The Green Bike Share (GBS) seeks to make the quality of student life better by giving students affordable, environmentally sustainable, and increased access to bicycles; a healthy alternative form of transportation. The campus-wide Green Bike Share will create tangible benefits for participants by addressing key issues of health and environmental sustainability, speaking to social and environmental concerns about the future of transportation, and promoting community building on campus. So-called “bike-sharing” already exists in cities such as Paris, which has over 10,000 bikes at 750 stations , Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Copenhagen, Toronto, Seattle, Portland, and New York.
Project mission:
The Green Bike Share pilot project will establish an initial fleet of 20 bright green bicycles as a means to provide an affordable alternative form of transportation to students, faculty and staff of UC Berkeley. The pilot project, targeted to commence in August, 2008 will be open to the first 100 UC Berkeley students, faculty, and staff to sign up for the program.
All members can sign up on the Green Bike Share website (GreenBikeShare.org). It only costs $15 a semester to become a member of the Green Bike Share. This membership will allow you to checkout bikes for up to 24 hours at a time. The Green Bike Share tent will be located on lower Sproul, Monday -Friday between 11am-1pm for pick-up and drop-off.
Potential impact:
Health
The Green Bike Share will promote personal health by increasing physical activity for participants. Transportation-based activity, sometimes referred to as incidental exercise, is a safe, effective way to incorporate exercise into ones daily routine.
This initiative will also create health benefits for the entire community by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus, improving air quality. Health complications such as asthma, cardio-vascular disease, heart disease, coronary disease, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and cancer could be mitigated as air quality increases and incidental physical activity is introduced for participants.
Environmental Benefits
Switching over to a bicycle-based transportation paradigm has a long list of environmental benefits for all. The Green Bike Share will serve as a vital preliminary step in the process of moving UCB towards a more environmentally sustainable transportation model. Zero-emission vehicles such as bicycles help to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, which have potentially hazardous implications for local biodiversity and the sustainability of ecosystems. By using bicycles instead of automobiles, bike-sharers can detach themselves from the destructive structure of petroleum-dependent society.
According to Bicycling Magazine “if one in four people commuted just 5 miles a week on a bicycle, the air would be spared of 6.7 million tons of carbon dioxide”. This is especially pertinent as “50% of all car trips are 5 miles or less” . The Green Bike Share will be the first step towards reducing consumer dependence on petroleum based fuels while promoting a citywide initiative for all residents of the Berkeley to be able to adopt a more sustainable and independent transportation paradigm.
Economics
Aside from the myriad of personal benefits listed above, the GBS will also provide notable economic advantages. First, participants who make the transition from automobile-based transportation to bicycles will feel immediate financial relief, as they will no longer carry to high costs of owning or renting a car. Insurance, maintenance, and increasing gas prices would no longer be a financial burden and thousands of dollars would be saved each month. Second, a bike-share, as opposed to purchasing your own bike, is a much more affordable option for the multitude of students struggling to get by during their college years.
Community
The Resource Green Bike Share initiative carries a strong message of community empowerment, social responsibility and mutual respect. Members will be able to assert their respect for environmental sustainability, their own health and each other by being a part of this exciting community. These sorts of positive ideas transcend social boundaries and bring people together to create constructive social change and a strong community spirit. Overall, the Resource Green Bike Share initiative will bring together likeminded bike-sharers to create a unified and creative transportation revolution.
Required resources:
- Total project needs: $40,000
- In-kind contribution needs: Donations of any kind are greatly appreciated!
- Other:
E-mail GreenBikeShare@gmail.com with questions, concerns, and sponsorship/donation inquiries.
Our sponsors:
University of California, Berkeley
Recreational Sports Facility
Bears Breaking Boundaries- Improving Student Life
The College of Natural Resources
Klean Kanteen
Clif Bar
Amanda's Restaurant
Downtown Berkeley Association
Sustainable Business Alliance
Cal Corps
E-Lock Technology
Bobby G's Pizzeria
Links to external blogs or wikis:
Additional info:
Sign up to become a member at GreenBikeShare.org (Google Check-out) and become one of the first 100 members to participate in the Fall 2008 Green Bike Share Pilot Project.
Donations and sponsorships funds for the Green Bike Share should be directed through this site (Chip-In).
All memberships, donors, and sponsors will receive an e-mail within 24 hours of contribution. If you do not receive an e-mail within 24 hours, please send an e-mail to GreenBikeShare@gmail.com.
Thank you!!
The Green Bike Share Team
