Re: Summarizing discussions

Brenda wrote:

>
> About the network's name: I believe having the word
>"carfree"; in the networks name gives an accurate idea about what we dont
>want. But its not clear about what we want and how we want to do it.
>Nevertheless, I  think changing the name is not an alternative. We could
>have a slogan or something that focus attention in proximity and
> livability.

THIS could be partly solved by adding a rotating series of short and pithy
slogans to our website and other materials, e.g. outreach for TCFC, saying
things like "its a lot more than better cycling", "proximity creates
sustainability" and so on... and to be sure the ICC, the Steering
Committee and WCN members need to get out there and put the same messages
in the local and international media year-round, i.e. not just for World
Carfree Day. This has to be comprehensive branding (I should point that
even the Carfree Green Pages link on the WCN home page asks "Looking for
contacts in the field of alternative transport"....).

Related to this, I am very curious how people identify themselves: A few
years ago I was only working on bike stuff, and I am still called a
"bicycle activist" by city officials I met then. Now my prefered
description is "Sustainability activist, with a focus on urban planning
which minimizes the need for mobility" Kind of a mouthful, but it is quite
precise.

********

>
> About what the main focus of conferences should be: Although I agree
> with the idea of spotlighting on urban planning issues more that in
>transport shift, the reason for it wouldnt be that we already have
>lots of sustainable transport conferencess;. There is an entrenched
> ethnocentric thought underlying that reason. Here in Latin America we >
> perhaps have two or three important conferences that are all crammed
with >public transport and BRT topics. Just recently bike and pedestrian
issues >got into scene Land use and urban planning have been mentioned
by Lloyd and >some other heroic people a few times. The main assistants
are always >transport engineers and technicians. No citizens pass by. We
are not tired > - as you are - of sustainable transport conferences.
Please have this in >mind. Otherwise, dont call yourself world carfree
network. Again, proximity >is more an idea of alternative development
than sustainable transport, and >I find that much more valuable, but I
also believe promoting bike and >pedestrian mobility and claiming for
proximity planning is a double way >strategy, and different people have
to be reached (citizens and
> decision-makers, respectively).

MORE clarification on my "Carfree 101" idea: It would definately include
lots of information and interactivity about sustainable transport such as
cycling and buses. So, myself - and probably many other North Americans
and Western Europeans involved in the Network though I certainly cant
speak for them - are not at all bored with sustainable transport, but just
think it needs to be put in the proper context, curriculum or place in the
hierarchy. Myself and perhaps many others are definately not at all
thrilled at most conferences because this does not happen, those solutions
are discussed in a way too compartmentalised manner.

I actually think "we" can benefit people who havent wasted as much time
(!) as some of us at these conferences by encouraging them to get the
foundation of the carfree solution, rather than deal with components and
repairs. It is more about common sense than research, and everyone knows
how and loves to walk (I am speaking figuratively). "101" only needs
common sense as a prerequisite, and the class is for everyone.

In a way it is like the technological leapfrogging going on with things
like telecommunications, e.g. people in Nigeria getting mobile phones and
skipping landlines, except that it is a evolution in what to learn, rather
than a technological one.

- T

------------------------------------------------------

Todd Edelman
Director
Green Idea Factory

Korunní 72
CZ-10100 Praha 10
Czech Republic

++420 605 915 970
Skype: toddedelman

[email protected]
http://www.worldcarfree.net/onthetrain

Green Idea Factory,
a member of World Carfree Network






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