Living Lightly

Photos © David Chernushenko

Dedicated infrastructure allows bikes, trams and cars to mix on the same streets – safely.

Colourful lane markers make it clear who should be wear, and give reticent cyclists a feeling of security at intersections.

A lively entrance to the Quartier Vauban, vibrant new “sustainable suburb” on the edge of Freiburg.

The tram antibiotics [...]

By David Chernushenko
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of interesting places, stories and interviews. Here are some of the highlights:
Freiburg and Freiamt, Germany

I came to Freiburg to see for myself what leads the city to call itself the Solar Capital of Europe. And I wanted to visit a [...]

David Chernushenko
Citizen Special
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
It’s Earth Day: time for the ritual flogging of modern industrial consumer society. Greedy humans! Polluters! Sinners! Now it’s time for the compulsory doomsday list:

Climate change: It’s bad and getting worse, faster than anticipated.
Water: It’s precious, it’s polluted, and putting it in bottles is not helping.
Air quality: It’s improving in [...]

DAVID CHERNUSHENKO explains how a revolution
in thinking is turning Lyon into a city of cyclists
Ottawa Citizen
Sunday, April 13, 2008, p. A12
I’ll begin with a confession: I’ve been blowing by historical landmarks and bypassing tourist attractions in Europe in search of bikestands. Let me explain. I recently tagged along to Lyon, France, with my wife, a [...]

Photos © David Chernushenko

My friend Jules’ factory-built green home is bright, healthy and cheap to heat. All that remains to finish it is the landscaping.

No spartan living in this Swiss green home. Despite a price tag 30% lower than a typical house, this green home is as comfortable and practical as you could wish for.

Building [...]

Photos © David Chernushenko.

Enjoying gelatto in Venice, minus the roar of traffic.

Hung out to dry in Venice: The outdoor clothesline is alive and well in Venice, and all over Italy. After all, we all wear underwear, don’t we?

Venice after a late-day thunderstorm. The lighting just took my breath away.

Look ma, no hands! Local residents cross [...]

The city of Lyon, France, offers public bicycles for anyone to use. Photos © David Chernushenko.

Veloving your bike in Lyon: Sure the communal VeloV bicycle is safe, but should you really be on your cell phone?

Those bikes are everywhere, and people of all walks (?) of like are riding them.

I had to try one myself.

Lyon
Click here to see photos

The launch of the public bicycle in Paris last summer (the Velib, or free bike) got a lot of attention, but the city of Lyon has had a similar program in place for several years. I spent a day in Lyon watching and filming people of all ages whiz by on [...]

Some photos from David’s recent travels in Germany. Photos © David Chernushenko

A German government ad campaign promoting better insulation for the home. Stay warm, save money, help the environment.

One of Berlin’s “shared bikes”

Just the bike for getting kids to school in Berlin weather.

Smart drivers can park almost anywhere in Berlin

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You’ll have to forgive the good people of Europe’s cities for wondering what that strange man with the camera is doing filming their recycling containers, bicycle stands and tramlines. I have been making my way across parts of France and Germany since early March, taking notes and pictures of how people [...]