On Wednesday, I attended a session hosted by Ride with Us. Founded in 2014, this group began with two cycling enthusiasts who wanted to raise awareness for climate change while also taking drastic steps to reduce their own carbon footprint as they travelled to COP. They biked 2041 km from Venice to COP20 in Copenhagen. This year, their team grew to just over fifty people as they met up with several bikers on their journey from Venice to Katowice for COP24. Co-founder, Daniele Pernigotti, shared that the conditions were challenging, especially compared to past conditions, since COPs have always taken place in early to late fall. The timing of COP24 meant snow, sleet, and rain would be an inevitable part of their journey. Additionally, less daylight meant they would have to bike for as long as they could each day before turning in for the night. However, they were able to finish the entire journey of 1262 km in just 11 days! While this may seem fast, it was interesting to learn that they did not choose their route based on speed. They had to coordinate with various bikers to meet up in different cities using bike paths throughout Europe. They also keep a pace that was appropriate for all members of the group, regardless of their skill level or athletic ability. Their intentions were not to be fast, but rather to make a point. They wanted to serve as examples to other COP attendees. These bikers know that advocating for climate action requires you to follow your own rules. If scientists want to be taken seriously, they need to serve role models to the general public and provide ways for everyone to make a difference to reduce their carbon footprint. It is interesting to note that Pernigotti shared he was never a master cyclist. Additionally, most people on their trip were just average bikers who enjoyed the sport and were willing to accept the challenge. He wanted people to know that anyone can ride their bike. The oldest person on the trip was 67, while the youngest was only 4 months old (who rode in a carriage attached to her father's bicycle). He wanted to remove the stigma of bicycles, since he believes this method of transportation often viewed as a sign of poverty. Lastly, he wanted to create an inclusive environment for people to not only get involved in the conversation about climate change, but do something positive to help reduce it's effects.
For more information on Ride with Us, visit http://www.ridewithus.eu/katowice/about-us/
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Impressive!
ReplyDeleteWe have a couple of people in the Lehigh Valley who use bicycle as their primary transportation!
And I think there still are long-distance bicycle-climate events each year here in the US. Locally, CAT does a lot to encourage bicycling and other better modes of transportation.
www.climateride.org
www.lvcat.org