Naked bicyclists, folding bikes, balloon bikes, and more — enjoy this bicycle photo tour of Barcelona.

The third B in a row, Barcelona is next on this list of great bicycle cities (right ahead of Basel, Switzerland and Bogota, Columbia). As a dense city with a wonderful climate, Barcelona is naturally a wonderful place for bicyclists. However, a lot has been done to make it more so. The biggest carrot encouraging bicycling, by far, is Barcelona’s relatively new bike sharing program — Bicing. This is perhaps the best or second best bike sharing program in the world. It is one of a new generation of sophisticated, smart bike sharing programs. Read more about it on page 2.

Beyond Bicing, the city is also working on creating new bicycling routes and bike parking and it hosts fun Bike Week celebrations every year in May. Also, it has been creating better infrastructure for bicyclists due to so many more people bicycling within the past few years. It is transforming itself into a truly world-leading bicycle city.

Read more of this story »

Bogota is a true testament of how a city can be transformed. Through “radical” action for a better city and clean green transportation, Bogota has become a leader in bicycle transportation.

One step ahead of Basel, Switzerland on this list, Bogota boasts an amazing transformation in the transportation infrastructure and alternative transportation usage of a modern city. Unlike many cities that are renovating primarily for cars or, more admirably, mass-transit, Bogota made sure to put a lot of focus on improving their city for bicyclists and pedestrians as well, the greenest transportation modes!

Read more of this story »

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this series of photo tours is going to be worth about a hundred thousand.

You have probably heard before that the cities on this list are great bicycle cities, but the following photo tours will give you a better and more entertaining visual explanation of why they are considered to be so great.

From public art to art on bikes, seas of bicycles to bicycles that could carry a swimming pool, high heels to naked bicyclists, check out these upcoming photo tours of some of the world’s greatest bicycle cities.

Read more of this story »

Read more of this story »

[Creative Commons photo by Brett Weinstein]

What is the BeltLine?
The Atlanta BeltLine is a solution. While Atlanta does have a rail and bus system now, MARTA, the rail portion is pretty limited and the buses are a bit unreliable. The BeltLine was going to change the face of Atlanta’s transit system, connecting neighborhoods and making alternative transportation a viable option for more folks in the Atlanta area. They describe the BeltLine:

Our vision is that the BeltLine will be a continuous, connected corridor of parks, trails, greenspace, quality development and transit - completely unique to anything in any other U.S. city. It will connect in-town neighborhoods and promising business centers throughout the city and will link directly into MARTA rail and other public transit systems. Ultimately, the BeltLine is how Atlanta chooses to develop over the next 50 years.

Why would anyone want to stop a project like this?

Read more of this story »

If there’s one thing Oregon’s good at, it’s home-grown solutions. From blackberries, to grass seed, to Christmas trees, to hazelnuts, Oregon controls the American market on some major niche agricultural products (PDF). And with Oregon’s new push into the future of alternative energy and transportation, it only makes sense that Oregon agriculture will follow suit.

Enter Barefoot Motors and its all-electric heavy duty ATV targeted at farmers. Based in southern Oregon’s picturesque community of Ashland (which has recently garnered attention as the least immunized city in the nation), Barefoot Motors seeks to take advantage of the winds of change by providing farmers with the ability go green and still get their work done with a minimum of hassle — all with an eye towards saving money.

Read more of this story »

Ah, reddit. In many ways the cute little bugger is the forgotten genius brother to Digg, and, no matter how hard he tries, his smartness can’t seem to shine above Digg’s trophy-winning varsity jock prowess (if you hung out in the periodical room in high school, you know what I mean). But perhaps this is for the best, because what we’re left with is what civil commentary can look like on the internet when it’s dominated by graduate students, scientists, know-it-alls, and the generally reserved.

And as it turns out, all of those folks enjoy reading Gas 2.0. So, without further adieu:

Read more of this story »

Ah, Digg. That beautiful beast. There are some who say she even controls the internet as we know it. In her all-knowing and random wisdom, she giveth and she taketh away. Actually, if truth be known, she mostly taketh. Yet when she does giveth, man does she giveth in a huge way. For that we pay her tribute by exposing the loins of her Gas 2.0 grace. Uhhh… ick. Sorry.

So, before I make myself sick, let me present you with a stroll down the Gas 2.0 memory lane.

Read more of this story »

FedEx has ordered 10 purpose-built zero tailpipe emissions cargo vans from UK-based electric vehicle manufacturer Modec. The new electric trucks are specifically built for the duty cycles required in stop-start city driving, can go 70 miles on one charge, and can haul up to 2 tonnes (2.2 US tons) of cargo.

