Think of something I am especially interested in: Cycling as recreation and serious transport mode

5 points:

• Climate Change, carbon emissions
  • Public transport is good but not as good
  • even Electric vehicles are polluting at the power plant
• Healthy lifestyles
• Encourages us to appreciate Nature better
  • Gaia concept by Lovelock is 50 years old
• Infrastructure support needs to be better
  • Rail Corridor is beautiful
• Mutual understanding between all road users

The Gaia Hypothesis was formulated by the chemist James Lovelock 50 years ago. The hypothesis postulates that the Earth functions as a huge self-regulating system. Today, Climate Change is a very real threat to that system.

There are many big initiatives and movements all over the world addressing this issue. But I believe that all big things are built on the tiny little actions that each and every one of us do. I'd like to tell you about one such tiny building block: Cycling for recreation and transportation.

First, Recreation. everybody knows cycling is a healthy and invigorating activity. Not only does it get your heart pumping, but doing it outdoors among some Nature is refreshing. Recently, the Rail Corridor opened an entrance near to where I live here in Kampung Bahru, near the old Tanjung Pagar Railway Station. And I have been most fortunate to have ridden my bike on it a few times. It is not only refreshing, but allows me to appreciate Nature much much better.

That is for Recreation. More than just for fun,

Coincidentally, both my home and where I used to work are located next to this Rail Corridor. There were times when I had had walked home on it from office. But we should have many more of this everywhere, all over the island. Park Connectors are wonderful, but way too few and too far in between. They don't really quite connect, you know what I mean ?

For bicycle to become an acceptable mode of public transportation, there needs to be some very serious changes.

On one hand, the infrastructure support needs to be improve drastically. In addition to lots more bicycle-friendly paths, etc, we also need other kinds of support too. With the hot and humid tropical climate, it would not do for us to work up a sweat cycling and then just go into office. And outside of MRT stations, the number of bicycle lots are woefully inadequate. I am sure with a little imagination, lots more can be done.

On the social front, the reality is that going forward, drivers and cyclists will share many public roads and both sides need to build up a healthy respect for each other for the sake of safety for all.

And if we can somehow manage to promote more cycling and less carbon-emissions, that would find its way back to Gaia.

In Gaia, the myriad parts that make up the system we call Earth has unimaginable momentum, but if all of us do our little part ….

MLK:

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right down in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.