So many things have been getting done it has been difficult to get the
newsletter out. We have over 700 people on our mailing list now thanks
to so many people helping out. Sally Maslon has jumped in again to get
things back on track. Check out what else is happening
Best Russell Sydney
310-450-7419
In this Sustainable Transportation Club Newsletter:
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Community based action
Earthday event planning meeting scheduled for March 17th
A chance to coordinate efforts on Sustainable Transport VillageSS
How many can we produce for both April 14th and April 21st?
Expo Line public input sessions March 6th and March 15th
Bicycle path public input sessions March 19th
On the Expo Line right of way
City of Santa Monica Project
Check out the proposal before the City for Staff and Infrastructure
http://www.sustainableclub.org/html/stc_website_003.htm
Outreach and Education
New Club Web Site www.sustainableclub.org
A community resource for you & for manufacturers & organizers
Also a Google group site so people can start communicating directly
Alternative Fuels Conference April 1-4
A big deal and a chance to get up to speed on the latest changes
Weaning Ourselves From Petroleum Addiction Through Biodiesel
March 13th
Getting your Sustainable Ride
Bio Diesel in the South Bay Torrance area
Electric Bicycles feed back from hands on Experience
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You can find the subject you want by looking for the separator bars
with the row of XXXXXs in this document.
Please send any relevant information for inclusion in this
newsletter.
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Community based action
Earthday event planning for both April 14th and April 21st
A chance to coordinate efforts on Sustainable Transport Villages
Our Club has been built around tabling at events like the Earthday Event
on the 3rd Street Promenade. This is how to get your local area going with
a group that can work on your local issues. And this really works.
Planning Meeting Scheduled for
When: March 17th
Time: 10:15am to 12:00
Where: Unurban Cafe
Location: 33rd or Urban and Pico Across from Trader Joes.
In 2005 we worked with the Westside Greens to Share a booth. That is
when we connected with the electric car people and many others. By the
following year we put together the Sustainable Transport Village with a
fantastic array of alternatives from close to a dozen different groups.
Groups who helped create the Sustainable Transport Village
Sustainable Transport Club
LA County Bicycle Coalition
Green Depot
City of Santa Monica brought the RAV4 and Hydrogen Electric Prius
Big Blue Bus
Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Company
TRANS+PORT+STATION
Westside Greens-
Flexcar
BIOMOTO
BioBeetle ECO Rental Cars
Friends 4 Expo was next door with the Sierra Club
This was the first time all these alternatives came together in our area to
show the range of sustainable options. This was one of the bigger steps
that led to the Alternative Car Expo (the Alt Build Expo being the biggest
step in that direction).
We have grown considerably as a group since then. We have a substantial
group of people in Santa Barbara and concentrations around Pasadena and
in the South Bay. There are others across the state, around the country and
even in Europe.
What if we put together Sustainable Transport Villages in four or five
locations! What if we could get them in ten or twenty locations!
How cool would it be if we could claim to be part of such an effort? One
Village is cool; a network of a dozen working together is a movement! It
would get the presses attention and really help get the word out about our
alternatives. It creates a focus that really gets people going on using
sustainable alternatives. That improves the marketing of our message and
of our products.
Earthday is being celebrated on April 14th here in Santa Monica. We
already have a group in Manhattan Beach that is interested. The Bio-
Diesel Co-op is gearing up to do something. The bigger weekend will be
April 21st. That gives us two weekends.
Here is the link to the Manhattan Beach Groups March 19th meeting
http://www.eventcal.net/webcal1/asp1/vc.asp?CALID=75341
What can you do to help bring this together? We need people to organize
locations, to share booths with, to make signs, to volunteer, to help pay for
the booths.
Call or email a reply. Phone 310-450-7419
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Community based action
Expo Line public input sessions
Most of you know about the Expo line and it potential importance in
promoting bicycle use. An outline is below in case you can use it to
get others interested and as a starting point for your input to the
process. I welcome your point of view so we can build a solid picture.
The planning for the segment from Culver City to Santa Monica is in the
public input phase right now and there are meetings over the next two
weeks that can make a difference. Getting bicycle concerns met by the
construction plans can really open things up and you are the people who
know the most about this.
Public Input Meetings
When: Tuesday March 6th
Time: 6:30 to 8:30
Where: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium meeting room
Address: 1855 Main Street SM
When: Tuesday March 15th
Time: 6:30 to 8:30
Where: Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services
Address: 3200 Motor Ave
For more info:
www.friends4expo.org
or
Gaby Gonzalez, Government/Community Relations Representative
Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority
707 Wilshire Blvd., 34th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: (213) 922-3976 Fax: (213) 243-5535
E-mail: Phase2@exporail.net or www.buildexpo.org under the "Phase 2"
Outline of the importance of the Expo line for Sustainable Transport
Not only is the Expo line a high level of Sustainable Transport itself but
also it can make other forms of sustainable transport more viable. Top of
that list is bicycles and lightweight electrics as well as a range of
neighborhood transport vehicles.
