Tags - biking (clear)
LUSH Charity Pot: Pedalling for Papua
This week, Jeremy Bally is joining the LUSH blog just as he prepares for another incredible adventure with Pedalling for Papua. We're proud to have Jeremy and his incredible organization as part of our Charity Pot family and we wish him the best of luck on his journey and sharing the messages from West Papua.
I pored over my itinerary last night with a calculator, and realized that I’ll be cycling 12,633 kilometers before this year is over. I haven’t started training yet, and it’s about 3 weeks until I leave. But I really don’t feel concerned. At least about that.
On the 1st of May in West Papua, dozens of demonstrations were held around the region to protest the 50th anniversary of Indonesia seizing control over the area. Over those 50 years, it’s been estimated that as many as 500,000 West Papuans have been killed either by the Indonesian security forces that operate with impunity there, or by the inequitable lack of development in their resource rich homeland. These protests saw 2 more added to that number, as military and police fired indiscriminately on peaceful protestors. Incidents like this fuel the belief that a slow motion genocide is still being perpetrated against West Papuans, who in the past few years have become a minority in their homeland. This is what I feel concerned about. I figure it’s worth more worry than a p...
Shelley Has Pedal Power!
To get to our headquarters in Vancouver some people drive, many take transit, and then there are the bike commuters. We're not located in central Vancouver; it can be quite a trek to get to work for some. Luckily our office is on a major bike route and our bike racks are often full. A great form of transportation and exercise, biking to work is also great for the environment. But we also live in Vancouver and it RAINS many months of the year. Biking to work is a commitment.
Shelley MacEachern bikes to work year round, in all weather conditions and helps to organize our Bike to Work Week initiatives at LUSH. October 29 - November 2 was the latest BTWW and not only was she getting everyone riding (in the pouring rain), but she was also volunteering at the city-wide commuter stations.
How long have you been biking for?
I have been riding a bike steadily for about 7 years. I started riding again about 8 or 9 years ago, I was working at a coffee shop and had to be
in Kits by 6am. After several sketchy incidents that occurred on Commercial Dr while walking to the bus stop in the wee dark hours of the morning I decided to borrow a friends bike and ride to work. Save money, save my skin, and get some much needed exercise! After I left there I took a year off riding and then started again when I came to work at LUSH. I rode a borrowed bike for a while and then bought a crumby old bike at the auction. I told myself if I rode that bike for a year I could buy myself a shiny new bike with the money I saved from taking transit! And I did. I call it “Bikey”, I know, not very original but&hell...
