Dear Eric,
Great brand, and great idea. I attach a very basic two page proposal and a rehash of the ppt, which is for the meeting with the city department head. It’s only a start, but getting late here now, so something to build on tomorrow.
All the best,
Rory
Green Spring – Global Event that begins in Zhuhai, 2011.
1st Sunday of the month – March, April and May
What is it?
Each of the Green Sundays will start with a limited network of full or halves of streets which be motor vehicle free, opened to people to enjoy as safe and shared space, encouraging people to meet, talk and play.
The objective is to create a green street network, which will grow over the course of the program, allowing people to experience the benefits of reduced motor traffic first-hand.
Cycling will be a major focus of the event, with bike games, training, crazy bicycle testing area, Dr. Bike, Cycle maintenance workshops, cycle powered electric generators making cycle smoothies, music etc.
Streets will also be turned into soccer fields, Children’s Play areas, Street Arts areas, A Green market, Music and dance area, Performance Area – for performances by local schools and speeches by politicians.
Young and old, rich and poor, the Green Spring is a festival is for all. It carries a serious message, and provides a template for keeping Zhuhai Green.
But it must not appear to be lectures and education about green issues,it’s a festive and a fun day for everyone in Zhuhai!
Objectives – What are the benefits to Zhuhai?
Zhuhai’s ‘Green’ environment has a generated a reputation as a city offering the best quality of life in China. The facilities for walking and cycling are good, for example the recently opened Guangdong Green Route.
This attracts tourists, attracts business investment – senior executives in high tech firms want somewhere nice to live for their families. These are two of the main economic drivers for the city.
However, if current vehicle ownership and usage growth rates continue unchecked, Zhuhai’s traffic congestion will worsen, which will create traffic noise, air pollution, slow and difficult travel, dangerous roads, and less space for living.
More traffic = Lower quality of life for citizens.
Green Spring is not just a festival, but a social marketing campaign which aims to encourage people to drive less and cycle more! It is a pilot for mobility management in China.
Zhuhai is the ideal cycling city, good bicycle lanes, flat, good weather with low average trip distances.
The car is seen as a status symbol, taking the bus, walking or cycling to work or for shopping while still very high in percentage terms are largely low income groups.
For the car owning class, cycling is seen only as a recreational activity.
The target is to enhance the status of cycling.
Steering Committee:
Local and international experts.
International Experts:
Chair – Eric Britton – Paris – Founder of the International Car Free Day
Jason Chang – Taiwan University
Jane Voodikon – Chengdu / Los Angeles
Faizan / Carlos / Enrico?
Local Committee
Dorothy Chan – Hong Kong University
Nan Zou – Shandong University
Representative – Zhuhai Government
Representative – Zhuhai Media
Representative: CHINA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF THREE Character Foundation
Local Project Management:
Rory McMullan, Li Lei, Suki and Henry Li
Evaluation
Surveys, analysis of changed attitudes, modal share, media and traffic counts will take place during and after each event.
The third and “last” Green Sunday in this cycle will be followed a few days later by an open conference, evaluation and ideas session, attended by the public, schools, and of course all the concerned public agencies.
The goal of this meeting, to decide based on the experience of the first Green Spring among three options:
1. End to the program 2. Do it next year. 3. Continue on every first Sunday of each month, starting as soon as the team behind it is ready to guarantee success.
The steering committee will seek a budget from large corporate sponsors and international institutions.
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