WORLD CARFREE NEWS=20
____________________________________=20
Edition no. 2 - November 2003 - English version
.............................................................
Contents:
IN BRIEF
WORLD NEWS
- WORLD BANK APPROVES FUNDING FOR CONTROVERSIAL PIPELINE
- APOLOGY OVER US ANTI-CYCLING CAMPAIGN
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
- PROTEST BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE IN LONDON, NOV. 11
- COP-9 CLIMATE CONFERENCE IN MILAN, DEC. 1-12
- CITIES FOR PEOPLE CONFERENCE IN COPENHAGEN, JUNE 2004
WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS
- CAR BUSTERS MAGAZINE #18 OUT SOON
- INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE
- EXPERIENCED FUNDRAISER SOUGHT
__________________=20
IN BRIEF >>=20
__________________________=20
- The small Tuscan town of Scandicci is a bicycle taxi called 'Tasso'
(Taxi+velo). The=20
idea is modeled after similar projects in Berlin and Munich, where
3-wheeled bicycle=20
taxis supplement automobile taxis, although Tasso actually functions more
like a bus,=20
with a fixed route and specific stops. So far, three stops and 31 stops
have been=20
implemented.
=20
- Cars for Lungs? In a case of perhaps unintended irony, the American Lung=
=20
Association of Minnesota is accepting donations of cars to raise money for
its=20
programmes. The programme's symbol is a blue ribbon intended to symbolise=
the=20
"breath of life."
- On November 5, the MDI company presented the first =A8live=A8 presentation=
of
the=20
MDI Air Car to investors and the media. The car runs only on compressed air
and=20
achieves a top speed of 110 kmh.
- An opinion poll carried out during the UK In Town Without My Car! event
found that=20
92% of people say the carfree day is a good idea, 69% say it should be
repeated at=20
least quarterly, 63% say the carfree zone should be bigger and 85% want car
use=20
limited in their towns. Full results are at <
http://tinyurl.com/uiw7>.
_______________=20
WORLD NEWS >>=20
__________________=20
WORLD BANK APPROVES FUNDING FOR CONTROVERSIAL PIPELINE
WASHINGTON (AP) - The World Bank agreed November 4 to provide $250 million
in=20
financing for a $3.6 billion pipeline that would bring oil from the Caspian
Sea region=20
through Turkey to Western markets.=20
While the loan is only a small fraction of the cost of the planned
Baku-Ceyhan=20
pipeline, the financing has been viewed as crucial for the project to
attract private=20
financial support.=20
The executive board of the International Finance Corp., the World Bank's
private=20
investment arm, approved the financing despite requests by some
environmentalists=20
and human rights groups that a decision be postponed until some issues,
including=20
the pipeline route, can be further examined.=20
The pipeline and a separate deep-water oil field project off Azerbaijan in
the Caspian=20
Sea, which also was approved, "are sound projects" that have extensive=20
environmental and social safeguards and community involvement, said Rashad=
=20
Kaldany, director of the World Bank's oil, gas, mining and chemical
department.=20
Environmentalists and human rights groups have urged that decisions to be
delayed,=20
contending that the pipeline endangers villages and wildlife in its path,
and could spark=20
conflict in a region already known for its ethnic strife.=20
The London-based Baku Ceyhan Campaign, an umbrella group for pipeline
critics,=20
contends that BP has misled the IFC's executive board about the project's
impact on=20
the environment and human rights, and has overstated the degree of
consultation with=20
local communities.=20
APOLOGY OVER US ANTI-CYCLING CAMPAIGN
LOS ANGELES (Reuters, Nov. 7) - Clear Channel Communications, America's=20
largest radio group, has apologised to bicyclists to end a controversy
caused by disc=20
jockeys at three of its stations who urged listeners to run cyclists off
the road and=20
throw bottles at them.
The apology came in a letter from Clear Channel Radio Chief Executive
Hohn Hogan=20
to Elissa Margolin, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists
that was=20
released by the organisation on November 6.
