Copenhagen competes for one of the world’s most bikable – and livable – cities; but it wasn’t always that way. Like many cities in post-war Europe, as cities were rebuilt, bike lanes were taken over by the car. It wasn’t until the oil crisis of the 1970s and the start of the environmental movement that people started… Read More Copenhagen: taking back the city | car-free streets & slow speed zones
Good news for public transport/ bicycle planners – and certainly for our public health and environmental challenges like climate change. According to a graphic found on Visual.ly (see below) it looks like young people in the United States are less keen about the car than former generations – preferring instead the bike, the bus or by… Read More America’s young people: drive less and bike more
Swedish design students Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin decided to take on the challenge to develop an invisible bike helmet (think deployable air bags in a car) as part of a school project at Lund University (my alma mater!) What started as an exam project soon turned into a venture capital quest with 10 million in… Read More An invisible bike helmet for the urban cyclist
Short & sweet, but after my rather wordy post the last time, I wanted to share a fun graphic designed by CICLE (Cyclists Inciting Change thru Live Exchange). CICLE is a nonprofit based in Los Angeles working to promote the bicycle as a viable, healthy & sustainable transportation choice. I have to agree with the t-shirt’s message:… Read More The benefits of a bicycle
In February 2010, I travelled to Sevilla, Spain to speak at a conference on urban obsolescence put on by La Civdad Viva while working for the City of Malmö, Sweden. The conference focused on retrofitting social housing projects – how to engage residents and promote participation, improve energy efficiency and highlight architectural qualities. It was an impressive… Read More Sevilla: sunshine, orange trees, bicycles and great public spaces
Jason Roberts of Dallas, Texas shares his story on “how to build a better block.” Following a trip to various European cities about 10 years ago, Roberts was struck by the livability of European city streets and public spaces – by bike, by foot, as well as spaces and places for the young and old… Read More Taking over Texas, starting with Oak Cliff: one bike lane at a time
Every day circa 36% of Copenhagen’s population commute to work or school by bike – the city government aiming to get this to 50% by 2015 to (further) reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from daily transport. Already today, roughly 50% of Copenhageners use bicycles on a daily basis for errands or exercise – equating to over… Read More Rush hour in Copenhagen – by bike
In Amsterdam, sunshine is a rarity (despite what photos or postcards may depict). But when the sun shines, the city is magical. Sunshine dances off the canal waters onto old brick buildings; locals and tourists cruise by in boats; families and pet-owners pile into Amsterdam’s parks and every (outdoor) chair at every café is packed… Read More Amsterdam snow days
In November/ December 2012, the UN Climate Conference (COP18) took place in Doha, Qatar. Expectations were low from the start, with most parties setting their sights on 2015 when world leaders are expected to construct an agreement strong enough to stay below 2° Celsius of warming. Doha served as a bridge: from the former agreement, towards a… Read More Doha hope: UN climate meetings, suburban sprawl – and a potential for city cycling?
The City of Bonn, Germany sits on the Rhine River and has historic roots dating back to the Roman period. It is also the birthplace of the famous composer Beethoven – a pride point for the city. Bonn, population circa 325,000, boarders Germany’s wine producing region to the South, and to the North, the cities… Read More Bonn: cycling down by the River Rhine
The Urban Observer 