Read more of this story »

UPS will field two hydraulic hybrids in Minneapolis, MN, in early 2009 and an additional five hydraulic hybrid trucks will be deployed later in 2009 and early 2010. Although this sounds like a tiny fleet, keep in mind that this is the largest scale commercial test of hydraulic hybrids ever conducted.

The UPS hybrid hydraulic truck is a standard-looking 24,000 pound package car, with an EPA-patented diesel series hydraulic hybrid drive attached to the rear axle.

Read more of this story »

Inevitably, whenever we post about small electric cars, funky three-wheelers, or any other small fuel-efficient vehicle here at Gas 2.0, we get typical responses along the lines of “It may get 60 mpg, but that thing’s a death trap,” or “It’s nice to drive electric, but would you trust that car to your family?”

After this morning’s shenanigans, I can unequivocally say “Yes. Yes I would trust my family to a small fuel-efficient car, and I’m miraculously alive and mostly uninjured… so no, it’s not a death trap.”

Read more of this story »

Its become a bit of a perennial question that I’m reminded of when I find myself mired in the depths of the internet — a question that’s been simmering in the back of my mind since I learned about the Toyota Estima hybrid minivan 3 years ago… and then went to full boil when I learned that the Estima hybrid has been sold in Japan since 2001.

At the time, I googled extensively, I asked some Japanese colleagues, I contacted Toyota — I even set up a half-hearted online petition to bring the Estima hybrid to the US (offline now, but the Union of Concerned Scientists was more ambitious, garnering over 18,000 signatures).

After all that, I never really got answers as to why Toyota had no plans to bring this family-fantasy four-wheel-drive, 40 mpg minivan to the US, but as I did more research, I pieced together my own picture of the reasons. It seemed that Toyota didn’t think Americans would buy it because it wasn’t a “full-sized” minivan and it didn’t have enough power.

Read more of this story »

Who would have imagined, a luxury rickshaw in Beijing.  China’s Legal Evening Post says the tricycle, dubbed “The Other Rickshaw”, was designed and produced by BMW.

The company that owns the vehicle, Chen De Bao, says it’s the only rickshaw of its kind in the world.

According to the article, the passenger area is the original rear half of a Mini car body, completely equipped with safety belts, gold-plated dragons and various other Chinese decorations.  In other words, it’s a bicycle pulling a two-wheeled car body.

The driver of the rickshaw, Song, put it mildly, saying it’s “rather” heavy and takes a lot of effort to run.”

Can you imagine a pair of 300-pounders asking for a tour of the city?  All downhill, of course.

Posts related to alternative transportation

• The Hidden Giant #2: Transportation
• Back to School Week: UF Issues Alternative Transport Challenge
• Sundance Does Transportation: Cars, Bikes, Trains and More…
• UC San Diego Saves Millions with Realtime Management

Image:  Ananova

Beautiful Off-Road Bike Paths & Great Bicycle Signage

Image Credit 1: knallaerbse via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: freddy via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: nchenga via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Arts & Crafts Bikes

Image Credit 1: Jope 1978 via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: missdarling via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: alicetiara via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Great Bike Parking of All Sorts

To a secure bike center under the train station with attendants where you can also buy or rent a bike, visit a full-service bike shop, go to one of several available cafes, or get bikes maps and information:

Image Credit 1: Julikeishon en Basel via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: Climens via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: kbrookes via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 4: Márcio Cabral de Moura via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 5: acezz3000 via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 6: kbrookes via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 7: freddy via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Weather-Protected, Artistic Bike Seats

Image Credit: JackVinson via flickr under a Creative Commons license

For the first time ever, the University of Miami is prohibiting cars for freshmen starting this fall. Instead, new students, returning students and faculty alike will be able to travel around campus and the city using fuel-efficient cars available through a university partnership with Zipcar. The car-sharing program offers users hourly, daily or annual access to cars when needed, gas and insurance costs included.

The Zipcar option will also be offered at Maine’s Bowdoin College, where first-year students will be barred from having on-campus cars starting next fall (2009).

Read more of this story »

The University of Florida in Gainesville, for example, is launching a campaign to encourage students, faculty members and staff to reduce individual car travel in and around town. UF’s “One Less Car Challenge” (the grammar nag in me has to note it should be the “One Fewer Car Challenge”) asks everyone to explore other ways of commuting, including bicycling, regional transit, car-pooling and car-sharing.

Read more of this story »

When we talk about addressing global climate change, the talk is often about greening our homes, changing our source of energy, and cleaning up industry.

