Biking Around NYC is Much Easier Than Cycling Around New Zealand

New Zealand drivers are terrible. I obey the road rules, but I’ve been cut up, sworn at (for just being on a road in Christchurch) and had too many near misses to mention. Unfortunately, most rate payers see more value in building a multi-million dollar sports stadium that will be used on occasion, than bike lanes that will revolutionise many people’s day to day commutes, cut carbon and attract families back into the saddle.

New York City shows you what can happen when you retrofit decent cycling infrastructure. There was practically none when I lived in the area in the early 90s. Now it is everywhere and so are cyclists. Which means drivers are more aware of them and it is safer to ride there. I used the Citi Bike share scheme (the pushbikes, though you can hire electric ones) and it was a delight.

My AirBnB

Racks of CitiBikes are everywhere

It was delightful to bike along streets like this in Brooklyn

And busy areas had better bike lanes

Though the ghost cycles remind you that there are accidents as with all modes of transport

Biking was the best way to get to meet my new cartooning buddy, Dean Haspiel, over in Red Hook (also the name of his ace comic)

I’d never seen these in New Zealand. It doesn’t get that cold

You notice more on a bike. Like these covered outdoor areas for restaurants, which are a Covid legacy.

Biking over the Brooklyn Bridge is the best way to go.

Sometimes the hardest thing about hiring a Citibike is finding a park. There was just one spot near the ferry terminal at DUMBO

I never felt unsafe, even in the busiest parts of the city.

Nearly as popular as bikes: dogs (pictured) and dope (smelt)

Gorgeous bike lanes everywhere!

Cycling along the Hudson River was a dream

My final destination before I took the subway to JFK: King Features at Hearst Tower

Not cheap, but worth it.

The Neighbour's Evil Poplar Trees and Their Pervasive Roots are Sucking My Garden Dry

I'm sure my neighbour had no idea how big her poplar trees would get when she planted them in her garden on a very steep slope behind her house. Now they tower menacingly over the property. A mature tree reaching 150 feet could have roots extending up to 450 feet from its base and they are getting up there. Their roots have searched everywhere this dry summer for water. Every time I dig into one of my garden beds, I find a thick mat of poplar roots.

The neighbour's poplar trees

I knew this was going to be a problem, so I planted my potatoes in big tubs that I then sunk into the ground. The poplars still found their way in. Luckily, enough potatoes formed before the roots sucked the tubs dry.

I guess I'll do the same next year, but I will keep rotating the tubs to break the roots that invade them.

Carbon Sessions Podcast with Jeremy Côté and Rob Slater

I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Carbon Sessions podcast, a show that features carbon conversations for every day, with everyone, from everywhere in the world. The podcast is hosted by a diverse and passionate team of people who are committed to making a difference in the fight against climate change. You can listen to the podcast here.

The conversation I had with Jeremy and Rob was wide-ranging and engaging. We talked about my background, cartooning, climate issues, and some of the challenges and opportunities we face as a global community.

I loved talking to them as they shared my science & cartooning interests. Jeremy is a Canadian science communicator and educator and Rob is a British orthodontist and artist. Check out his work:

I wish I could have talked to Jeremy and Rob for longer, but unfortunately we live in three different countries and time zones.

I highly recommend you to listen to the Carbon Sessions podcast and join the carbon conversations. You can also sign up to be part of a future episode if you want to share your voice and your story. You can find more information on the podcast website, https://thecarbonalmanac.org/podcasts/.

Electric Car Trip from Lyttelton to Camp at the Store at Kekerengu: It Worked (Mostly)!

I bought a Nissan Leaf (2019 40 kWh battery with a range of about 200 km now) at the end of last year to give me more mobility as I recovered from foot surgery. The aim was to use it to get to the beach and other local trips. But before I sell it in April, I thought I would take it on a couple of longer trips. The first one was this week.

I planned the trip to our camping destination north of Kaikoura using the PlugShare app. This app helps EV drivers find charging stations, leave reviews, and connect with other plug-in vehicle owners.

Our first stop in Amberly whilst charging at Countdown

It would have been fairly straightforward if we hadn't encountered an accident just north of Amberley that required a detour. That meant charging in Cheviot, which we could have avoided if we had driven straight through. So far, so good.

There is a park near the Cheviot charger, which makes it easy to take a break as you can buy food and drink from the Four Square mini market

But then we encountered the next wrinkle: chargers aren't always available. This is fine if people check in by the PlugShare app. Unfortunately, we arrived at New World Kaikoura to find a couple in a large EV who had not checked in. But it was okay to wait as we needed to get supplies from the supermarket (beer, ice and the dog food I had forgot to bring).

Once it was our turn and we plugged in, we could go to the beach which was a mere two minutes walk away. The ChargeNet app let us know when charging was finished so that we didn't block the charger for anyone else who might arrive. And I tried to remember to check in and check out on PlugShare when I was charging.

Great beach near the Kaikoura New World Charger

Fun driving around the Kaikoura coastline

Beware of falling rocks!

Our campsite. No electricity here.

Heading home

Our Jack Russell is oblivious to the dolphins jumping out of the water just off the shore near Kaikoura on our drive home

It was far smoother coming back, with no accidents and no one else using the chargers that we planned to use, though we stopped in Cheviot again as it was over 30 degrees and we wanted to use the range-reducing AC.

We came home to see the smoke from the Port Hills fire that is still burning. Another sign of climate change and how we need to do everything we can to mitigate it. Driving electric cars is fine, but I would rather there was integrated public transport to get around New Zealand. Maybe one day.

Smoke from the Port Hills fire from Magazine Bay, Lyttelton

Was it economical?

Yes.

Total trip kilometres: 520
Charged at: Amberley, Cheviot and Kaikoura and the same in reverse.

Cost: $NZ 54.14

91 petrol currently costs about $2.70 per litre. The fuel-efficient 2018 Suzuki Swift uses 4.6 litres of fuel per 100km. It would have used 23.92 litres at a total cost of $64.58. So I saved money as well as carbon emissions, even though I was using (expensive) fast chargers.

Left home with (free solar power) a charge of “100%” and returned home with “38%”. The state of health of the battery is about 80%

My Favourite Arctic Circle Cartoons of 2023 (The Long List)

This is the first year in ages that I’ll be entering the National (that’s the US, in case you were thinking I meant New Zealand, LOL) Cartoonist Society awards. You can read why in my epistle (sign up at the bottom of this page). I’ve asked for fan favourites, but here are all of mine.

Arctic Circle Cartoon - Who Decides What is Fashionable?

Why is the fashion industry still a thing? It's destructive and mad. I can understand style and wearing things that make you look good or are functional or, ideally, both. But fashion for fashion’s sake is weird.

If you want to see what happens to some of the mountains of unsold clothes when they are no longer deemed fashionable, check this out:

https://grist.org/international/burn-after-wearing-fashion-waste-chile/