I just want to throw this out there and see if anyone with connections to COTA (or COTA themselves) are interested in the idea and want to run with it. As a member of UAArts.org I am challenged to find ways to raise funds for the arts; I also happen to be someone with a great love of public transit and realize increased ridership is the only way to bring better transit options to Central Ohio.

With that in mind I thought a great event would be something like this. All of the arts organizations (I’ve been told there are about 600) in Central Ohio sponsor artists to participate. An equivilant number of scale model COTA busses are distributed to the artists (think something along the size of 2 feet long – easily displayed and transported).

The artists paint these models in anyway they see fit with the understanding that the result has to be family friendly and flat – ie no art car type attachments that pose a service issue for actual busses. Once the artists have created their pieces then the art is transfered to the actual COTA busses. The effect being a higher attention to the busses and some beautiful art moving throughout the city day in and day out. Contests could take place to get people to try and get a picture of all of the different busses, etc. The visibility for COTA would be immense and this project should bring in tourists to see the busses.

The model busses then get auctioned off with the money going back to the arts organizations that sponsored the artist. This way these organizations can continue their mission of bringing public art to Central Ohio.

So what do you think?

I apologize for the extremely rough drawing but I wanted to post up something that began to capture my idea in a visual way. I will make better drawings of this design for future proposals. I was recently inspired by William McDonough & Michael Braungart, authors of “Cradle to Cradle” and principles at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, while reading the aformentioned book. The general principle being that we should focus future industrial products, solutions, designs on objects which are not just enviromentally friendly but eventually end up in a graveyard of sorts but instead on products the are actually reborn as something new when their original intent has run its course. In fact they advocate that we should focus on the rebirth of the product as much as we are focused on the product itself, with an eye on creating manufacturing processes that also generate rebirth instead of destruction.

This is a great task to take in but one that must be considered. While I don’t believe I have a product which meets all of these high standards I do believe that the product I am proposing will meet some of the standards and, with help from more experienced manufacturers, this product could meet all of the above intentions.

Rainwater runoff from the structures of modern society are a huge problem. While we have no control over the rain fall (and we shouldn’t, let nature do what it should) we do have some level of control over how we allow it to function once it reaches the ground. As communities grow so does the amount of pavement and roof decking. While building designers continue to revive ancient roof gardening ideals and innovate new ways of implementing these gardens little has been done to dissipate the effects of our paved masses outside of water retention ponds and cisterns. While these are functional solutions which help to minimize, and in some cases irradicate runoff polution they are still cradle-to-grave solutions instead of cradle-to-cradle solutions.

According to a study completed by Leslie Struble and Jonathon Godfrey at the University of Illinois Urbana Campus the environmental cost between concrete and metal have some comparisons which would make metal grating a possible solution based on the extended lifespan and next use that I would propose. I believe that a newer polymer or possible a carbon fibre based solution could also provide an even greater benefit but my limited experience with such materials makes it more logical for me to present the idea using a substance I understand. I will however make some propositions for other materials which would require substantiation to be completed by an engineer trained in the composition of those materials.

What I want to focus on is for the world of today. According to the environmental cost study the tipping point which makes concrete a more environmentally friendly alternative is the energy spent creating the final product. At 140MJ versus steels 220MJ this is a large gap but I intend to show how steel grating can be used to be reused over time without a cost of reprocessing it whereas concrete must be turned back into aggregate or portland cement prior to being reused. The reprocessing cost of both energy and similar environmental costs as original processing means that when the second or third processing occurs the environmental cost will exceed that of the metal grating option. According to Concrete Technology the best use for recycled concrete is downcycled options such as low traffic or light use surfaces like sidewalks, only 10-20% of reclaimed material is useful for new high traffic options.

The design that I would suggest would be a steel or possibly even a titanium or stainless steel grid with the option of creating unique and beautiful designs as either the blank space or the material component of the grid. In the picture above I used simple ovals as an example but perhaps those could be a business logo or local flora and fauna designs. These grids would be constructed to “float” a few millimeters above the turf using a system of pylons sunk into the earth. This float would protect the turf from further damage and would allow for better water routing to the full surface area instead of only the void spaces of the grating. By remaining within a few millimeters of the earth you would eliminate the risk of injury from tripping on the voids when walking.

In terms of safety the metal would be manufactured with a rough texture so that maximum traction is available both to wheeled vehicles and to pedestrians. If a metal grid system is utilized then solutions to warm it for ice thawing would also be possible. The turf will be planted with hearty native sedums which will benefit the local ecology and without a barrier between the topsoil and the earth (such as in some concrete grid designs) the ground will be safe for local wildlife to burrow into.

Installation of the product will require few steps. After the grading of the parking area piers will be sunk as connection points for the plates. These piers can also be used as basis for lighting and landscaping features. The metal grid plates are then put in place and either riveted or welded. At this point the ground can be seeded and allowed to start growth. If plumbing, sewage lines, electrical or telecom wiring is placed under the parking surface it can be easily serviced by removing the appropriate plates which can then be quickly put back in place as soon as the service is complete. In the future the parking structure can be disassembled and reassembled at a new location, effectively re-purposing the components for its next life. By not molesting the metal with other metals it can also be melted down and reformed without losing a great deal of integrity.

Future material considerations should include polymars and carbon based materials. In the future there is a hope (well, I have a hope) that someone figures out how to utilize the carbon that we create as polution to possibly create carbon fibre products or something similar. Likewise materials which lifecycle out to seed and ground nutrients would also be beneficial in a situation such as this.

Here’s a Google Sketchup of what I’m thinking, still rough but better than my hand drawing.

