And the winner is...

Which American city has the most cycling commuters?

Predictably, Houston did not make the top 10...and I'm guessing not the top 25, either. Let's blow these guys out of the water (or, rather, off the road...?)!

Bike Share at Work

I love seeing an active bike sharing program in action while touring the NASA campus south of Houston in Clear Lake. NASA employees can grab a bike outside one building and bike across the entire campus to go hang out with the astronauts in training or in any other building of their choosing, and they can get there quickly via bicycle.

Another place where this is in use is in the "backstage" areas of some of the Walt Disney World parks. I used to hop on a bike after parking outside the main employee building at the Disney Studios, and then I could ride around the back portion of the park, behind the scenes, until I neared the employee entrance to the ride where I served as a tour guide. It was so much fun, especially when the backstage tour tram would pass by, and you could wave to all the tourists visiting the park while bicycling to and from your job. I have great memories of this, and I also got great exercise doing this every day. I actually lost weight while working for a semester at this Disney park, due in part to my daily bicycle share program at my workplace.

Space City Cycleshare would be a fabulous edition to the Texas Medical Center, since the buildings I visit as a student are very spread out, and some fellow students go to work in TMC hospitals many blocks away from our class building. A cycle share program would be a welcome addition to the TMC. Let's get cycling!

Heightened Air Pollution in Houston

Each year, I look forward to opportunities to be outside in the summer - mowing the lawn, bicycling, gardening, and my beloved afternoon run - but this year I may rethink some of those activities. This article by Gina Carroll from examiner.com equates a daily run in Houston to be as bad for health as smoking a pack of cigarettes. The cause for concern about air pollution is currently heightened, due to power failure at some of our nation's largest refineries in Texas City.

Residents in Texas City are essentially being quarantined by "shelter-in-place" advisories to stay indoors with no windows. Advisories are issued when hazardous materials are suspected to have been released into the atmosphere. The third largest refinery in the nation, run by BP, was the first to be left without power. I know a graduate student in Geophysics at Texas Tech University coming to intern with "biggest polluter," as he put it, this summer. Perhaps his description isn't too far from false.

Thankfully, a pair of graduate students from NYU -  Nien Lam and Sue Ngo - are designing some fashionable clothing pieces to alert the wearer to increased carbon monoxide. Check out Nien's blog for more information about their project.


warning signs from Susan Ngo on Vimeo.

Will you think twice before heading outside this summer?

State of the Air 2011

The Huffington Post's Joanna Zelman posted a very informative article today about air quality in the most polluted United States cities. Unsurprisingly, Houston was listed among the likes of Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York - blame in part to the huge amounts of particulate matter produced from coal-fired power plants.

Notably, Zelman reports that those at greatest risk from the effects of air pollution include those with asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. It's no secret that Houston has historically frequented the top of the list of Fattest Cities in America. This year, Houston has dropped to #9. We could blame this on Texas food options in general (Texas hosts 5 of the top 10 most overweight cities), but Austin - only a couple hundred miles away, is one of the bottom 10 at #96.

See this image close-up here.

Tour de France 2011

For those of you who live for major bicycling events...the 98th Tour de France 2011 will be here sooner than later!

• July 2, 2011 - July 24, 2011
• Total distance = 3,471 kilometers
• 2 rest days for participants

Route:

For more info check out the Official Tour de France website.

Biking Etiquette

Bicyclists and motorists have the same rights and responsibilities when it comes to the road, so here are some quick biking etiquette tips to make sure everyone is sharing the road safely:

1. Obey all traffic rules, just as you would if you were driving a car.
This means you should follow all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.

2. Never go against traffic.
Bicyclists that ride against traffic can face unnecessary hazards from oncoming vehicles.

3. Use hand-signals to let other drivers know where you are headed.
It is a law to use hand-signals when riding on public roads as well as a gesture of common courtesy and self-protection.

4. Be alert!
Be aware of potential road hazards, such as potholes, railroad tracks, and slippery surfaces. Have both your hands and feet ready to brake.

