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One of the challenges with moving towards sustainability is the separation of different areas of human living into different levels of government. In Canada, municipalities are responsible for municipal transportation systems, including bike infrastructure, while provinces are responsible (mostly) for health systems. This means that spending on one area does not result in savings for … Continue reading
Picture a gym filled with people moving in all different ways: treadmills, stationary bikes, rowing ergs, strength machines, and maybe an aerobics class. Now imagine that all of that movement was helping to power the building. I have seen very small-scale applications. At one point, a job I used to work had a bike that … Continue reading
I have definitely had to put my bike away and take the car in response to events like wildfire smoke. I haven’t had to for extreme heat, but extreme heat where I am, while bad, isn’t the same as some other places in the world. But, as we approach summer, and remembering that last year … Continue reading
I get comments about safety all the time when I bike commute: “I wouldn’t risk it, it’s so dangerous.” The thing is that I’m healthier when I’m biking in, so how do the health benefits of the biking balance with the higher risk of traffic accidents? Friel and colleagues (2024) looked at long term health … Continue reading
I’ve been trying to change my language away from car-centric metaphors for a while. I try not to say, “Take the road less travelled,” for example, and switch it to “path.” When I talk about putting an idea aside to think about or discuss later I’ve started saying, “we’ll put that in the bike rack … Continue reading
I’m always curious whether incentive programs work. Some of them seem logical. If you received an incentive to switch to a high energy furnace, then you kind of have to be using that high energy furnace. Of course, you might be keeping the temperature higher than you would have otherwise but that’s a topic for … Continue reading
We just got our first big dump of snow this past weekend and I’m itching to get out on my bike. That isn’t something I thought I would write three years ago. I’ve only been winter cycling for two years (this will be my third), other than a brief foray with poor equipment several years … Continue reading
I’m super interested in how we can leverage technology for sustainability, including mobility. But I also hate seeing people turn to technology to provide the solution when other options might be better suited. So a few articles caught my eye that are exploring smart mobility. They are all from a special issue of the Journal … Continue reading
I’m currently reading Walkable Cities by Jeff Speck. In it, he talks about induced demand which is the common finding that widening roads, which is done to reduce traffic congestion, generally maintains or increases congestion. This is because, in the short term reduced congestion makes trips easier so people make more of them or more … Continue reading
I often wonder about who has access to cycling infrastructure. When I am commuting along designated paths, particularly separated paths, I’ve noticed that there is a strong association with bigger houses and fewer apartment buildings. But admittedly, I don’t bike around the entire city anymore. So perhaps I’m missing part of the picture. As a … Continue reading
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