I made this short video for the Young Reporters of the Environment Competition 2012
The Story behind the video:
I’ve always loved riding my bicycle. When I was younger, i never had Playstation or a computer as kids have today, as a break from my homework I would explore the outdoor world by biking instead. Apart from being a hobby it became a mode of commuting. As I grew older I started to ask questions and tried to find alternatives to our transport and environmental problems. I discovered that the bicycle can so easily substitute the car, the modern age vehicle that we have come obsessed with to get from A to B.
Isn’t it ironic that we have stopped calculating distances in how far they actually are but rather in how long it will actually take to arrive? We forgot how interconnected our villages are. We forgot how close they are. We are too busy stuck in traffic to realise that it’s taking us 30 mins to arrive from A to B when its just 3km away, or that you’re wasting 15 mins everyday to find parking instead of making good use of it otherwise. We grumble when the fuel prices rise, but we fail to do something to change it and find an alternative. Or even more, we forgot we are polluting the air we breathe just for we travel from here to there, even if it’s a short distance away.
Lets face the truth, Malta is just a rock, with so many people and cars crowded in such a small area, we are finding it difficult to get around. Traffic and parking problems remains a mind racking problem that every driver faces daily. Yeah, there’s pubic transport but that has it’s limits too and no matter how efficient it is, it still has it’s limits and setbacks. If you can’t solve a problem, re-think it, and solve it differently. And the bicycle can contribute well to solve our traffic and environmental problems. most of the trips we do by car can easily be done by bicycle, and you’ll probably arrive quicker and if not in a less stressful and relaxed way. Unless we show the authorities that we mean business and ready to change nothing actually will. So let’s show everyone that we love riding our bicycles and that we demand a safer and more sustainable environment for all to enjoy. It’s true that our roads aren’t so safe because there are so many cars, but how is thats supposed to change if no one is ready to take the first step and ride his/her bike instead?! I am ready, and i’m ready to cycle to introduce the bicycle culture thats alive and kicking in other countries, i’m just 16 but i’m ready to change that. Yeah, it’s the Two Wheeled Solution… it’s the bicycle !
Thanks for watching 🙂 Hope you enjoyed it 😀
22 Comments
great video ! 🙂
imagine having an emergency how would you go to hospital?by bike?come on riding the bike is good for you health but its impossible to go so long distances with a bike,imagine you need to go to work,your wearing a suit how are you giong to ride with it?lets face it i admire your spirt but without cars our lifes will slow down.
Steve Zammit Lupi has just done another video about the environment. A 16 year old teenager that appreciates the environment, one of the few. With his amazing skills he is trying to create an impact on everyone in Malta. Unlike many he practices what he preaches and cycles to many places. I admire his courage and determination of trying to make Malta a more environment friendly place. With this video he would like to say that it would be heather to reduce travelling by cars therefore use a bike.
I thought that's what ambulances are for.
In Sweden most peoples within cities go by BIKE, even with their suits 😉 No problems at all. Malta is a small place and you have too many cars!!! That's a fact… You do not need to take your car to the supermarket, you can WALK. The only time you should take the car is to the hospital if it is an emergency… You have a good bus system right now, take the bus to work if you don't want to use your legs 🙂 And yes, I live in Malta and I do NOT own a car. Good job Steve Zammit Lupi!!!!
And in Sweden many people take the bicycle to their work 30 km away… 30 km here in Malta is on the other side of your country hehe 🙂 You are spoiled with small distances – use that to something positive!! 🙂
Way up home boy! My 1st ride after a long time was 1 wk ago, and such thoughts ran across my head, to switch my transport to bi-cycle and now here I am watching this video. I planned to get a bike, I was riding my brother's bike (without him knowing hehehe 😉 brothers). The last time I was riding a bike to go to school was in 2007, someone broke my lock and stole it, and it was an expensive one :/ No Shit Sherlock I will get another one! sooner than soon =]
Are you in a bi-cycle club?
You're the man. Nice vid. I've been cycling around Malta both to go to work and for pleasure. Unfortunately Malta like you say in the vid hasn't got the cycling mentality "yet". Roads are not clean and people drive like crazy. Perhaps it was easy for me to adapt since I've previously lived (and cycled) in South America, India, and many other European cities. However, you might be the person to push that "change" into your society. Well done and thumbs up for this vid!
thanks mate 🙂 yeah im in the bicycle advocacy group on facebook 🙂 check them out 🙂
yeah the world is too busy 🙁 thats why i try to cycle often as it relaxes me and calms me down…im not sure how faster it is especially in peak hours….i arrive quicker to school by bicycle (8km away) then with public transport…we need to promote cycling more 😉
thanks mate !! glad you liked it 😀 lets keep on working to introduce the bicycle mentality here in Malta !! thanks again for the comments really appreciate, cheers mate 🙂
int zebbugi man ghax min hemm jien
Nice video. I'm approaching a year going carless. Didn't do it by choice my car just gave out one day and I had no extra money to fix it. So I've used public transportation and my two legs to get around. Yes it was hard at first but now it's easy. Side Benefits are you get in shape And lose weight. A gym isn't needed.
roads are for cars who pay for them not bikes
Sorry you are incorrect. Roads are paid for with all forms of taxes, not just fuel and car registrations. Roads are made for ALL people, be they in a car, on a bike, or on foot. It's unfortunate that most roads, however, are DESIGNED with only the car user in mind. But no matter, "I Am Traffic" to quote another YT page – I am part of the traffic on my bike just as others are in cars, and I'm not going anywhere.
You are wrong. I live 3 whole minutes from the pub so have to drive. I saw they wasting more money by putting in cycle tracks.
"3 whole minutes" and you have to drive? That's delusional.
Im an acholholic and fall over if I walk
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Its obligatory there to wear helmets, that you wear it?
Just wondering what's the name of the first song?
The essence of the problem makes cycling an unlikely solution. The traffic conditions on our roads make cycling hazardous. Few of us feel safe on two flimsy wheels and even fewer are willing to risk their lives. We need to propose doable solutions. Cycling is not one of them. It could be part of a multifaceted strategy to tackle the problem. A major component of such a strategy would be reliable and efficient public transport – and that is just an unaccomplished dream.