Smaller electric and renewable fuel vehicles can provide our local
transportation needs while the rail gets us to the rest of the city cleanly
and efficiently. This will be viable if we get the right security and storage
features included at the rail stations.
The trains stations would become the cornerstones of our localized
transportation system. We would need to help plan those so that the rest
of the city can feed into it in ways that encourage and support sustainable
solutions. This means getting the bike lanes, bicycle boulevards and roads
safe for small and low speed vehicles tied into the stations.
The line includes specifications for a bicycle path adjacent to the
route that would be a bicycle only route from Culver City to Santa
Monica. Getting that included with the right features to make it viable
could be a huge boost to bicycles.
It is important that bicycle activists consider the details of this.
The line may go down the Expo line right of way the whole way or it may
get diverted down Venice and up Sepulveda. The diversion would add
9/10ths of a mile to the ride and may affect the bicycle lanes already
on Venice. The Exposition right of way is more likely to include a full
build on a bicycle path.
The line would allow us to take our bikes to every train station on the
metro system. This includes being able to get to Union Station and
connect to all Am Track destinations. We need to make sure that
bicycles can be accommodated in this way.
Bicycles and lightweight electric vehicles can be used to get to and
from the trains stations. This will allow people to commute to large
areas of LA without a car. This will only be viable if proper storage
and security for bicycle is provided. What is the best solution for this?
We have a chance to help shape this important part of our transport future.
See if you can make it to the meetings to help all of us get this done right.
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Community based action
Bicycle path public input sessions on the expo line right of way
These sessions are being called
EXPOSITION ROW
BIKE & PEDESTRIAN PATH
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
They are a chance for us to help shape the sustainable transport future.
This is courtesy of the City - our contact is Ellen.Gelbard@SMGOV.NET
When: Monday, March 19, 2007
Time: 6:45 to 8:30 pm (meeting starts at 7:00 pm)
Where: Virginia Avenue Park Community Room
2200 Virginia Avenue (between 20th & Cloverfield)
The City of Santa Monica is planning a 1.2-mile Class I bike and
pedestrian path on the Exposition rail right-of-way (ROW) between the
eastern City limit and 17th Street.
The project will offer an alternative transportation opportunity, enhance
sustainability and provide a new outdoor community resource. In addition
to a bikeway and adjacent pedestrian path, elements of the project will
include sustainable landscaping, lighting and a public art component. The
bike path in Santa Monica is an important segment of a bikeway that will
ultimately extend all the way to Downtown Los Angeles along the
Exposition ROW and will be coordinated carefully with the future rail
line. Grant funding for design and construction of this project is through
the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The
project design team is just beginning its work. You are encouraged to join
us to learn more about the project and provide your input at this early stage.
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Community based action
City of Santa Monica Project
Check out the proposal before the City for Staff and Infrastructure
http://www.sustainableclub.org/html/stc_website_003.htm
We have submitted a proposal to the City of Santa Monica for a
Sustainable Transport Coordinator and for specific infrastructure to
encourage sustainable solutions bicycle, smaller vehicles, plug in
electrics and renewable fuels.
The details of all this are on the new web site. Please check this out, as we
may need further action and support on this. This is also a step toward
getting the Land Use and Circulation Elements of the general plan sorted
out.
Getting YOUR Community Moving
This is an example of what any of us can do to promote sustainability in
our communities. We encourage you to check out what we are doing in
Santa Monica and see if you can do something along the same lines in
your community. We have lots of members all over Southern California
from Santa Barbara to San Diego we can help p you find others to work
with on these sorts of projects. We can give you the benefit of our
experience to help things work in your area.
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Outreach and Education
New Club Web Site www.sustainableclub.org
A community resource for drivers, manufacturers and organizers
Also a Google group site to start people communicating directly
This new web site can be a resource for all of us. We can share
information and use it as a way to build our community. There are several
links on there already and we would love to have more from you.
The site will become a resource with lots of information posted on it. IF
you have info you think will benefit others please sent it to the email
address on this newsletter and we will get it in as appropriate.
The site is brand new and probably has some glitches and bugs. Different
web browsers react differently so your help in sorting it out would be
great. Please let us know of any that you find so we can get it to be really good.
There is also a Google group set up for us to share information directly. It
is just starting now so it is pretty basic but who knows how much we can
accomplish with that! Here is the link-
http://groups.google.com/group/sustainableclub?lnk=srg
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Outreach and Education
Alternative Fuels Conference April 1-4
This is a big deal and a way to get up to speed and stay current on what is
happening. The registration for the conference is oriented toward
government and corporate expense accounts and the public can check out
the exhibits and booths FREE on Wednesday the 4th from 8:00 to Noon.
