing countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Colombia, and Ecuador. The majority of flowers sold in Canada, available since 2005, are imported from Latin America.

Work in the flower industry is a very important source of income for many people, especially in regions where agriculture no longer brings in a living wage. However, these popular tokens of love and affection are often grown under a labour and chemical- intensive process that puts workers and the environment at high risk. 

Jobs in the flower industry are often insecure, with short-term contracts, low wages, and no benefits. Relatively few workers belong to unions, which would allow them to collectively negotiate better working conditions. Instead, many flower companies work to actively prevent the establishment of unions.

One of the most serious issues in the production of flowers is the exposure of workers, and their environment, to highly toxic chemical pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers. Flower-importing countries only accept flower shipments if they are totally free of diseases and insects, so the majority of producers use huge quantities of these poisons. 

Workers are often required to handle dangerous chemicals without proper protective equipment. They also experience a variety of serious physical harm due to long hours spent in awkward positions, extreme changes in temperature, and long working hours.

Despite the fact that 65-70% of flower workers are women, they are typically paid less than men and are likely to be hired on a temporary rather than a permanent one. Pregnant and nursing women are often unprotected against exposure to dangerous chemicals.

While this may all sound very unromantic, there's a way to show that special someone that you really care. Go on, flirt with Fair Trade.

Fair Trade aims to protect and benefit workers on flower farms by certifying those farms which ensure safety and good working conditions for their employees. Among other things, Fair Trade standards for flowers ensure the following:

• Salaries must be equal to or higher than the regional average or the minimum wage.
• Producer organizations receive a premium, set at 10% of the negotiated price, which is invested in social and economic initiatives.
• A Joint Body composed of workers and management is formed to manage the Fair Trade premium.
• Forced labour and child labour of children under 15 years old is prohibited. Children aged 15 and over cannot do work that compromises their health or education.
• Workers have  the right to establish or join an independent union
• Health and safety measures must be established in order to avoid work-related injuries. A detailed set of safety regulations specific to flower production limit the use of agrochemicals and prohibit the use of banned pesticides.

If you choose to buy imported flowers, we hope you'll choose Fair Trade. Of course, many flowers are grown in Canada, and you can also find local organic options. Geraniums, poinsettias, chrysanthemums, the Canada Lily (Lilium canadense), and the woodland lily are just a few examples of the flowers cultivated domestically. Fresh local flowers are typically available from May until the middle of October."


Thank you for taking the time to learn more about renewable energy - Knowledge Is Power! For more information go to www.endeavorscorp.com or write to us at info@endeavorscorp.com if you have questions or want to get involved. Have a green day!