2002 Activities Report

Redakcja 31 grudnia 2002 Zaktualizowana 8 grudnia 2022

Bicycles

We organised traditional first-day-of-spring bike ride entitled „Move your big belly” and Car Free Day in the town of Piaseczno.

We helped progressive young artists with „Rowelucja” (Velorution) bike-art festival.

As June 2002 Critical Mass was brutally pacified by anti-terrorist Police forces, we (Adrian F. twinbrother) filed complaints with the court and other appropriate agencies. Pawel F. twinbrother laboured teaching the Police courtesy and to respect parking regulations.

Regular Critical Mass rides were re-introduced, since September 2002 it is happening every month. With its own webpage www.masa.w.pl, it is attracting more and more participants.

Common effort of Marcin M., Olek, Twinbrothers, Krzysztof M. and Wiktor caused bicycle paths to be created in Konstancin, south of Warsaw. After a long battle specific act of Konstancin’s City Council (electable body) contains bicycle infrastructure recommendations both for local spatial planning policy and for road improvements projects.

Bulletin „Kolka Dwa” had three terrific issues in 2002.

We contacted and established co-operation with new cycling groups in Lochow, Olsztyn, Radom and Szczecin (Poland wide spectrum).

Very interesting was bike traffic measurement in May and June. There were 16 posts that recorded from 1200 to 2800 bicycles per day, which is just about 5 times more comparing to similar survey of 1998.

Olek organised field press conference on quality of Warsaw bicycle lanes (which is declining) in late June. A Decalogue (ten commandments) of bicycle infrastructure development and construction was created and gradually distributed amongst city officials and architects throughout the country.

There were a dozen or so bike excursions around Warsaw including the longest one: Warsaw – Plock – Warsaw.

We elaborated detailed concept of regional bicycle routes in Mazovia (22 of them, totalling 2400 kilometres). Also, we filed appropriate proposals for regional spatial planning which is currently being worked out.

Staying in the theme of bicycle paths, we created three-part photo exhibition (examples of good practice from Europe, current state of bike routes and visions for future). We presented it on Earth Day in Warsaw, on the „Xgielda” marketplace, on City Council in Konstancin and during Car Free Day in Piaseczno.

We signposted a cycling route in the northern outskirts of Warsaw, which is connecting Lomianki-Nowodwory ferry with Bielany District and Kampinoski National Park.

We organised meeting, open to the public, between cyclists and Warsaw Police Commander.

We published 100 copies of 4 videos in Polish language version (Masterplan Bicycle, European Car-free Day, Save Road to School, Balkan Unity Ride). The cassette is distributed through non-profit organizations, schools and local governments.

Together with „Cities for Bikes” network, we realised training for city of Plock officials and architects about bicycle infrastructure. Unfortunately, similar workshops could not be organized in Warsaw.

We made up screenplay and filmed materials for educational piece called „You too can become a cyclist”. Movie, waiting to be montaged, is about safety in the city.

1001 – just about that many letters have been sent to Board of City Roads (ZDM) in Warsaw, mostly comments, proposals, recommendations on current improvements. Olek, Krzysiek and Twinbrothers produced majority of it, most trenchant belonged to Olek naturally. Responses were usually miserable, sometimes funny and cute. As one the results of the rich correspondence was replacing rough, grooved blocks with smooth ones as a bike path pavement, separation of bike lane with anti-car posts on Banacha Str. and Woloska Str. (so vehicles cannot park on it), improvements of some sections of the pavements and completing traffic signs. Unfortunately, we have not achieved more fundamental changes we pressed for, for example implementation of standards presented in our abovementioned Decalogue.

Transport

Krzysiek R. and Marcin H. actively participated in Warsaw Transport Roundtable.

Olek reported progress (or rather lack of it) that capital of Poland accomplished in transport policy during programme „Green Theses for Warsaw – two years later”

We filed our proposals for zoning of Srodmiescie District concerning transport.

We send letters to candidates for President of Warsaw with questions on transport policy.

We decorated „WZ” highway with a banner in good taste saying „Separate tram-bus lane now”.

