Earth Day, 2006

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Earth Day celebrations at NIH were bigger and better in 2006 than ever before. As a kickoff for the NIH Environmental Management System (NEMS) this year’s April 27th event was combined with Bring your Child to Work Day, and participants young and old were treated to information, entertainment, and giveaways. In doing our part to help make NIH greener, the Bicycle Commuter Club hosted 6 organized group rides from Gaithersburg, Rockville, Georgetown, Silver Spring, Adam’s Morgan and Olney. And, although we didn’t have much turnout for our group rides, we got a lot of publicity for the club by staffing a table at the main event.

On the lawn in front of Building 10, under a big white tent, NIH Earth Day participants were able to learn about alternative fuel vehicles, NIH’s mercury free campaign, NIH waste disposal and recycling programs, green purchasing, and of course, the Bicycle Commuter Club. We used the opportunity to recruit new members and spread the word about Bike to Work Day, our Top 10 Priority List, the NIHBCC Ride Mentor program, our Summer Trail Maintenance series and many other services we provide to the NIH community. The NIH Bicycle Commuter club members sincerely hope NIH continues such meaningful commemorations of Earth Day, and that Bicycle Commuting is supported as a significant component of the NIH Environmental Management System.

Bikes for the World Donation Event, April 28th, 2006

On Friday, April 28, in a symbolic attempt to contribute to the recycling and re-use of old bicycles, and to emphasize ways in which bikes truly make the world a better place, the NIHBCC hosted its first ever Bike Donation Day. We partnered with Keith Oberg of Bikes for the World, and spent several hours on the morning after NIH’s Earth Day celebrations collecting, tagging and preparing donated bikes for shipment to Ghana. Keith tells us that these bikes went on to assist the poor by providing personal transport to work, school and health services, Keith went on to say that we aided Bikes for the World in meeting the goals of the organization as defined in their mission statement: “achieving sustained and ever-larger impact here and abroad through partnering with organizations sharing a common concern for reducing waste and helping the poor earn more, learn more and live more healthy lives.”

While we collected a total of 10 bikes, and are happy to know that those bikes will have a second life in a community where they will be highly valued and utilized, we hope to be able to collect even more donated bikes in future events. Perhaps some of the many abandoned bikes around the NIH campus, rusting in the rain and occupying valuable bike parking spaces could be collected by the NIH Police Department. We now know of a wonderful organization to which they could be donated, to go overseas for a chance at a second life, some place where they could make life healthier and happier for communities in real need?

Volunteers from NIH also helped Bikes for the World on September 10th, 2006, by lending time and effort to pack bikes for shipping around the world. Well done to all those who contributed!

This document was last revised on April 10th, 2007 by Nick Jakubovics.