In my previous post, I briefly discussed the critical issue of food in addressing this problem.

In this post, I am bringing to attention the great relevance of transportation and our transportation patterns and habits in addressing this critical concern for our planet and our future generations.

Automobile travel is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of Energy reported that the transportation sector accounts for approximately 33% of GHG emissions in the United States. Approximately 61% of these emissions are from automobiles and light duty trucks. The Department of Energy’s findings put the transportation sector as the largest contributor to GHGs in the country. Unfortunately, it is also the fastest growing contributor according to the DOE’s findings.

Read more of this story »

While the world has been heaping praise upon hybrid technology for its mileage-boosting properties, a forgotten and alienated alternative has quietly been evolving with even more impressive green numbers. I’m speaking of diesel engines, of course, which, up until a few years ago, were nary on the radar of American consumers. Early diesel engines in the U.S. were dirty, loud, and generally associated with some pretty terrible cars. Buried under environmental regulations and poor sales, they faded away to only a handful of brands.

Today, the diesel engine has roared back to life as a versatile, efficient, and green alternative to standard petrol cars. Automakers have taken notice, and diesel options for upcoming models are being included in roadmaps. Of particular interest, earlier this month Honda showed off an Accord that gets 62.8 miles per gallon with its diesel engine. This is right up there with the best current hybrids have to offer — but with even more power. Emissions ratings are about the same, but the diesel Accord picks up points by burning fuel even cleaner when run on biodiesel. Honda expects to release the diesel edition as part of its 2010 model lineup.

Expect additional diesel cars around 2010 from Audi, Saab, BMW, Mini Cooper, and hopefully, Hummer.

via CNET

Beautiful Off-Road Bike Paths & Great Bicycle Signage

Image Credit 1: knallaerbse via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: freddy via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: nchenga via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Arts & Crafts Bikes

Image Credit 1: Jope 1978 via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: missdarling via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: alicetiara via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Great Bike Parking of All Sorts

To a secure bike center under the train station with attendants where you can also buy or rent a bike, visit a full-service bike shop, go to one of several available cafes, or get bikes maps and information:

Image Credit 1: Julikeishon en Basel via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: Climens via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: kbrookes via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 4: Márcio Cabral de Moura via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 5: acezz3000 via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 6: kbrookes via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 7: freddy via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Weather-Protected, Artistic Bike Seats

Image Credit: JackVinson via flickr under a Creative Commons license

We call our 1982 Volkswagen Vanagon a "volksvegan" because it is a diesel that my boyfriend modified to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO). This trip has been in the back of our minds since we began looking for a diesel VW over a year ago. Once we finally found one of the rare diesel Vanagons (and my boyfriend drove it from Atlanta, where he bought it, up to Idaho), we immediately began researching and installing a kit from Greasecar that would allow us to run it on veggie oil we collected from local restaurants.

It has been quite a process getting her roadworthy, but after installing a new turbo engine, a second tank and system for the grease, and replacing parts on our old bus bit by bit (including installing the all-important hemp/organic cotton pop-top canvas), we are finally ready to hit the road for the ultimate test of this experimental sustainable fuel.

Now, I'm no scientist, and I'm certainly no mechanic, but here's my understanding of how WVO works… WVO is more sustainable than diesel or gas because it is making use of a waste product that would otherwise be thrown away. Also, it is a closed-loop system, like biodiesel, because it is made from plants that help reduce CO2 while creating oxygen. This way, the emissions from burning the WVO (which are much less than normal diesel or gas) are offset by the plants that created the oil.

Any diesel can easily be converted to a WVO car with a little know-how and a conversion kit (bought or homemade). There are several companies that offer conversion kits, and as I mentioned, we got ours from Greasecar. The conversion consists of a second tank for the WVO, an in-line filter as well as a pre-filtering system, and valves that control whether the car is running on diesel or WVO. Just don't ask me how to install it — my boyfriend did all the grunt work! The car must be started on diesel (we use biodiesel in our diesel tank whenever we can get it), and run for just long enough to warm up the WVO until it reaches the same viscosity as diesel. Coolant lines help heat the WVO, and in the summer especially, it usually only takes a bit before we can flip a switch on our dash and start running on WVO.

We have noticed that running on WVO gets us about the same mileage as diesel (for our bus, this is around 30 miles per gallon) and the engine actually runs a bit quieter since the WVO acts as a lubricant. And yes, it does smell like french fries!

