Two Wheels Good?

So in a fit of… spontaneity? ecosensitivity? insanity?... back in May, I proposed to the editorial and design team that we approach our Green Issue with an eye to our internal activities. Rather than simply reporting on the external world around, we should live our recommendations, a case of doing what we say. I challenged the staff to consider how we could be more conscious of our consumption as we produced the August issue. And more importantly, what would be the financial and product impact of more ecologically friendly choices?

And like many of my ideas, it promptly spiraled out of my control and became a company-wide crusade to reduce our corporate footprint. It even became an opportunity for individuals to consider their personal consumption patterns – though that was undoubtedly the most contentious element of this experience. Overall, I think it has been a useful activity, that has made us question some of our choices and provided a platform for extended discussions, debates and some bonding over a common cause.

Until, that is, Dan and Tracey proposed that I give up driving to my various business meetings and lunch appointments. I had already brought a pair of more sensible shoes into the office, to allow me to walk to more meetings. But for those meetings that my schedule (and physical activity level) dictated were outside walking distance, I was still hopping into my van and driving over. So Dan and Tracey decided I should give the tandem bike a try.

Now they didn’t know it, but I’ve been vaguely bike-phobic since I broke my wrist. I tried bike riding once after my wrist healed and almost undid the healing process when I wiped out. Being an inordinately clumsy human being, cycling has always been a challenge to me. On top of that, I’m a tad bit of a control fiend – so abdicating my capacity to steer things by sitting on the back of a bike didn’t make me feel more eager to jump on.

Conversely, I am quite sure that having Dan ferry me around downtown Edmonton on Big Blue is as close to being chauffeured about as I’m ever going to get. And since I had encouraged everyone to be innovative in their thinking, I couldn’t very well put the kibosh to this idea. Turns out – it was a blast. The weather was hot but the restaurant wasn’t so far that I was rendered unfit to be in civilized company. Someone we passed shouted in delight, “Look at the tandem bike!” and I laughed out loud. Dan was respectful of my jumpiness and eased up to the red lights. The only thing I was concerned about, in retrospect, is that he didn’t offer me a helmet. I haven’t checked to make sure he’s not the beneficiary of my company insurance – perhaps I should do so before I get on the back of Big Blue again.

Ruth Kelly

Publisher and intrepid urban tandem cyclist