Hannover

After a beautiful journey over the hills passing through woodlands changing into their autumnal colours I arrived in Hannover, where the local groups of BUND (the German branch of Friends of the Earth) and the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club (the German cyclists' club) had organised a joint press conference, which resulted in an article in the Hannoversche Allgemeiner Zeitung.

Afterwards I was taken by Heiko Schulze, head of the Hannover regional office of the ADFC, to the Raederwerk cycle shop http://www.raederwerk-gmbh.de, where they have a greater variety of bicycles and tricycles than I have seen anywhere else, and they build "Milan" velomobiles http:www.milan-velomobile.de ("built for high speed travelling over long distances"). The Milan is an all-weather vehicle (if it is raining, close the roof and you stay dry) - I only wish I could afford one (they start at 6,500 euros!).

In the evening BUND organised a birthday party, complete with cake, and gave me a large amount of chocolate as a birthday present (ideal for a quick transfusion of energy when long distance cycling), for my birthday is the next day (on Halloween!)

Hameln

Hameln can also be spelled Hamelin, and its claim to fame is as the setting for the tale of the Pied Piper. I began my visit with a meal in a local restaurant with members of the local BUND group, arriving at 6.57 for a time of 7pm - after a journey of 80km! Next day I was taken on tour of renewable energy facilities in the locality by Rainer - they are extremely varied, including wind, solar and biogas

Bielefeld

I continued the punishing succession of 70km rides again on Sunday, travelling from Muenster to Bielefeld. Somewhat surprisingly my knees seem to be standing up to it quite well - I'm hardly getting any pain, probably because I'm mostly cycling in a low gear. Knees can easily become stressed on a recumbent, because you can brace yourself against the backrest, putting a lot of pressure on the pedals, but also the knees. (Sadly, my back tyre wasn't as tough as my knees, and I got not one, but two punctures, so on Monday I went to a shop with a good range of bikes, and got a more puncture resistant tyre!) I had made a special effort to include Bielefeld in my journey, because they are the second city in Germany to become an official transition community, and I had met Gerd Wessling, the main organiser of the transition initiative there, at a meeting in Brussels over three weeks ago. Silke Berger from the local BUND (Friends of the Earth) group was an enormous help, organising a meeting and a place to stay with Ursula Gindele-Berendonk and her husband (who had to come out an find me when I got lost late at night trying to find my way back after the meeting.) The meeting, at the Umwelt Zentrum (environment centre), was attended by representatives of both the local papers. I described my journey and reasons for doing it, so I hope the people of Bielefeld wake up to the importance of the Copenhagen talks.

Muenster

After spending Friday night with Elly and Ariane, I had another long day on Saturday - a 70km ride over the border into Germany to Muenster. It was strange to think that such national borders had had such significance in the past; now I hardly even noticed it. Elly accompanied me over the border, and said she often goes shopping there.

We passed through a nature reserve which is being considered for Natura 2000 status, before I went on alone on the long road to Muenster. I arrived at the youth hostel where I had been intending to stay to find it full, but they directed me to a cheap hotel nearby, where I indulged myself by switching on the TV when I awoke early in the morning (I haven't owned a TV myself for several years). To my surprise I found myself watching a discussion on the Copenhagen climate talks I am aiming for - it just goes to show that the media are waking up to their importance, so maybe we might just get a good deal there - we have to keep putting on the pressure anyway.

Enschede

I haven't been keeping the blog up to date recently because things have been far too hectic, with lots of long journeys and not many days in one place.
The journey from Zwolle to Enschede was about 70 km, I was accompanied by Huib Poortman, and we were interviewed for both radio and television by RTV Oost. http://www.rtvoost.nl/nieuws/default.aspx?nid=102858

On the way from Zwolle to Enschede we passed through the Salland National Park, a beautiful piece of heathland to the west of Enschede, before arriving in Buurse, just to the south of Enschede, where we were treated to a delicious slow food meal by Elly and Ariane. They had also invited Daphne Dertien, a Groen Links councillor on the regional council, and we had an interesting discussion about her work as a councillor, before Huib had to depart to go back home to Rotterdam. Huib has now accompanied me for several days, but this is the last I shall see of him; I shall miss his friendly advice.