After converting our car and learning about WVO, we began planning for the ultimate road trip. We had been wanting to leave Idaho for quite some time, but we weren't sure where we'd like to end up. So we decided to visit the places we were interested in moving to (and do a lot of camping and backpacking along the way) on one big volksvegan adventure. Once the decision was made, we quit our jobs, sold or stored almost all our belongings, and hit the road.

Our first stop was just 300 miles away in Boise, Idaho, where we both grew up (and where my parents were kind enough to offer some storage space and watch my cat for the summer). We quickly ran into a few kinks when our volksvegan overheated because of a coolant hose leak. Once in Boise, we scrambled to fix the leak before heading to Portland for my cousin's wedding. It was a long trip there, because we found out that the coolant reservoir was also leaking! So in Portland, more parts had to be tracked down, and soon the coolant system was fixed. We headed back to Boise (for another wedding!) and stopped in the Mt. Hood Wilderness to camp. Once back in Boise, we took the bus in to a shop because she wasn't starting up very well, and after dealing with a grumpy mechanic who didn't understand the WVO system or want to work on the bus because of it, we finally got some new glow plugs installed and had everything checked out so that it would start up reliably.

We played the waiting game in Boise for a bit, but while we were there, we did find some WVO thanks to a web site called FillUp4Free. Using our mobile pump and filtration system, we're filtering the WVO and now we're really ready to hit the road! Our next stop will be Yellowstone National Park, where we'll meet a friend before heading up through Montana and Glacier National Park to Canada. We'll also be checking out Oregon and Northern California (where we should have no problems finding WVO), although there is no concrete plan. We'll go wherever the WVO takes us!

Unfortunately, since we'll be on the road with an unpredictable schedule, I must take a hiatus from my weekly art & design column here on Green Options. We did start a web site for our trip though, so feel free to follow our journey at volksvegan.org. I'll update it whenever I can, and may even post now and then on Green Options to share what I'll be learning about sustainable travel and green living on the road. Until the volksvegan adventure leaves us settled in somewhere new, happy trails!

Beautiful Off-Road Bike Paths & Great Bicycle Signage

Image Credit 1: knallaerbse via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: freddy via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: nchenga via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Arts & Crafts Bikes

Image Credit 1: Jope 1978 via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: missdarling via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: alicetiara via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Great Bike Parking of All Sorts

To a secure bike center under the train station with attendants where you can also buy or rent a bike, visit a full-service bike shop, go to one of several available cafes, or get bikes maps and information:

Image Credit 1: Julikeishon en Basel via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: Climens via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: kbrookes via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 4: Márcio Cabral de Moura via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 5: acezz3000 via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 6: kbrookes via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 7: freddy via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Weather-Protected, Artistic Bike Seats

Image Credit: JackVinson via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Late last year, the California-based company announced that they would be installing 1.6 megawatts of solar energy atop their Mountain View campus buildings; the largest corporate solar venture in the U.S. Now, they're giving each employee a bike and encouraging everyone to ride to work on two wheels. The program will be available to more than 2,000 permanent employees located in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Each bike will branded with the Google name and come with a free helmet. There will be plenty of options to choose from for both men and women; with even a "fold-up" version available for people who can only bike halfway. According to Google's Director of Human Resources and Staffing overseas, Liane Hornsey, the bikes will give each employee the opportunity "keep fit and healthy, get to know their city better and reduce the environmental impact of their journey to work." Who can argue with that?

It's about time we get more in touch with bikes. Remember when you were a kid and it was the only lifesaving mode of transportation available? I used to bike for miles everyday — and up until recently, covered less ground in my car daily than I used to on my bike. Sure, there's obvious reasons for having a car handy, but biking is something that's so easily overlooked. It's great to see Google actually encouraging the practice and giving people an opportunity to enjoy something we all seem to forget as we get older. Hit the jump for more information!

Beautiful Off-Road Bike Paths & Great Bicycle Signage

Image Credit 1: knallaerbse via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: freddy via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: nchenga via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Arts & Crafts Bikes

Image Credit 1: Jope 1978 via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: missdarling via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: alicetiara via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Great Bike Parking of All Sorts

To a secure bike center under the train station with attendants where you can also buy or rent a bike, visit a full-service bike shop, go to one of several available cafes, or get bikes maps and information:

Image Credit 1: Julikeishon en Basel via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: Climens via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: kbrookes via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 4: Márcio Cabral de Moura via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 5: acezz3000 via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 6: kbrookes via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 7: freddy via flickr under a Creative Commons license

Weather-Protected, Artistic Bike Seats

Image Credit: JackVinson via flickr under a Creative Commons license