Here is the web link and a recent Email from the organizers.
http://www.afvi.org/NationalConference2007/
History will be made April 1-4 in Anaheim, California, where the largest
gathering of alternative fuel professionals will
convene for the 13th
Alternative Fuels & Vehicles
National Conference + Expo.
Records for mobility feats are nothing new. Consider some
recent Guinness World Records.
What is new is the record-breaking participation in the 13th
National Conference.
The only record we dont have is yours. You can fix that today by
registering for the worlds largest fuel and technology neutral conference.
p.s.
There are only 9 days left to reserve your room at the host hotel the
Anaheim
Marriott. And, the only way to reserve your room is as you register for
the
Conference. So, sign-up for the conference today and reserve your room at
the
same time!
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Outreach and Education
Weaning Ourselves From Petroleum Addiction Through Biodiesel
Host: Stephan McGuire
Location: Tree Media
2218 Main Street - 2nd floor, Santa Monica, CA View Map
When: Tuesday, March 13, 7:00pm
Phone: 310-450-4343
Let's discuss the future of biodiesel production and distribution for Los
Angeles (and the Greater Southern California Region) ... fostering
community self-reliance...empowering healthier fuel standards...
strengthening statewide energy independence... insuring national
security... encouraging ecological restoration... and... drafting a realistic
action plan for developing these ideas. This evening is about planning for
a sustainable fuel future...
The Biodiesel Roundtable discussion will be
hosted by Tree Media and moderated by Josh Tickell. Seating is
limited to 100, so please RSVP as soon as possible (and please invite
people that NEED to know about this event).
There will also be a special presentation by the Green Ambassadors
(local high school biodiesel advocates). You won't want to miss
their energetic and informative biodiesel presentation, and learn about their "Healthy School Bus Campaign."
Doors open at 7pm, discussion begins at 7:30
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Getting your Sustainable Ride
Bio Diesel in the South Bay Torrance area
The Bio-Diesel Co-op is still working its magic. They have arranged to
have the City of Torrance help make Biodiesel available tot h public.
Their new trailer is now at a turn out next to the City yards. It is a great
location with easy access and centrally located near the Del Amo
Shopping center.
What: Biodiesel Fueling Trailer (renewable energy that is carbon neutral)
Where: On The South side of Madrona Ave and Del Amo Blvd
When: Starting Now.
Who: The Biodiesel Co-op with extra credit to Christopher and Alex Pine. And the whole board and membership way to go
Help spread the word that the green house gas solutions are happening
now! Foreign oil who needs it! Biodiesel no war required.
You need to contact the coop to get access to the trailer.
They are still operating the trailer in the Downtown LA area as well so
keep on dieseling.
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Getting your Sustainable Ride
Converting your Bicycle to Electric
Re: Electric bicycle Conversions from David Sampanis
For the last two years I have been tinkering with electric bike conversions.
The biggest issue is the placement of the batteries. They need to be placed
as low as possible to the ground, or else the high center of gravity creates
instability, difficult maneuvering and even parking.
The best solution I have seen is the Santa Barbara Bicycle model, which
uses a removable battery pack with a handle and key locking mechanism,
placed low on the center post. This allows the battery (which almost
weighs as much as the bike) to be easily separated from the bike. It also
allows for using multiple battery packs, where 1 can be charging at home
or work, while the other is being used, so you have a freshly charged pack
at your destination waiting for you to swap out.
A simple home garage solution could involve attaching gel cel sealed lead
acid batteries to low parts of the frame. Electric tool batteries are smaller
and lighter for the same output and are readily available, but more
expensive.
Electrically, the most complex set up contains a controller box for the
motor, with a speed control (which is just a potentiometer). An on/off
switch activates the controller. The brake control has a wire that will turn
off the motor automatically when the brake is pressed. The speed control
tells the controller how many pulses of electricity to send to the motor per
unit of time. Fewer pulses, lower speed, all the way up to non-pulsed full power.
For motors, there are hub motors and separate motors. The hub motors are
available for either the front wheel, or the rear, or both. The hub motors
have two wires coming out from the hollowed out axle, which does not
spin, since it is tightly bolted to the frame. Hub based motors are a nice
solution since they are simple and don't require much work to use.
Sometimes a hub-based motor is wider than a typical bike rim, so your
fork or frame may not be compatible. Just measure it before you order
your parts.
You can also order your own scooter motor and mount it with it's own
chain or belt drive. This is probably not worthwhile due to all of the
custom work required, but it is possible.
For the rest of this information please see the full information at
http://www.sustainableclub.org/html/stc_website_018.htm
Contact David - DSampanis@aol.com
You can also send us info on this line and we will add it to the website.
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Sustainable Transport Busting out all over so much going on and you can help make it happen.