In his letter, Hogan said that disciplinary action was taken at all three
stations=20
involved in the controversy and that one staff member had been fired. He
also said=20
Clear Channel would launch a campaign to promote road safety.
The broadcasts included suggestions that listeners slam on their brakes
in front of=20
cyclists and then open the passenger door or throw soft drink bottles at
riders,=20
according to listeners who complained.
The League of American Bicyclists told the Federal Communications
Commission at=20
a meeting in October that the comments broadcast by the radio stations
amounted to=20
inciting listeners to commit felonious assault.
___________________=20
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS >>=20
__________________________________=20
COP-9 CLIMATE CONFERENCE IN MILAN, DEC. 1-12
Milan will host the next round of Kyoto climate negotiations. In order to
help the official=20
delegates to do a good job, a Supreme Welcome Committee has been
established in=20
Milan.
The committee will give its brainstorming contribution to the conference by
producing=20
all sorts of anti-CO2 urban actions, such as asphalt gardening, mass
cycling and=20
street reclaiming. The top of the climax will be reached on Saturday,
December 6.=20
You=92re invited to join in. For info: <cicloattivismo@???>. A nice PD=
F
flyer can be=20
found here: <
http://italy.indymedia.org/uploads/flyerchiodo2.pdf>.
CITIES FOR PEOPLE CONFERENCE IN COPENHAGEN, JUNE 2004
Within the overall framework of the Walk21 conference series, the fifth
Walk21=20
conference Cities for People will focus on research, case studies and
experiences=20
which takes integration of walking policies into a wider context.
Specifically the=20
conference will focus on the day-to-day quality of life of citizens in the
public spaces of=20
cities and communities of all sizes. Cities for People will bring together
policy-makers,=20
practitioners, decision-makers, NGO activists and academics from the fields
of=20
architecture, public health, transport and community planning. For further
information=20
about participation please see <
www.citiesforpeople.dk>. The deadline for
submitting=20
abstracts is December 8.=20
The conference is being organised by the Centre for Public Space Research=
and=20
Walk21.
- Jan Gehl, Conference Coordinator
________________________=20
WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS >>=20
__________________________________________=20
CAR BUSTERS MAGAZINE #18 OUT SOON
We are currently wrapping up work on Car Busters #18. Story ideas, news
items, and=20
announcements for #19 (and for this bulletin) can be sent to
info@???.
INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE
Are you under 26 and from an EU country? We at World Carfree Network are
looking=20
for two inspired individuals to join our team in Prague for one year from
April 2004,=20
funded by the European Voluntary Service Programme. If you have a good=
number=20
(but of course not necessarily all) of the following attributes, then you
could be among=20
the finalists: strong English writing and editing skills; a sense of
humour; publication=20
layout skills; web design ability; an activist perspective; translation
skills; campaigning=20
experience; attention to detail; extensive knowledge of transport(ation)
issues;=20
fundraising experience; and a desire to pull these all together to stir
things up at the=20
international level. Please contact us and we=92ll send more info.
EXPERIENCED FUNDRAISER SOUGHT
World Carfree Network is seeking an experienced fundraiser with a proven
track=20
record to join our Prague-based team full- or half-time as soon as
possible, for a year=20
or more. Should be familiar with the funding programmes of the European=20
Commission, Council of Europe and private foundations in Europe and abroad.=
=20
Commission-based wage (10-15% of funds raised, based on experience), plus
start-
up wage negotiable. Flexible hours and six weeks holiday. Applicants should
send a=20
CV (resume) and letter of motivation/experience to info@???.
_____________________
[end]
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http://www.carbusters.org/bulletin>.
________________________________________________
WORLD CARFREE NETWORK
Kratka 26, 100 00 Prague 10, Czech Republic
tel: +(420) 274-810-849 - fax: +(420) 274-816-727
<info@???> - <
http://www.worldcarfree.net>
"La bicicletta =E8 il veicolo pi=F9 rapido nella via della delinquenza;=
perch=E8
la passione del pedale trascina al furto, alla truffa, alla grassazione!"
-Cesare Lombroso-
