Transitioning to oil independence–by bike! (Comments: 3)

It’s a rainy day in Rochester, and except for a quick trip to the UU church for services today, I haven’t braved the gray day.

I’m a new contributer, though I’ve been around for a while. I moved to Rochester about 18 months ago and have been riding full time for about a year. I have to say, I love Rochester, and I love seeing more folks out on their bikes again. Winter is a tough time for year-rounders, and I’m happy that spring is finally here.

This past week, I went to a fantastic Earth Day talk about Transition Towns at First Unitarian. Transition Town is a UK movement that has made its way to the US. With an emphasis on eliminating our oil dependency, the movement encourages communities to work together on innovative alternatives to non-reusable energy sources, as well as creating more connected relationships within those communities. The Transition focuses on several areas of sustainability, including food, water, and transport, to inspire communities to come together and create systems that are sustainable and conducive to a healthy environment. It really is an inspiring model, and one that I hope Rochestarians will soon adopt.

To say that this movement relates to cycling communities is a severe understatement. I think that the more we do to encourage bike-friendly community structures and discourage the use of motor vehicles, the better prepared we will be for this pending oil apocalypse. At the very least, eliminating your personal dependence on oil reduces your financial vulnerability to the waves of price hikes and, presumably, gas shortages and/or rationing. I’m very interested in learning more about this movement. And also, I was so happy to see so many groups congregated together to learn more and to share their work with one another. Coalition-building is an important step towards effective change.

I’m so glad to be a part of a small group of folks who believe in the future of bicycles. Whether you use it to commute to work, grab a bite to eat with your best friend, or run out to the grocery store, your bike is a revolutionary tool, and it is creating change each time you hop on. So thanks for riding. And thanks for writing…