Another way to heal the world from global warming: bicycles

BANGKOK — As the world’s environment has continually changed, we all can not deny that our activities participate in the global warming and climate change in our everyday lives, no matter using the electricity, cooking, or even opening air conditioning. However, according to the United States (OECD, 2010), the primary activity that emits the carbon dioxide up to 65 percent of the transportation sector is a personal car use.

By these reasons, the ‘CU BIKE’ bicycle project is initiated based on the idea of reducing greenhouse gas emissions especially from car use, which promoted within the Chulalongkorn University, also collaborated on the public bicycle project or ‘Pun Pun.’ The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has also developed a modern bicycle as well as an up-to-date and convenient borrowing system for university use.

In the first stage of this project, there will be 100 public bicycles provided around the campus together with five bicycles station within Chulalongkorn University area. If students want to borrow for CU BIKE, the process is not that difficult. First of all, you have to apply for a CU BIKE card which directly fills information on its main website. Then you take the card to borrow the bike as if withdraw cash from the ATM by only tapping the card to enter the 4-digit code. Finally, you will get a vibrant pink bicycle to use.

This project will mainly focus on eco-friendly power which station system will be using solar energy transiting from solar panels. Bicycle control box and rear-facing lights retrieve an electric energy from accumulated power by wheel spinning through the dynamo.There are so many extraordinary features of CU BIKE as the following;

• Able to borrow a bicycle from one station and return to another station
•  Convenient borrowing system via membership card
•  Public bicycle system with innovative technology using for energy conservation
•  Solar power
•  Automatic operation front and rear lights when biking
•  Temporary lock for bike parking
•  Can be considered that Chulalongkorn University one of the best and most modern prototype of public bicycle system in Thailand

CU students do not only ameliorate an environment and climate. When looking at plenty advantages of bicycle use, people have a high mobility to travel, especially in traffic conditions and congestion in the major cities. In an economic aspect, it will save you travel expenses and associated costs such as maintenance fees, or parking fees at a lower cost compared to personal cars. Moreover, many pieces of research revealed that, besides weight loss, it is also beneficial to rider’s body and internal organs.

The project will benefit Chulalongkorn University by promoting energy conservation, creating a pleasant environment, as well as reducing the use of private vehicles on campus and air pollution. This campaign comes in the right direction to support gas emission reduce and create awareness among students.