My way or the Hubway

My name is Jackie and I had a Hubway membership.

There. I said it. And the best part? It was awesome.

I think, like many, that I viewed the Hubway as useful, but generally silly-looking, clunky bikes that only tourists used. However, I assure you... that is not the case. My very first adventure on a Hubway was a few weeks ago, after the Boston Cyclists Union meeting, when I wanted to go with Jessica to meet other friends. The fastest and cheapest way for both of us to meet them was for me to get a Hubway bike, since she already had hers. The result? I laughed the whole time... to the point of a nearby pedestrian declaring, "That woman on the Hubway is drunk!" (I assure you, I was not, despite the many delicious beers available at the party).

You see, my bike is quite old.

I have named her Sally the Surviving Sojourner... or just Sally. Sally and I have been together for over 12 years, ever since I scraped together my allowance, convinced my parents to drive me to Wal-Mart (the only bike store I knew of at the time) and decided she was The One. I was right - Sally is wonderful. She is still trucking, getting me to and from the T station and an occasional gym sesh or yoga class these days. Previously, we rode all around Boston and Cambridge, dodging potholes and pedestrians and cars like champions.

But now, Sally is getting older. She loses air in her tires quickly and makes funny noises when we climb hills together. Then again, I'd probably make funny noises if I had to carry me on my back uphill. Regardless, Sally is not easy to ride... there is space in there for a "Ride, Sally, Ride" joke but I can't quite figure it out. 

Anyway, back to the Hubway: the impetus for getting a 3-day membership last week came when I had to get to class in 45 minutes. It is 4.5 miles from work to class, so if I had my running gear, that would be one option... save that I had to arrive looking somewhat intact and with an assignment. Running was not an option. 

The bus or T was another possibility, albeit a really slow and sedentary option. After some quality time that day with my desk chair, I was really hoping for some movement or standing, at the very least

With the time limitation, walking was definitely out, unless I wanted to show up very late. Not a good move.

Curious, I approached the Hubway computer thingy, you know, the thing that looks like a less exciting vending machine. I read the simple instructions: three day membership, $12, unlimited free rides under 30 minutes. $2 for rides 30-60 minutes. Done - very easy to understand, and exciting in a different way than the smacking sound that a candy bar makes when it falls from its home to the bottom of a vending machine.

I soared to class. And the next day I soared to dinner with a friend. And the day after that I soared to the orange line. Sure, there were the occasional "oops" turns the wrong way down one way streets and moments before I realized that the seat could adjust and just had to fall over to stop, but it was phenomenal. I was not constrained by the bus or T schedule, I didn't have to be pressed up against strangers who were just as reluctant to be pressed up against me. AND I passed at least a few buses and countless pedestrians. I pedaled and braked with ease, since these bikes are much more modern and ergonomically friendly than Sally's. The seat adjustment range is enormous to take into account people much smaller and taller than I. Another bonus.

Unlike my preconceived notions of Herbert (what I've named all of the Hubway bikes), he is actually very useful, sleek, and racy. He maneuvers steadily among the potholes, just like Sally once did, and he is really a wonderful way to see this city. And he's (almost) always there when you need him.

What would you do if money were no object?

Watch this. Now.

I don't know much about Alan Watts, but I completely appreciate the knowledge he drops in that short video. Enjoy!

Made in Ethiopia and Zambia and...

This is not rocket science. It is common sense, which is unfortunately not so common. 

Entrepreneur Tal Dehtiar founded Oliberte, a shoe company doing business in Africa, sourcing materials from herders tending to free range animals (which, by the way, are the only kind in most African countries) and only working with factories who pay fair wages, provide benefits, and employ roughly half women. Why? Well, here are some of his reasons...

"...we believe Africa can compete on a global scale,” he says, “but it needs a chance. It doesn’t need handouts or a hand up. It needs people to start shaking hands and companies to start making deals to work in these countries."

“I’m not saying ours is a better way [than TOMS],” Dehtiar says, “but people just continue to give away stuff to Africa, and there’s no incentive for dependencies to end.”

With sales increasing 50 fold in just two years, hopefully this trendsetting will not only involve fashionable shoes, but also influence other entrepreneurs and get them thinking "Time for Africa" for their next business home.

Stuffed

I have been thinking a lot recently about stuff - like the actual stuff we all acquire as we meander through life: clothes, shoes, papers, athletic gear, the list goes on. This all started when I was in Kenya, suddenly aware of my backpack, which in and of itself, contained more things than some of the people we interviewed had in their whole house. That was when I started wondering how necessary all of our stuff is.

Now, as I clean out my desk of three and a half years, I am recycling, giving away, or straight up trashing a lot of this... and once again wondering, is this all necessary? And where did it all come from?

Which took me on a Googling frenzy. Naturally.

Now let's be clear: I enjoy a new notebook or pair of boots just as much as the next person, but this video makes me think about purchases differently. The woman who made it drops ten years of research knowledge in a completely understandable and interesting way. Like everyone, she has a clear political view but regardless of whether or not you agree, she has compelling facts to support her arguments which have likely shaped her view.

Anyway, the sneakiest part of the whole system is what is termed "planned obsolescence" and "perceived obsolescence." First, planned obsolescence: There are actually algorithms within every company calculating the compromise between how quickly they need their product to break and how long they need their product to last both so that we all will need to buy another and keep their company profitable and that we actually will trust the product enough to buy it a second time. Ahhh! That is crazy! Perceived obsolescence is a fancy term for being out of style and feeling pressured by media/peers to consume a newer version of whatever it is you have, since it is obvious that your _____ is old, even if it still works perfectly fine.

Both of these terms could be part of the reason that only 1% of all the things we buy are still in use six months later. This percentage is certainly skewed by a lot of the things we buy being consumables (food, beverages, etc) which are not meant to last that long, but it gives you an idea of how fleeting our desires for the latest gadgets and gizmos are.

Recycling certainly helps all of this consumption by reducing waste into landfills and pressure to harvest more natural resources, BUT for every single barrel of waste saved (and instead recycled), it took seventy (yes, 7-0) barrels of waste to generate that single barrel of material you are recycling... so it would be better if it were not generated in the first place. Like, say, 70 times better.

Finally, compared to similarly developed Western European countries, we work the most and shop the most. Our top two leisure activities are shopping and watching TV. That sounds pretty dull compared to the laundry list of things we all could be doing, which could be contributing to the decreasing levels of happiness we see in the USA since the 1950s, despite our ever increasing appetites for consumption of more and more goods.

Interestingly (and thankfully), the video points out that there are a lot of different points at which we can change the system, since it hasn't always been this way. In the meantime, this is not to say that we shouldn't have things or buy things we need or enjoy what we have... but remember:

Joy is not in things, it is in us. ~RW