Collecting bicycles
in Europe
All over Europe we use bicycles in diverse ways, depending on cultures and habits. In Spain and Portugal, for example, we still make a limited usage of them (basically for sport or leisure), comparing to Central Europe, where bikes are used by millions of people as their habitual means of transport. But all over Europe, we, as obsessive consumers, tend to buy the last state-of-the-art model of bike, while dropping the previous one to a garbage dump, or at the best, we carry it into a recycling centre where they are treated like scrap iron.
The scope of application of the project is in principle Europe like origin, and the most evident destiny would be Africa due to distance, Africa is "our South", although there is no reason to discard other destinations.
Once the project has been debated
and agreed in a Europe-wide basis at this web, and there are
specific projects designed by regional co-ordinators,
campaigns have to be launched for motivating people to donate
their out-of-use bikes. Publicity campaigns through the
media, at the shopping centres, etc. They should focus on a
particular objective. It does not mean the same claiming for
"bikes for the third world" than "bikes for a
certain town in Somalia, to solve these concrete needs".
The bikes could be made in a centralised stockroom, probably one of the carrier's.
It is to be discussed whether the assembly and completion should be made in origin or destination, but, in principle, the advantages of doing it there seem to be consistent:
- To adapt the assembly of each bike to specific requirements
- To create work in the area of destination
- The transfer of knowledge, necessary to carry out the further maintenance
Move
to Destination
It could be solved locally, for each campaign, with the more suitable carrier. It would be, in any case, advisable to reach agreements with large European companies used to operate for NGOs in similar orders. It would be necessary to study the most effective way of dismounting in pieces: fork, wheels, handlebars, saddles, and other pieces, and their disposition to compact the container.
We are eager to know your opinions. They are welcome at bisquert@teleline.es
Project principles Phases Collection and transportation Creating workshops at destination Management and control of the project Debate
