The power of the pedal

It is obvious that Portland loves its bicycles. From bike friendly neighborhoods to bike races, we definitely represent when it comes to getting around town on two wheels. But as much as we can boast and brag about the bicycle fervor of our swell city, other cities could be easily surpassing us.

Copenhagen, Denmark, has always been a bike enthusiast capital, and now they are taking even greater steps to utilize biking as a valuable form of business transportation. Their latest introduction to the bike realm is dubbed the “Sperm Bullitt.” It’s a cargo- style bicycle that helps workers from the Nordisk Cryobank, one of the largest European sperm banks, to transport sperm samples to fertility clinics within the greater Copenhagen area.

It was carefully designed with an internal cooling system that holds metal canisters containing frigid samples. Aside from being a positive alternative for the usual CO2 expelling vehicles, the Bullitt is also a perfect form of advertising. It’s pretty hard to miss as it’s rocketing down the street, seeing as it is shaped as a giant sperm measured at 2.5 meters long.

Copenhagen is making efforts in all aspects of biking. Currently a little over one third of citizens use bicycling to travel to work, and they are hoping that by 2015 half of all their commuters will be biking. In an effort to cut down on greenhouse gases, they are widening roads and giving bikes priority in regards of traffic laws.

In Portland there are a decent amount of companies choosing bikes over cars to be more environmentally conscious. Elephants Delicatessen makes huge strides in practicing sustainability and promoting clean energy. Their courier style bikes can be spotted all around downtown making lunchtime deliveries.

Pedicab of Portland is another group encouraging the switch from vehicular transportation. I recently took a ride on one myself. In comparison to the average taxicab, I found that the experience was much more enjoyable. It used to seem like an option for tourists only, but all things considered I arrived at my destination in a surprisingly quick time and for a cost much less than the average taxi would charge. Not only that, but I got to enjoy the nice weather and beautiful sites of the city at night along with some wonderful conversation with my Pedicab driver.

Another champion in using bikes to go green is the Portland Pedal Power organization. This group has set an example since 2007 to make deliveries around downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods using cargo bikes. Right now they deliver for various companies, providing food, snacks, beverages, and even flowers to the Portland area. While they are determined to expand their business to other services, right now they are fairly limited in what they deliver.

Compared to the rest of the United States, Portland, and Oregon as a whole, sets a great example of using alternate transportation. But it’s time we start taking things even further. If Copenhagen transports even medical specimens on bicycles, we can most definitely use bikes for more than just food and drink. Imagine a Portland where office supplies, movie rentals and cleaning services moved around town on bikes. Mobile pet-grooming businesses could easily translate their facilities onto a cargo bicycle. Hospitals, health facilities and laboratories downtown could transfer supplies using bicycles similar to Cryobank’s. And neighborhood grocery stores and restaurants could better serve our communities by providing bike-delivered goods.

While some may argue that a traditional delivery van can hold much more product than the average cargo bike, this alternative method could also be a way to provide more employment opportunities around the city. Portland State could even help pave the way for more bicycle use by switching from our usual golf carts to passenger bikes when moving around campus.

If we wish to truly take pride in the greenness of Portland, we should expand our potential and endorse the use of bicycles for everything possible. ?