5. Be respectful of pedestrians.
Similar to driving, pedestrians always have the right of way. Choose the street or bike path over a pedestrian walk way. Also give pedestrians a warning either verbally or using your bike bell.

6. Follow the speed limit.
Be aware of how fast you are biking. Slow down for possible construction, inclement weather, or incoming cars.

More etiquette tips can be found on: http://www.marinbike.org/Campaigns/ShareTheRoad/EtiquetteLaws.shtml

We think Bikes Belong Too!

The Bikes Belong Coalition is a group that is dedicated to promoting bike usage in the United States. Founded in 1999, the Bikes Belong Coalition's mission is to increase the bike usage nationally by providing funding for community programs, promotion of the biking benefits, and changing federal policy. They aim to make biking better and here at SCCS, we couldn't agree more. For more information on the Bikes Belong Coalition, check out their site.

One way that Bikes Belong is advocating for better biking is through a "People for Bikes" petition which is a citizen campaign. The goal of People for Bikes is to encourage a million supporters to stand up for biking by signing an online petition. By gaining public support, they hope to rally for more legislation to improve biking for the US. Since the petition began in 2010, 80,000+ supporters have voiced their love for biking and the number is growing! So if you are a bike lover just like us, we hope that you will join the petition to put the power to the pedal. Join the petition here. Logos courtesy of Bikes Belong.

3 ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Gov. Perry may have made it to office again, but former gubernatorial potential Bill White laid down the law when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Number One on the list? "Increase the economy of fuel use for vehicles"

While increasing the efficiency of fuel is a great point, it is equally important to reduce our reliance on fuel use in general, especially in urban areas where the infrastructure can reliably support alternative transport. What better (and affordable) way to do that than to ride a bicycle?

Bill White Clears the Air

by Reeve Hamilton, The Texas Tribune

1/7/2010

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate lays out the three things that need to happen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Download audio file

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://trib.it/60bSoo.

Cycle Smart Tips

I can admit, learning to bicycle as a form of transportation can be daunting. Although I know how to ride a bike, I sometimes feel as though I am not prepared to do so as often as I'd like. How do you signal to turn? What do I do if a car is trying to pass me and there isn't room? We've composed a list of tips to help beginning bicyclists feel prepared when they ride.

1. Safety First

Always practice safety when bicycling by wearing a helmet

2. Know it, Follow it

Know the cycling laws in your area and practice them when you ride

3. Combine Transportation

Use your bike in conjunction with other forms of alternative transport, such as city buses

4. Re-Think Your Route

Map your commute ahead of time and avoid traffic-heavy, congested roads

5. Leave Electronic Devices Behind

Leave your cell phone and iPod stored and keep your full attention on the road

6. Wear Appropriate Clothing

Baggy pants or skirts are liable to get caught in the spokes, make sure your clothing won’t

7. Plan Ahead

Prepare an “in-case-of-emergency” plan before you ride

8. Prepare for Inclement Weather

Check the weather before you leave and pack your poncho or water bottle for hydration

9. Know Your Bike

Proper bike fit, the right saddle, and knowing when to shift gears will make the time on your bike the best it can be

10. Keep Your Head Up

Be aware in the road for debris, storm drains, or other obstacles to avoid.

 

Texans Battle EPA Regulations

Pending update...it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Texas Task Force to Battle EPA Regulations

by Becca Aaronson, The Texas Tribune

3/21/2011

Texas is summoning all of its political firepower to do battle against the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Federal and state lawmakers announced the creation of a Texas task force to slow the agency's effort to tighten restrictions on Texas manufacturers. Twenty-three Republicans in the U.S. House and two senators plan to work on the issue with the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house and various committee chairmen.

U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, says the task force has two goals: to stop the EPA from discontinuing Texas’ flexible permitting program, which reviews the overall emissions by a plant and not the emissions from individual units within the plant, and to prevent the Clean Air Act from applying to greenhouse gases. “We think the endangerment finding that President Obama issued last year is flawed,” says Barton, referring to the EPA's finding that greenhouse gas emissions are a hazard for public health and welfare. “And we don’t think the Clean Air Act applies to greenhouse gases.” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has already filed lawsuits challenging the EPA on both fronts.

