CO2 GREEN DRIVE AT BURNING MAN

Image above by Martin Ersted that was one of the Project Coordinators for the project at Burning Man 2012

June 15 2012 was a bearer of good news with the Burning Man Organization confirming that CO2 Green Drive was able to buy tickets to Burning Man. 

This is long awaited news and we are now full steam planning the activities in detail. 

The activities include an Art, Climate and Technology Theme Camp.



The Final version of the CO2 tag - Satellite image courtesy of GeoEye

Here we will investigate climate related issues in a co-creative and playful process. The objective is to establish an environment where we all feel comfortable and can experience what creative and innovative ideas that can spring when you set your mind free. We plan for the camp to be open 2-3 hours every day.

The plans will be developed together with the final group of participants and what their specialities are. 

On Friday 31 August we will perform the CO2 "painting" performance using renewable energy powered transportation means. Our vision is a big parade of bikers, pedestrians, stilt walkers, bunnies and electric Art Cars led by a brass band. All completing a GPS tracked CO2 painting on the open playa.
We also see Dancing. Definitely Dancing...Electric!

If you would like to learn more do get in touch and we will be happy to forward you 

our presentation of the plans.

Find us on Facebook HERE

EARTH DAY NEW YORK - CO2 E DRIVE: PART 2 - TIMES SQUARE CATWALK 2012

Bob Lutz (the man behind the VOLT) giving a speech on Times Square about his perspective on why he think it is important to drive electric cars and pushing for his new project the VIA Plug in Hybrid Pick-up truck. (If you have not read part one about the story of  Earth Day New York - CO2 E Drive 2012, then go HERE to do so)

See above video from CNN and hear more from Bob Lutz, saying that "essentially car companies are completely neutral to Oil and if cars could, he would be happy to run them on toothpaste"

The "E" tag Performance that was done in the streets of New York City, screened on the Toshiba jumbo screen on Times Square (above photo from 2011 version). Once the route was completed, the cars ended up on Times Square for a "Green Car Fashion Show" in collaboration with Mr. Green. 

First to enter the Blue Catwalk was the Nissan LEAF, tightly escorted by Mr. Green

The whole performance was also screened on the huge NASDAQ screen. The screen measures 12,000 square feet and uses more than 18 million LEDs on a display with a top resolution of 1280x1824. Read more about the screen in this WIRED article.

Dorothy walked down the Yellow Brick Road, while Mr. Green walked down the Blue.

New Jersey high-school teacher Ben Rich on his 2012 Zero S electric motorcycle

The White Toyota Prius with the classic Coke sign in the background

The Electric Hybrid New York City Parks Department Street Sweeper and Trash Truck in the background.
Next to the Street Sweeper stands not only "A Mr. Green", but also Shira Kline A.K.A. ShirLaLa who just came out with her new album/CD "Earth Worm Disco". An album that "connects children to environmentalism and delivers a rich musical experience for all ages. Eco-music for all the little rock'n rollers out there who love our planet and who love to sing and dance too!"

The White Chevy VOLT - Hood Up!

The NYPD Chevy VOLT - Sirens On!

The ECOPIA car with Bridgestone's low resistance "Green" tires

The New York Mr. Green Team camping it out on the back of the VIA Motors Pick-up Truck.

Jumping Jack Lutz!

The Mr. Green Team pointing forward towards a sustainable Future and Next Years CO2 E Drive in New York City, this time on Union Square!

Earth Day New York's CO2 E Drive 2012 was yet another wonderful event. CO2 Green Drive thanks Pamela Lippe and her Earth Day New York Team for once again making it all happen!

Later in the evening after the long day of Earth, Yrs Truly took a walk in the city, where I found Empire State Building lit up in Green. What else can One ask for?

Read Part 1 of this Story HERE

SIX CO2 TAGS DONE IN INDIA ON EARTH DAY 2012

The CO2 tag in Bangalore done with runners in Cubbon Park, also called "The Lung" of Bangalore

In India CO2 Green Drive collaborated with Dr. Rajat Chauhan (above to the left), founder and organizer of “La Ultra – The High”, the world’s toughest ultra-marathon, and Centre for Social Markets (CSM). 

For the events on Earth Day emphasis was on introducing running as a healthy and fun activity to as many people as possible under the moniker “Crawl Walk Run”. Following a strategy of organic growth and encouraging friends and runner associations throughout India to organize their own events, the activities included six cities and a total of approximately 250 runners.

In Bangalore 70-80 people took part in the activities of which some 25-30 people represented “crawlers”; ie. new runners. The sentiment from participants, local partners as well as the CO2 Green Drive team is that Bangalore has great potential in light of the local commitment and willingness to expand on the idea.

In Thane more than 50 participants joined the activities, including, central running group Masthanes and many local residents. Among the participants was a 76 year old man with the youngest being 6-year old Bubbles Shinde who covered the entire distance on her bicycle.

In Delhi 15 cyclists and 10 runners alongside a large number of volunteers ensured that Delhi was “tagged” with a huge CO2 while 35-50 runners participated in the activities in Hyderabad.