Zwolle

The journey from Dronten to Zwolle was pretty rough - lots of rain and a cold north easterly wind - I begin to wish I had bought the velomobile in Ghent, as it was an all weather vehicle, even having a hood to put on when it rains, but the rain eased off, and I was put in a much better mood when I met Herman Reuvekamp from the Groen Links and we went for a warming bowl of soup - when Herman explained what I was doing the restaurant (Olde Vismarket) let me eat for free. Had a marvellous time with the Groen Links group in Zwolle, visiting a sustainable housing development run by the local authority, and a restaurant in an earthship (a building constructed from waste materials).

Flevoland - A positive vision of the future

At last I have found an area where wind has been fully embraced without hesitation.
The flat landscape provides a lot of wind power (enough to blow my trike along when I left it unattended without the brake!) and wind turbines were everywhere, providing an amazing 60% of the region's energy.
I recorded a video, and couldn't resist adding a caustic comment about the number of schemes blocked by NIMBYs in Britain, and the number of lives this has cost.
I took a picture of Frans van Schoot in his velomobile next to a wind turbine - the future of energy and transport - I hope!
While I was in Flevoland Frans also took me to an ecological housing development. The houses have solar panels and insulation and the gardens are carefully designed to be kind to the environment.
In Dronten I visited one of the few factories where velomobiles are manufactured . It is a shame there are not more of these; I think they have the potential to act as a substitute for a car - you can go quite fast, as long as you are reasonably strong, and it isn't too hilly, and with some of them you can put a roof up when it's raining so you stay dry

agriculture and climate change

I met prof rob van haren of Kiemkracht on monday, at the stadsboerij organic farm. Rob advises the dutch government on how to use agriculture to prevent climate change. We discussed a number of ideas, including using lupins to provide protein, as a substitute for soy beans, saving a lot of co2 emissions used in soya import, and also improving soil fertility as it fixes nitrogen; and the use of biochar to sequester carbon in the soil. Biochar needs to be researched carefully, as there are potentially some serious negative consequences, and it should certainly not be brought into carbon trading schemes and used as an excuse to emit more fossil carbon. We were also shown around the farm, and it was explained to us how organic farming increases carbon in the soil

bushcraft training weekend

i spent last weekend learning a bit of bushcraft - how to identify a few edible mushrooms and herbs, how to make a shelter from wood and leaves (i didn't volunteer to sleep in it though, because i didn't want to ruin my down sleeping bag by getting it wet).
What has this got to do with climate change? Well, if civilisation collapses (which it might well do if we hit a tipping point and the temperature suddenly shoots up seversl degrees in a few years like it did at the end of the ice age) such survival training could come in handy

Green inventions in Zeist

I am now in Zeist, just to the east of Utrecht, staying at the home of green inventor Erik Groen in a beautiful location in the woodlands.
Erik has invented some fantastic machines - cycles with wind turbines and solar power, to make the point that vehicles can be producers of energy rather than consumers (the solar PV roof on one of his bicycles actually produces all the power for running his lights, and this computer); bicycles in a gym which produce electricity for running computer games (a good solution to the obesity crisis currently afflicting some of us in the UK!); a bicycle to produce the electricity for powering a concert (which can be supplemented by solar power); a bicycle running a machine that blows bubbles as a way of getting young children interested in cycling; a solar powered candle; and a solar powered robot which not only races around but talks and laughs as well.
It is creativity such as this which will defeat climate change.

Utrecht

Huib Poortman cycled with me from Rotterdam to Utrecht, taking me through 'the green heart of Holland', a rural area which is protected from development. It was hard going as we faced a stiff north easterly breeze; Holland may be flat, but cycling can still be tough when the wind is against you.

In the evening of my arrival I was met by Bram, who took me to a meeting of Transition Voordorp. Voordorp is a district in the suburbs of Urtrecht, and they are just beginning with the process of transition - this was only their second meeting. They showed a film about Peak Oil and 'A farm for the future' and brainstormed ideas about how they could take things forward.


Utrecht is a really green city, and the next day I met a group from Groen Links who introduced me to Jacques, a local entrepreneur who has invented the cargo hopper, a sustainable method for the short distance transport of goods which is powered by solar panels located on the roof, ideal for making deliveries to local shops in the city centre. I did a video interview.

