I imagined myself sipping a glass of champagne before jetting off to Paris for the day… That was me, in awe of the champagne bar at St. Pancras International in the heart of London. Actually, I was in awe of everything at St. Pancras- the 30 foot bronze sculpture of a couple saying their goodbyes… [Read more…]
Everyone, or nearly everyone, will spend a few moments reflecting on the close of the first decade of the 21st Century before beginning the next decade with a an awe inspiring hangover. We, here in the land of green opportunity, are no different. Let us review the events of the past decade in all their… [Read more…]
Here’s an opportunity (or three) for Silicon Valley – small, self contained solar generation. As the rain fell in San José on Christmas Eve I learned about Sara Ruto, an entrepreneurial woman living in a remote Kenyan village. Ms. Ruto would walk two miles on dirt paths and take a 3 hour motorcycle taxi ride… [Read more…]
November 28, 2010 by shilohballard
In Utrecht, the network of bike paths was incredible, comprehensive, seemingly unending and…pretty. By pretty, I don’t just mean scenic. I mean that the paving material used was aesthetically pleasing. It was brick and/or some sort of cobblestone, something that adds personality to a city while making the riding/walking experience enjoyable and interesting. Function AND… [Read more…]
Just in time for Halloween the pod people have arrived in San José - except these folks come with the Podcar and are not interested in eating your brain. San José’s city hall is home to a three day conference on the latest in personal rapid transit (PRT). Touting podcars as the latest in green, fast… [Read more…]
October 19, 2010 by shilohballard
A few months ago, I blogged about electric vehicles. I wrote that they promise to help move us in a more sustainable direction but that ultimately, biking is where it’s at. Little did I know that just a few months later I would be riding an electric bike around Rotterdam as a part of a… [Read more…]
October 10, 2010 by shilohballard
In the US, garages are akin to storage units, providing a safe haven for holiday decorations, photo albums, camping gear and that bike you manage to ride very infrequently. In Amsterdam, garages are used to park cars. How does this happen? In Amsterdam the Dutch do not allow people to buy a parking… [Read more…]
Who knew that taking over parking spaces with trees, grass, plants and people could be so much fun!? Last Friday was PARK(ing) Day, an international, grassroots event for artists, advocates and citizens to temporarily transform on-street parking spaces into urban parks. This annual event got its start in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco art… [Read more…]
September 5, 2010 by shilohballard
New IPO foreign correspondent Shiloh Ballard gives us an update to her cycling mission in the Netherlands. On the way to Utrecht from Amsterdam, the first thing I noticed about bikes was the bike parking. I saw a double decker parking structure and was shocked. That was just the beginning. There were full blown parking… [Read more…]
It’s a choice. Do you celebrate the influx of rain with all the annoying side effects or do you complain vigorously? I hope you celebrate. Yes, I occasionally grump and moan about the rain as well look forward to a post rain sunny day. In the main, I love the rain. Love rainy days with… [Read more…]
January 3, 2011 by thenewipo
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