Despite many months of attempts (by Krzysiek M., Robert O., Marcin M., Twinbrothers) we could not talk city officials into European Car Free Day.

We organised satiric happening at Ministry of Finances „Whole nation builds its highways” and took part in bigger action called „Turn down road state of emergency”.

Green Areas

We filed our remarks to spatial planning documents especially to so called „Rutkiewicz Zoning Plan”. Our actions postponed ideas to cut down parks in central part of the city (Twinbrothers, Andrea, Magda).

We awarded Mayor Jerzy Smoczynski and Vicemayor Krzysztof Jez of Bialoleka District with „Gold chainsaw” for recklessly depriving inhabitants of Bialoleka forests and green areas.

Waste management

We organised 4 street happenings promoting returnable bottles and conducted a contest „Send beer caps – win a bike!” Maciek R. updated a list of wholesale businesses selling drinks in returnable bottles and, in the name of the organization, started mini-campaign to implement pro-environment packaging law by sending letters to Commerce Inspection Agency (PIH) and by controlling retail stores.

We made Housing Co-op „Sluzew nad Dolinka” install recycling containers on Lukowa Str., after brilliant cooperation with the locals – sign of the age of Aquarius.

Trainings, workshops, travels, events

– Oradea, Romania, May 2002, „Environmentally friendly shopping” campaign, mid-term evaluation of partnership organisations.

– Earth Day, Warsaw, April 2002.

– Bozewo, Mazovia, long weekend picnic 1-5 May 2002, famous Village Olympics and Workshop for All Beings (PNRWI) meeting.

– Bielsko-Biala, the Carpathians, 5-12 May 2002, International Workshops and street
performance „Earth for All – All for Earth”.

– Baile Felix, Romania, May 2002, „Zero Waste” conference.

– „Sustrans” representative visit in Warsaw, revisited in Bristol, UK.

– Wales, England, Ireland, July 2002, Celtic Safari Biketour, seminars, workshops, direct actions, all fun.

– Piaseczno, south of Warsaw, November 2002, Ecotopia Biketour 2003 international prep workshop.

– Lodz, Poland, 25-27 October 2002, Festival of „Obywatel” magazine.

Publications

– „Kolka dwa” – 3 issues;

– Videocassette on bikes (Masterplan Bicycle, European Car-free Day, Save Road to School, Balkan Unity Ride);

– Bike Calendar;

– Posters and stickers – environmentally friendly shopping campaign;

– Posters on transport and environment in Warsaw public buses and tramways;

– 20 different designs, total of 60000 copies of pro-bike and anti-car mini stickers;

– Decalogue of bicycle infrastructure development and construction.

Internet

– Our webpage was updated 220 times in 2002;

– We answered tens of letters and comments coming to warszawa(at)fz.eco.pl mailing address;

– Friends and cyclists of Bugs Bunny created separate Warsaw Critical Mass webpage;

– 2003 Biketour webage is slowly coming into life;

– The Number of ZMNEWS subscribers doubled reaching 960 souls;

– Our posts and opinions were visible on pl.rec.rowery, pl.regionalne.warszawa, pl.soc.zieloni, poprostu.pl. „Gazeta Wyborcza” mainstream newspaper printed few of our comments.

Organisation matters

New Board and some changes in „Zielone Mazowsze” Statutes were introduced during General Assembly in June 2002. Krzysztof Rytel was elected President of the Association.
We (Twinbrothers, Konrad) registered „Zielone Mazowsze in new court system (KRS number: 0000125160)

Maciek R., Lotka, G.I.Joe became fresh blooded activists.

We became independent enough to win auction to rent and maintain big apartment in Centre of Warsaw. We want to have an office there and green youth hostel (something like Simplon in Groningen, NL or Danish Sleep-in-Green).

Finance

2002 was the first year when membership fees were collected.

We obtained financial grants to run packaging campaign (Regional Environmental Center), VeloMazovia campaign („Youth” Programme of UE) and foreigner volunteers exchange („Youth” Programme of UE) and for bicycle campaign (Gmina Warszawa-Centrum).

We started cooperation with strategic sponsor – printing home „Taurus”. First common initiative was bicycle calendar.