ANU is launching one of the largest corporate bicycle fleets in Australia in an effort to curb greenhouse emissions from corporate cars.
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Environmental Manager David Carpenter tests one of the new bikes. |
The University’s environmental office, ANUgreen, is distributing 20 bicycles to departments as part of the Timely Treadlies program, with plans underway to expand the fleet in future.
Environmental Manager David Carpenter said Timely Treadlies would encourage staff to use sustainable transport when travelling around the 145-hectare main campus.
“We estimate that up to a quarter of car fleet use at ANU is for internal travel,” Mr Carpenter said.
“Instead of using cars to drive around campus, the new departmental bicycles will cost less, help to reduce congestion, and help cut back on greenhouse emissions.
“We’ve targeted departments on the periphery of the campus to begin with. People have been very supportive. The demand for the bikes far outweighs the number we’ve been able to supply initially. Eventually we’d like to increase the number of bikes up to 60 or 80. Even at 20 bikes, it’s already one of the largest fleets of its kind in Australia.”
Each of the participating departments will receive a bicycle, helmets, and equipment including saddle bags, lights, and a cycle computer.
“We though it would be nice to calculate the distances travelled, and we might have competition in the future to see who has been using the bikes most frequently,” Mr Carpenter said.
“We’ll also be encouraging people to use the bikes for short external trips to nearby locations like Civic.”
Mr Carpenter said ANU staff and students have embraced cycling as a means of sustainable transport, with an estimated 2000 people cycling to the University each week.
He said ANU was encouraging cyclists by building a series of lockable bike sheds, and by subsidising equipment like helmets and locks.
MobileMuster comes to ANU
Mobile phone users on campus can now convert their old handsets into environmental capital as part of a new recycling program.
Four new drop-off points for old mobiles have been created at ANU as part of the MobileMuster, an initiative of the Australian Mobile Telecommunication Association.
ANUgreen will coordinate the collection of the discarded mobiles from the University House Supermarket, Gods Café, the Campus Bakery and the Co-op Bookshop.
Participants will also be able to enter a draw for two new Motorola phones. The prizes will be drawn on 27 February.
The plastics, silver, gold and nickel inside the old phones will be recycled into a range of products.
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