The joyful ride on the bicycle bus

Part of the Marketday story is about being part of the community - being more visible, active and connected.  So I'm interested in how cities around the world live a more communal and connected life.

For me a communal and connected life is about having choices about how you do the things you do, every day. Having the right tools to actually have a choice (Public transport, a bike, a cart). 

For some it's about the pace of life - slowing down and taking time to smell the roses, the coffee, the  freshly mowed grass. This connects to the time pressures we have on us and how these can be reduced.

For others, they think being connected is having places close by that are meeting your work, education, social and play needs. This has a focus on better infrastructure, cleaner air and a will to participate in your community.

I subscribe to a few climate action newsletters. One in particular called 'Reasons to be Cheerful,' highlights the good, slow and steady work being done across the globe to make change to our environment, our health and our collective wellbeing. 

This is where I learned about 15 minute cities.  Paris, Barcelona, Stockholm are just some of the cities creating spaces for people to walk & ride while blocking out vehicular traffic.  Policy change is ensuring that people have the things they need with 15 minutes of their home.  These cities aren't the only ones, with many more local municipalities encouraging active and healthy lifestyles by making it easier to get places on foot or by bike. 

I saw a show recently that was highlighting a bicycle bus.

There were literally hundreds of children joining a mass of other kids on bikes enroute to the local school. It was led by a group of parents and community members with a passion for making it happen. 

All those cars off the road, kids to school safely and lots of happy noise and encouragement along the way. That image is so joyful and really sums up how I feel about people coming together to do their little bit. Once you start, others will join and you can't help but be part of it.

One step, one conversation, one bike ride at a time has to be the place to start.
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