The Utah Statesman

Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: Tyler Larson

Media Credit: Tyler Larson During a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday, Provost Raymond Coward said students should support a more sustainable mode of transportation like biking.

The ribbon to the new covered bike parking structure was cut Wednesday by USU officials commemorating Utah State and Aggie Blue Bikes for providing a more sustainable mode of transportation.

Remarks were given by USU Provost Raymond Coward, and Nat Frazer, dean of the College of Natural Resources at USU, and Adam Christensen, Aggie Blue Bikes Program coordinator, concerning Aggie Blue Bikes and the new structure. After their remarks, the ribbon was cut by Coward, Frazer, Christensen and Darrell Hart, assistant vice president for facilities at USU, and John Fitch, construction coordinator of the structure.

The structure was finished in November but has been out of use until recently because of the weather, Christensen said.

Aggie Blue Bikes, who hosted the event, is a program in the student services department at USU dedicated to providing a brighter, cleaner and more sustainable future by giving students the means to do so, Christensen said.

The program was formed in September 2005 when bikes were donated by USU Police and various individuals in order for students to check them out for a period of time, Christensen said. They started with nine bikes available and now have 90 bikes, with a goal of 120 bikes by next fall, he said. The bikes are free to check out and can remain out for up to a semester, he said. Checkouts are the core of Aggie Blue Bikes because they were the first service provided for students, Christensen said.

Aggie Blue Bikes is supported by an Americorp grant, and Frazer said the university plans to match the money given by the grant by one half.

"It's not a huge amount of money, but it does a huge amount of good," said Frazer.

More than 650 people use different aspects of the program and everyone is encouraged to use all aspects, Coward said. The program should be supported by students because it allows them to choose a more sustainable mode of transportation and have it protected, he said.

The program has worthy goals and represents the university's needs, Frazer said. Students can support the program's actions because of the program's ability to take control and positively affect society, he said.

The program has three smaller programs within it-education, outreach and checkouts. Classes offered in the education program include community weeklies, where professionals are brought in to teach about topics like air quality and bike maintenance. Christensen said the League of American Bicyclist (LAB) classes which teach bicycle skills and etiquette, is taught along with one-on-one tutorials on how to fix bikes. Advocacy and outreach are achieved through events such as the Cache Valley Bike Festival, making more people aware of the program and its purpose.

The world is moving toward a more sustainable stance, one that reduces consumption of fossil fuels, Christensen said. The USU sustainability council oversees how USU complies with the American College and University President's Climate Commitment he said. The commitment is an effort to make campuses more sustainable and address global warming by gaining commitments to reduce and ultimately get rid of greenhouse gas emissions on campus, Frazer said. Aggie Blue Bikes is trying to do their part to keep this commitment made by USU, he said.

"I congratulate Aggie Blue Bikes and I encourage them to continue to become a stronger and larger program," Frazer said.

-monica.swapp@aggiemail.usu.edu

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