A mental journey, not just 2000km by bike

The Ecotopia Biketour 2010 travelled ecologically for 10 weeks through England, Wales, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. People came from all corners of Europe to form this mobile ecological activist community, to create one hell of a jam-packed summer project. After 6 months of organising the route, I was glad when it finally started and I was doing things with people face to face. There was a million things left to organise, but they would have to be done on the way. I said it was so good to be on my bike, with a map and a good…

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The World of Bicycle Gangs: more than just a sustainable version of the Hells Angels

Bicycle Gangs can take the form of a community of convinced environmental activists travelling across Europe for a few months, others call themselves a „worldwide drinking club with a bicycle problem” (Chopadeiros). One thing the Ecotopia biketour , which is conquering Europe regularly since 1989, and not only the Chopadeiros but also their Russian associates RASTA Bike (Russian Association of Self-made Transport Appliances) have in common is the extremely sustainable way they cruise around. Another thing is fun, naturally. Yet, the Ecotopia biketour is a “eco-mobile do-it-yourself activist community”, whose way of living together comes closest to a commune. RASTA…

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Climate activists in front of Danish Embassy in Brussels

From De wereld van morgen (The world of tomorrow) Brussel — Enkele tientallen activisten protesteerden woensdag voor de Deense ambassade in Brussel. Ze eisen de onmiddellijke stopzetting van de juridische vervolging van zeven klimaatactivisten. De zeven activisten namen deel aan acties tijdens de Klimaattop in Kopenhagen afgelopen december. Volgens de actievoerders is deze vervolging een criminalisering van de milieubeweging.

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Biketour update for 2010-08-28

Biketour cycled its last day this year to arrive in Cologne yesterday to join the newly-formed critical mass here we doubled the numbers! # Video of protest biketour joined in Brussels: http://www.dewereldmorgen.be/video/2010/08/19/klimaatactivisten-protesteren-voor-deense-ambassade #

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Biketour update for 2010-08-24

dear cyclists At the end of this years tour we will have a party to celebrate the 20th birthday of the tour – and u all are warmly welcome # http://twitvid.com/AHCTV RT @ Ecotopia bike tour onderweg! # I uploaded a YouTube video — 20100823 ecobike tour Internet http://youtu.be/yRs-O249i-g?a # In the Netherlands & on Limburg TV highlighting some ridiculous highway plans: http://bit.ly/9LecVp & more info: http://ping.fm/7jaa3 # Groenfront and Stop-AWACS # Buitenring Parkstad # Biketour update for 2010-08-23 #

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Groenfront and Stop-AWACS

Groenfront and Stop-AWACS campaign at the forests of Schinveld The Association STOP awacs is a dutch organisation of about 450 local members from eastern South-Limburg that fights against the noise nuisance caused by AWACS surveillance aircraft. For 26 years the Association STOP awacs, in collaboration with other groups, has been organising actions against the presence of the 17 AWACS surveillance planes (a derivative of Boeing 707 civil airplanes) that are stationed at the NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen in Germany, very close to the Dutch border. The NATO uses this base solely as a training site. to train pilots. That means…

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Buitenring Parkstad

Buitenring Parkstad: the unnecessary and destructive plan of a 4-lane highway While population is decreasing and newborn business parks in the area are barely getting into use, politicians don’t seem to stop thinking in terms of growth and hold on to prestigious constructions plans… for, it seems, whatever might be the costs.

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