In the afternoon I met Wim Bot from Fietsersbond, the cyclists' organisation and I recorded an interview for the website about their activities and what they are doing about the Copenhagen climate negotiations. They are part of a very broad coalition of Dutch organisations demanding an effective treaty, including environmental and faith groups as well as lots of others such as trade unions.

Holland will be providing OV bikes (public transport bikes) for the participants in Copenhagen. These are bikes which are available for hire cheaply at railway stations, the idea being that you cycle to the station, leave your own bike there, take the train to your destination and hire an OV bike (there wouldn't be much room left for pasengers if all the Dutch took their bikes on the trains!)


Cycling is very popular in Holland, with many different sorts of bicycles, including one very popular model which can take heavy loads on the front, and is used by many parents for taking their children to school. It would cut congestion a lot in Britain if parents used these instead of driving their children to school

a delicious vegetarian meal

my second evening in rotterdam huib and i were invited to have a vegetarian meal at the apartment of fenke, a member of friends of the earth, along with three other women from friends of the earth, karen, anne-marie and angelique.
We had some really intelligent conversation, and the food was delicious. fenke would like to own a vegetarian restaurant one day, and i really hope she succeeds in her ambition.
Eating vegetarian food is a good way of saving the climate, as it takes far less energy to produce than meat, and as fenke showed, it doesn't have to be boring.

Rotterdam

I was joined by Huib Poortman from the Greens for the last few kilometres of the ride into Rotterdam. We were met by a delegation from Groen Links (Green Left)including one of their city councillors, and I was presented with an award for those who have made a special effort in cutting carbon, a green ribbon. (One of the previous recipients was the mayor of Rotterdam, who received it for committing the city to 50% carbon cuts).

I also had an interview with a regional radio station, and an internet TV station specialising in environment.

The next day Huib and I made a trip around the docks of Rotterdam, where we got an interesting contrast in energy generation - a coal fired power station, but a lot of wind turbines.

I was struck by the almost complete absence of people. This is the heart of the European chemical industry, but production is so automated it needs very few workers

A green house in Breda

Whilst I was in Breda I stayed at the house of Jan and Adael Broekman, a beutiful house on the edge of the city situated in woodland next to a river. I made a video as Jan explained how he is reducing emissions from his home, burning wood in a wood burning stove, installing solar hot water and solar PV on his roof, and insulating the exterior with paper behind larch wood panels.

Jan also showed me how the water authorities had removed some top soil from an area by the river, putting in a new channel to make the river meander and form an island, to form a water storage area to flood in the event of heavy rainfall, something which will become increasingly necessary as sea level rises and the Netherlands becomes unable to discharge its river water to the sea during storms which raise sea level

Breda

On Saturday 10th I cycled in my new ICE trike from Antwerp over the Dutch border to Breda, which has won an award as the most sustainable city in the Netherlands (which in a country like the Netherlands, which is well known for its environmental consciousness, is really something).

I had a discussion with Wilbert Wellems (an alderman - which is a bit like an executive councillor in England) and Selcuk Akinci, chair of the Groen Links (Green Left) group of three city councillors, about Breda's environmental policies.

One of the things that struck me was the cooperative way in which they went about implementing their green policies, working closely with groups like farmers and businesses in getting them to reduce their carbon emissions.

In Breda I stayed with Jan Broekman, and I recorded several video interviews with him about his wildlife garden, the river running past it which has been engineered to store water to prevent flooding, and the many green modifications to his house

composting in Londerzeel

I visited the headquarters of the Comitie Jean Pain in Londerzeel with Johan Goossens while I was staying in Brussels (it's only about 20km north so we could easily cycle there and back).

They have been working on the composting of woody material for decades now, and have some interesting ideas on what to do with it, including combatting desertification by adding compost to desert soils, something which will be in great demand as climate change increases droughts..

Antwerp University

Just been to Antwerp University to talk to some climate change researchers about their work on Europe's carbon balance. Unfortunately it is embargoed until November 1st, so I can't write about it here.