Bike to Work Week into Bike to Live Life

I’m thrilled to see so many people out on bicycles today either as a daily mode of transit or especially for this 2008 Bike to Work Week. I just rode up from the Statehouse and I am glad to report to you that today, like everyday, is a wonderful day to be on two wheels. I want to thank the organizers for this opportunity to speak about a few things close to my heart.

So first things first, why should we all hop on bicycles instead of walking, busing, driving or maybe someday taking the train? Don’t all of these forms of transit have their place?

Absolutely they do. Unfortunately our society has put such a stigma on all of these forms of transportation EXCEPT for driving that the others have been neglected. This week is all about removing that stigma from bicycling – although obviously walking and riding the bus deserve to have that stigma removed as well.

This year we’ve seen an amazing response to the call for people to ride on Bike to Work Week. There is one very real reason for this – gas prices are already pushing the $4 a gallon mark which suggests a reality of them reaching up over the $4 a gallon mark during the summer. Over the past 7 years we have seen oil prices soar while investment in public transit and alternative transportation options plummet. We must turn this trend around. I suggest we look for the opportunity in what otherwise might feel like a helpless situation.

The prices are now at such a point that the neediest of our community have hit the brick wall; they literally can not pay for gas at this price and are going to start falling deeper into social systems or worse yet, through the cracks in these safety nets. Many people have chosen to believe that this is a personal responsibility issue; that it isn’t a concern of theirs because they can still pay $4 a gallon.

As our social institutions overcrowd there will be greater burden placed on everyone; services that the broader public rely on will also become burdened and all along fuel costs will continue to rise. Abatement of fuel taxes will, at best, only provide for very short term relief. Eventually, perhaps as soon as next summer, we will be looking at $6 a gallon. At that point many of the people sluffing off the $4 a gallon gas will also be hitting that brick wall.

For this reason let’s make time work for us all. Instead of waiting to hit the brick wall; waiting for that morning you wake up and realize you can either put gas in the car to get to work or else you can feed yourself or family; let’s start making some options for ourselves.

When I started riding my bicycle to work a few years ago it was difficult. I weighed 250 pounds and had recently given up smoking. I wasn’t sure how to deal with freshening up for the office and I wasn’t good at fixing my bike on the road if I broke down. I didn’t have any friends in my same situation; I just had a desire to get healthy again and save money. I’d always enjoyed bicycling and thought it was a natural fit. Waking up at 6am, dragging myself into the shower, and then getting onto a bicycle for the 30 minute ride into work was extremely tough to get used to. I found that one way to ease myself into the routine was to pedal a mile or so to the bus stop, put my bike on the front, and ride the bus into work. That way I didn’t have to worry about being too sweaty when I got to the office and I could get a good ride in on the way home from work.

After a month or two of this I realized that I was fit enough that, by wearing appropriate riding clothes, I could ride into work faster than I could bus in. I also figured out some very simple strategies for cleaning up when necessary once I got to work. With this I found it was simple enough to get along even on days when there is inclement weather. Wet from sweat or wet from rain are very similar at that point and riding in the rain can honestly be fun sometimes, particularly on a warm spring or summer day.

Now, my job takes me off site from time to time which requires some planning but that doesn’t mean it is impossible. In most situations meetings can be scheduled to make for fewer trips back and forth between locations, often other people are also traveling to the meetings which makes for carpooling opportunities, and in worst case scenarios I will ride my motorcycle instead.

I tend to broadcast my commitment to cycling. Everyone at work knows that I bicycle commute and while I have plenty of environmental stances that favor bicycling I don’t stand on that platform as my main reason for riding. I’ve found that, when trying to convince others to ride, they are already thinking of ways to evade your line of reason. Labeling you as a “crazy environmentalist” is one way for them to easily write you off. I’m not saying that is fair, just realistic. I think the best way to win people over is just by letting them see you live a normal life; without a car.

In fact many people at work wouldn’t know that I bicycle to work if I didn’t mention it whenever it seemed appropriate. I think that’s one key to selling the idea to people. Most people feel like they are going to have to make a radical change in their lifestyle to use primarily alternative forms of transportation but that just isn’t true. Granted, there are people who have chosen to live way out in the exurbs which have committed themselves to driving a car for now – but the bulk of central Ohio’s population lives here in Franklin County and thus is well within the range of using bicycle and COTA for their travel needs. The biggest struggle is for people to change their minds, to decide that now is the time to explore their travel options, not later when they are too far invested in car culture to change.

I want to sort of wrap things up by talking about what changes I’ve noticed this week. On any given day I can count on having at least 2 near misses due to cars not paying attention to me on the road. This week I had 4 on Monday alone, one of which I am certain was intentional. The thing is that, well, over this week those were the only near misses that occurred. Whether it was the media push about bike to work week, the gas prices finally getting to people, or just dumb luck I’m not sure. I can attest to the fact that I’ve been getting passed by people more respectfully this week. I’ve also seen a ton of new riders out there which has been great. As a team lead for my office’s bike to work weak team I’ve heard from a couple of the participants that they’re already looking forward to next week when the weather is supposed to be even nicer. These are people who prior to this event hadn’t ever ridden to work on their bicycle and now they’ll be doing it daily. That’s an amazing change of mind right there.

The news this week continued to cover the fact that gas prices are climbing and they continued to provide cheats for how to increase mileage in your car. What was finally on the table along with that though was an actual call for people to start cycling. There wasn’t a lead in to the story about being the oddball bicyclist, there was just the reality that bicycles are transportation – and they even pointed out that bikes are meant to be in traffic, not on the sidewalks.

All of these changes, all of these changes of mind. I think this is what can happen when we all get together and show our community that we can be that change we want to see. I encourage everyone to continue using alternate transportation until the day comes that we can drop the word alternate and just call it transit.

Bike to work week is a catalyst, it is an event, or group of events, which can create such change that someday we’ll all just know of it as bike to live life.