Strong steps are being taken for sustainable transport – see what
you might want to get in on….
Best Russell Sydney
310-450-7419
In this Sustainable Transportation Club Newsletter:
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Community based action
Building the buzz for Alt Car Expo
Election for Santa Monica City Council
Support for Kevin McKeown
Not too late to support sustainable goals
With an update on Santa Monica Project
Outreach and Education
Green Ambassador outreach program getting moving
Reaching out to teens to build a renewable future
Getting your Sustainable Ride
Electric Bicycle Battery repairs and replacements
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You can find the subject you want by looking for the separator bars
with the row of XXXXX’s in this document.
Please send any relevant information for inclusion in this
newsletter.
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Community based action
Building the buzz for Alt Car Expo
What can you do to help get the word out about this great show
that is shaping up so well? It is time to start building the buzz….
The Expo is taking of with an incredible response from the
sustainable transport vendors. It sounds like the electric vehicles
should be turned out in force with one of the strongest showings in
the country ever. Human powered and alt fuel vehicles will be in
abundance. There are companies from all over the country and
even from Europe with an interest in the
The question is how can we help get this tremendous technology
show attended by as many people as possible? It starts with us
talking it up to our friends and neighbors and getting the
information out to as many people as possible. Here is the basic info:
WHAT: Alt Car Expo – alternative transport technologies from
boards to busses, from Compressed natural gas to electric
vehicles.
WHERE: Barker Hanger 3012 Airport Ave, Santa Monica Airport
WHEN: December 9 and 10th 2006
WHO BY:
Sponsored by the City of Santa Monica it will include the
widest possible array of alternative transportation technology
vendors ever assembled in California
WHO FOR:
Everyone interested in getting free from our oil dependence
and/or driving pollution free.
HOW MUCH: FREE admission, $5:00 to park
(unless you come on two wheels?)
FOR MORE INFO: go to altcarexpo.com
PARADE TO KICK THINGS OFF –
The event starts with a parade from the Santa Monica Pier to the
Airport; bikes and scooters in front, LNG busses bringing up the
rear and a wonderful configuration of electric vehicles and alt fuel
vehicles in between. Any ideas about fun things for the parade can
probably still be considered so get them to us and we will pass
them along.
Electric motor scooters will be included - who wants in on that?
This could be a really big step toward sustainable transport. The
more people we get to attend the bigger the step. The more buzz
we start to put out the more people will come. Who can you email,
call or talk to about this.
As the director of sales for Vectrix North America puts it –
IT IS NOT THE PRICE OF THE GAS BUT THE COST OF THE OIL
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Community based action
Election for Santa Monica City Council
Support for Kevin McKeown
What a can you do to help get Kevin McKeown reelected?
Kevin has been on board with the Sustainable Transport Club since
the idea was given birth at a Westside Greens meeting. He was
instrumental in the success of our first event with the Don’t Crush
effort where he presented the leaders of that group with an official
commendation from the City of Santa Monica. He has been a
tireless advocate for sustainability in all forms and is our main
contact at city hall.
He has clearly demonstrated a deep commitment to integrity in
government and campaign finance as to issues of social justice.
So, if you can find a way to help him get more votes then that
would be an important way to support sustainable transportation.
Here are some things you can do:
1, talk to any one you know that is registered to vote in Santa
Monica and encourage them to vote for Kevin McKeown. (If the
need more info just have them call the number below)
2, email these people with this information and a personal note.
3, put up a sign on your property in Santa Monica to support his efforts
4, send money to his campaign
5, let me know if you would be interested in tabling at the farmers
market to support him and build the sustainable transport clubs
mailing list.
You can contact his campaign in the following way:
To donate to his campaign, www.mckeown.net
For a lawn or window sign, esineg92@hotmail.com
PLEASE VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH!
Kevin is being attacked by major development money so please
jump in and keep the council representative of our concerns.
There is a second candidate on the ballot in Santa Monica that is
clearly a good choice for supporting our efforts. I would be happy
to include any information about TERRY O’DAY in a subsequent
newsletter if anyone would care to contribute what he or she
knows. One of our main activists has spoken highly of this
candidate so that is a good sign.
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Community based action
Not too late to support sustainable goals
With an update on Santa Monica Project
The effort to get sustainable transport implemented in Santa
Monica is moving forward solidly. Several of our core activists
will be meeting with the new director of Planning and their staff in
the next two weeks. This is thanks in large part to Kevin McKeown.
The activists attending will include:
A bicycle advocate
A lightweight vehicle advocate and local sustainability
entrepreneur
A renewable fuels advocate and entrepreneur
A community organizer for sustainable transport
This group should be well prepared to represent the issues tied to
your concerns about sustainability. The activists in turn know that
they have a solid base of support from you and the over 400 people
who have signed on to our club mailing list. This is what grass
roots democracy is all about!