Cyrus Reed, conservation director of the Lone Star chapter of the Sierra Club, says the task force's mission is unrealistic because the EPA's greenhouse gas regulations — which Texas is the only state actively refusing to implement — is backed by a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. “What may be more realistic is there have been efforts in the Congress to block funding for EPA," Reed says. Without sufficient funding, the EPA would not have the manpower to implement the proposed rules, Reed says.

The task force says the EPA’s rejection of Texas’ flexible permitting system, which covers some large refineries and other manufacturers in the state, has threatened job creation in Texas by creating uncertainty for energy companies operating in Texas. Barton says that at least two major manufacturers have put plans to build new facilities in Texas on hold or moved to other states. The EPA has said that companies are already fixing their permitting systems to comply with federal rules.

Bryan Shaw, of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, says the flexible permitting program supports the state’s economy and reduces emissions. The program gives companies incentives “to come forward and do good environmental deeds,” Shaw says, by giving them “increased flexibility” to develop facilities and jobs in Texas.

Environmentalists argue that “flexibility” protects the interests of the energy industry and allows companies to get away with polluting more than they should. “It’s appalling that these men are working to defend polluters against efforts to clean up our air and water,” said Luke Metzger, director of Environment Texas, in a statement. “We can't let industry insiders and their friends in Congress get in the way, compromising our health and the health of our families.”

Members of the task force say the federal government is attacking the program for political — not environmental — reasons. “It looks to me like Texas being the biggest red state, the biggest Republican state, the Obama administration is trying to be punitive to our state,” says State Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay. According to Fraser, the federal government hasn’t shown that Texas' permitting program failed to meet clean air standards.

The battle between state and federal government has put air permitting in Texas “in limbo,” Fraser says, because companies do not know the rules for meeting new greenhouse gas standards and lack the technology to sequester emissions, as the EPA would require.

But Reed says it’s Texas’ battle against the EPA that’s “causing a lot of confusion in the market and among residents and businesses.”

EPA’s permitting process wouldn’t stop companies from operating in Texas, Reed says, but it would require “major sources of air pollution to go through a permitting process in order to come up with the best available control technology for greenhouse gases.” He says Texas is the leading state on renewable energy generation, principally from wind, and that allowing EPA regulations would continue Texas’ efforts to help reduce global warming.

The task force plans on using congressional review “to give the president the opportunity to do what he announced publicly he was going to do, and that was veto regulations that would cause a loss to our economy and a loss to jobs,” says U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can stop an agency from implementing regulations if 30 Senators, rather than the usual 60, vote to challenge it. Carter says they’ve filed five congressional reviews and that he expects at least three will be voted on by the summer.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://trib.it/hTQKkz.

When people think of bike gear, typically we think of tight bike shorts, nerdy helmets and ad-covered bike shirts. Biking can still be fashionable! There is some very cute and springy bike gear that can make biking to school or running errands fashionable. Check out the latest spring styles courtesy of refinery29 (Spring's cutest bike gear).

Happy Earth Day!

I'm a big fan of Martha Stewart - always have been. On her Facebook page today, she posted 12 Ways to Go Green ...surprisingly, non-motor forms of transportation was not listed! Maybe I probably shouldn't be so surprised - she is a regular jet-setter after all. Arguably, using your car less could be considered part of Step 2 - Reduce your carbon footprint.

I used the free carbon calculator available on Conservation International's website, here. How do you measure up?

180-min Bike Ride Fundraiser for MS

Larry Kolvoord/AJERICAN-STATESMAN

Another reason why bicycling is smart? It is a great method for raising money!

This past week, BP hosted the "MS 150 fundraiser" for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. About 13,000 cyclists started the 180-mile trip from Houston to Austin. Last year, the event raised over $16 million.

Read and see more photos here.

Policy as Community Building

Policy change is a great form of advocacy for Texas bicyclists. Being aware of current policies and how they could be improved or updated is vital to unifying cyclists across the state.

Check out Bike Texas' article on the Complete Streets bill here.