What Makes A Bicycle Race Green?

I’m very excited to be heading to Victoria, British Columbia for the 2007 World BMX (Bicycle MotoCross) Championship. My daughter is an athlete in this event!

You are probably asking “What is green about that?”

I think it is very fitting that the Bicycle Championships are being held in Victoria. Victoria is well known for it’s bicycling and is known as the “Cycling Capital of Canada”. The city has a Bicycling Master Plan that is an ongoing program to develop more and safer bike lanes. This report says that during peak hours there are more than 5000 bicycling trips! That’s a lot of bikers!!! That's a lot of energy savings!! and a lot less pollution in the environment!

I have been browsing for things to do while we are there and found this sustainable community that is targeted to be Platiunum LEED Certified! Platinum is the highest rating that can be attained in LEED Certification!

Dockside Green promises to be a one of a kind community offering a vehicle-sharing program, mini-transit system, boat launch, pedestrian and bike trail, amphitheatre, public art and dock facilities. How great – or should I say GREEN - is that!

DOCKSIDE GREEN will be using chipped waste wood to heat their homes and water – they are expecting to burn about 3000 ton/year. The wood will be coming from old pallets, ground up stumps, construction and demolition waste.

I am hoping I can break away and visit to see what I can learn and bring back to the ECO- All Stars on Active Rain to share what some of our neighbors are doing to sustain resources and the environment.

I suppose that is one think I like about LEED certification – it is a benchmark standard not only in my community but in your community and in many other parts of the world.