This can be done for every city in So. Cal. What can we do to
support such an effort in your area?
This should be good timing as the updating of the Land Use and
Circulation Element goals was postponed into November. We are
already well positioned for that meeting with a good number of our
members having sent emails to support our point of view.
This effort is the way for us to get the bike lanes finished,
renewable fuel in place and the support for electric vehicles we
need as well as all the other goals we need to accomplish to enjoy
sustainable transport.
AND IT IS NOT TOO LATE FOR YOU TO SEND YOUR SUPPORT.
If you have not sent your notice of support please do so now.
We are submitting the support responses in three
categories as follows:
1, Santa Monica Residents
2, People who work, shop and /or play in Santa Monica
3, Sustainable Transport Industry Pioneers from around the country
If you fit into one or more of these then now is the time to be
counted. You can be included on that list by taking a simple action.
Here is what you do to get on the list. Send an email to rsydney1@verizon.net
with the following information:
1, Your name
2, the city you live in
3, your phone number (this will be kept for Club reference only
and not included on the list)
4, any title or other credential that is related to Sustainable Transportation.
5, a statement to the effect that “you support the letter dated
September 19th regarding making sustainability a priority for our
transportation system in Santa Monica” (feel
free to copy this
phrase or write one of your own).
Call 310-450-7419 if you have questions or if we can help you to
get people and groups on board.
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Outreach and Education
Green Ambassador outreach program getting moving
Reaching out to teens to build a renewable future
Some of our biodiesel activists are working to build the movement
by getting high school teens involved through the Green
Ambassador program. This group includes Alayha Aquarian,
Joshua Tickell, Sara Laimon, our youngest activist Alex Pine and others.
This idea starts with teaching classes about renewable energy and
biodiesel. The students are being taught the subject and how to
teach others about what is going on. The idea is to turn the first
group into Ambassadors that will spread the word far and wide. It
is a great idea that could really spread the word and become a
strong way to get many parents on board. How can a parent resist
their teen asking them to save some fuel for their future?
The program is starting at the Environmental Charter School in
Lawndale. It is slated to spread to Torrance, Culver City and Santa
Monica. This is the kind of program that lots of people can help
with. It can use people to support the kids on an ongoing basis or
just to get them access to one class in one school. That class can
then multiply the effect through the school.
The next class will be in Lawndale Friday October 27, 2006 4:30-
6:30. They will actually be making biodiesel at the class. It is fun
to see the kid’s enthusiasm and to see the light bulb go on when
they get what we are all concerned about. This is also a chance to
make biodiesel under the watchful eye and enthusiastic leadership
of a master - Joshua Tickell.
Contact info for anyone interested in learning more
please email
Alayha aquariantravel@yahoo.com
Or saralaimon@yahoo.com
310--940-1626
Sara_laimon@echsonline.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Biodieselrocks/
http://www.myspace.com/biodieselrocks
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Getting your Sustainable Ride
Electric Bicycle Battery repairs and replacements
Electric Bicycles and scooters all seem to have different battery
pack and it can be hard to replace them when they go dead.
Working to replace them on electric motor scooters has helped to
get more details on the pack for smaller rides.
Most of these battery packs look different from the outside but
they tend to have standard components on the inside. A good
example would be the lithium ion type. These are usually made
from a number specific size cells that have been wired together and
installed in a housing suitable for the bike or board. It is possible
to get replacement cells and wire them together so they fit back
into the housing. This tends to be true of the nickel metal hydride
pack as well.
The key to this is to make sure you
KEEP YOUR OLD BATTERY HOUSING.
Lead acid packs may have a similar situation going on. They tend
to house one or more standard batteries inside their housings.
If you battery pack goes bad you can take it in to a place like
Advanced Batteries and see if they can rebuild it for you or if they
have the replacement pieces. There is an Advanced Battery store
in Culver City on Sepulveda across from Ralph’s – near Comp
USA etc. There is one in Ventura as well.
A note of caution about opening your battery packs. Lead acid
batteries can crack and release acid. Be sure to open it so the acid
does not get on you or a valued surface in your home. It is also
important to drain the batteries to a fairly low level - particularly
with the Lithium Ions. This will reduce the chance of problems
with accidental shorting out the two terminals. Such shorting out
is to be avoided when possible – but you knew that already.
It should also be noted that replacement cells for batteries could be
secured on line. If you can’t find the replacement unit - look for
the parts. – Ride Safe.
While we are on batteries – does anyone have a source for Nickel
Zinc batteries for a Lepton Oxygen. One of our people wants to
refurbish one of these.
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