In Pune 20 people joined a core team of 4 members doing a 24 hours run. Finally, in Bhopal 3 runners equipped with Smartphone GPS tracking took part in the CO2 Green Drive activities.

The successful activities in India demonstrated how CO2 Green Drive can be expanded to appeal to new audiences and significantly increase the number of participants/CO2 “brushes”. To quote Thane organizer, Sunil Gwalani, from an article in India Times Plus: “Trying to stop climate change or reversing it, might seem like an impossible task and a select few can’t do anything. If there is a mass movement at the micro level involving citizens of the world, we just might have a chance.”

DA BIKE IN DAKAR - CO2 GREEN DRIVE GOES TO AFRICA

In Dakar the choice of bicycles as main means of transport was both relevant and strategically sound. While electric, hybrid and biofuel vehicles are now penetrating markets in the developed world these vehicles are not yet common reality in Senegal and, yet, the challenges of climate change as a result of high carbon emissions and mobility are no secret. For these reasons Earth Day provided a unique occasion to engage local officials, businesses, NGO’s and the general public and raise awareness of alternative vehicles likely to address climate change challenges as well as those of mobility. In this respect CO2 Green Drive in Dakar managed to secure a number of partnerships including local NGO’s, institutions and cultural entities focusing on sustainability. 

The CO2 Green Drive in central Dakar included 130 bicyclists and 25 young people from the Dakar VTT/Rollers Association participating on rollerblades and mountain bikes. As seen above, the convoy was headed by a MC escort.

Making one of the turns in the "CO2" route in the streets of Dakar.

And the rollerbladers from VTT/Rollers Association

In Dakar the Danish Cultural Institute was represented by the above Secretary General, Finn Andersen, and the Director of Strategy for CO2 Green Drive, Aziz Fall, who is also a native of Senegal. The celebration of Earth Day in Dakar on April 22^nd began at the esplanade of the City Hall where LEAD Francophone Africa, Enda Tiers Monde, representatives from the Mayor’s Office as well as a number of other local organizations were present.

Above Mariama Guldagger from Danish NGO Cykler til Senegal was also present, singing a song and giving her blessings to the vision of sustainable transportation in Dakar.

To go back in time a couple of months before Earth Day and the above event in Dakar, a container was packed with Bikes in Denmark as part of Cykler til Senegal's mission of bringing bikes to Senegal.

The day began with an about 60 km bicycle ride between Copenhagen and Skibby by Aziz and Michael from CO2 Green Drive and Kristoffer and partner from Free Bikes. The bikes they rode on was put into the container and donated to Cykler to Senegal and their cause.

A similar bike ride was also done between Casamance and Dakar in connection to the Earth Day events. The ride featured a convoy of ten courageous members of the farmers association AAJAC/COLUFIFA that completed the approximately 350 km long route from Casamance to Dakar in five days. The oldest member was 64 year old Issa Diallo with the youngest member being the above 17 year old Aminata Diao who was also the only female member of the convoy. 

“I feel ten years younger” , Issa Diallo remarked upon arrival in Dakar. “I wanted to show that sport is a healthy and important part of life – also for women. Women can do as much as men in this respect”, Aminata added in an interview to Mika from Danish NGO Cykler til Senegal that funded the bike ride and helped organize it.

Aziz and Finn was on TV, radio and various other local media outlets, along with taking meetings with an array of people to talk about the plans for future collaborations and exchanges between Denmark and Senegal. The above image is of Aziz and recently elected Minister of Culture in Senegal, the legendary musician Youssou N'Dour.

SIMULTANEOUS DRIVES IN NEW YORK & HORSENS - TOUR DE FUTURE

Horsens is the third city in Denmark where CO2 Green Drive has been performed following Copenhagen (2009 and 2011) and Roskilde (2010) and was done at the exact same time as it was done in New York City across the pond.



Horsens was special since Denmark has the EU presidency in the first half of 2012 and Horsens served as the venue for a major European event on 20^th April where EU ministers gathered to talk about sustainability as part of a broad agenda. See more in the above video.

In the above image Ida Auken, who is the Minister of Environment on one of the 100 Pink Bikes that was produced as part of Horsen's way of combining the story that they also hosted the start of Giro d’Italia around the same time, with the sustainability message of the bicycle.

CO2 Green Drive coincided with both the EU Ministers conference and the Earth Day events in New York, bringing about leverage and a global touch; a major rationale in the CO2 Green Drive concept. Above the start of the CO2 ride through the streets of Horsens.

The events in Horsens included 150 bicycles arriving from Aarhus/Denmark after cycling 50 kilometers and additional 50 bicycles joining in Horsens. In the middle of above photo is Christopher Lux from Karmakanonen, one of the many longtime collaborators of the project who also particpated with his good Karma and music producing solar powered bike. Above Christophers head you can see the CO2 tag that was made by the Smartphone APP and screened on a jumbo screen so the audience could follow the many particpants live.

7 electric vehicles from Horsens Energi was also part of the CO2 route through the city.

There was produced three different videos. The above by TV Horsens



The above by Tour De Future Horsens



And the above video about the "Tour De Future" concept in general.



Check out the above Bike Mix Tape that was made in this connection by Tour De Future.