Brussels

motorists aren't nearly so aware of cycles in brussels as they are in ghent, so it was a bit unnerving cycling there, but i avoided any accident, and at the end of my three day stay i was getting used to it. Johan goossens cycled down from duffel in his velomobile to join me for some of the time (and let the green architect Luc Schuiten have a go in it - see the video) - we attended a conference on local environmental initiatives which included a presentation on transition Bielefeld (Germany) from Gerd Wessling - i will be visiting when i pass through germany in late october.
While I was in Brussels I also met Xavier van der Stappen, an anthropologist who has travelled from Dakar to Paris in an electrically assisted velomobile, and plans to go from Copenhagen to Cape Town next spring. He is doing this to demonstrate a new form of mobility, and this combination of pedal power with green electricity has the great advantage that it improves your health as well as helping the planet. We visited an exhibition on climate change and I photographed him standing on a giant map of Africa

the journey from ghent (or gent) to brussels

this didn't start well, as i got lost when i followed a diversion sign which directed me onto a motorway (exactly as had happened in kent a week before) which meant i didn't leave the outskirts of ghent until 5pm.
But at least the roads nearly all have cycle tracks beside them, although it disappeared on the outskirts of brussels, which meant i got lost again - a pity i'd left my street map of brussels at home in norwich. I eventually arrived at the home of stephanie demuelermeestter, where i was staying, at 1.30 amt

transition ghent

while i was in ghent, transition gent (also spelled ghent) held a meeting in the house where i was staying, and i sat in and listened while they planned an introductory training weekend, while they very considerately switched to speaking english instead of dutch. Transition towns are really catching on in holland - thet are so keen a large group of enthusiasts have even translated rob hopkins' transition handbook into dutch

critical mass in ghent

I took part in my first ever critical mass while i was in gent, with members of JNM . We rode around the centre of town for an hour or so, accompanied by two policemen on mountain bikes.
A critical mass in ghent is a pretty laid back event - there are so many cyclists anyway that motorists hardly notice

de site, ghent

In Ghent I also took the opportunity to visit 'de site', interviewing Christoph, one of the organisers, on video.
This derelict industrial site has been used to provide small plots of soil, all brought in from elsewhere and placed on top of the concrete which prevents harmful industrial chemicals from escaping, which are used by families in this deprived neighbourhood for growing flowers and vegetables, which saves carbon emissions by providing local food.

yves de baets

while in ghent i interviewed yves de baets, head of communications for the council's transport department, about their progressive transport policies. Ghent is the bicycling capital of belgium, with cycles everywhere, partly because of the high student population. They are also committed to providing a first class public transport system, and have to provide cycle tracks away from the tram lines

Ghent

Having got to Ghent, the first thing I did was drive the velomobile into the tram lines!
I decided to swop the velomobile for an ICE recumbent trike - made in Cornwall (yes, we still actually make something useful in Britain these days, it hasn't been outsourced to China). It will take a few days to arrive, so I arrange to have it delivered to Antwerp, and buy a cheap bike to travel on in the meantime.
Whilst in Ghent I interviewed the Low Impact Man (Stephen Vroman). He decided to lower his ecological footprint as much as he could, just for a year, and at the end of it he was so much healthier and happier he decided to continue living in this way. The message is clear - living an eco-friendly lifestyle is not a sacrifice, but a positive benefit

velomobiles

i had arranged to buy a velomobile from fietser.be in gent but such was not to be. They delivered it to ostend but when i tried to get in it my hips wouldn't quite fit! Johan goossens had arranged a 120 km trip for us the next day, all the way to gent via diksmerde, so i got in his velomobile, which is wider, and he rode mine. Velomobiles have a number of advantages - they are very streamlined and so can go fast (the record is 113kph I think!), and they are also weatherproof - they all have farings over the body, and some even have a removable roof so you can keep completely dry.

crossing the channel

One of the few ways to cross the channel zero carbon is sailing (i don't really have the physique for swimming or rowing!), so I duly hitched a lift on the Blue Heron from Dover to Ostend.
It was a really easy crossing, and we arrived in Ostend on Saturday evening. Alex and Alan from the Blue Heron left Ostend at 6 om Sunday morning and were back in Dover by 1600