Central to the story is a comparison of New York to what is experienced in London, Paris and Copenhagen.  Interviews and footage shot in these cities showcase how limiting automobile use is in recent years has improved air quality, minimized noise pollution and enriched commercial, recreational and community interaction.  London's congestion pricing scheme, Paris' BRT and Copenhagen's bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure are all examined in depth.  New York City, though to many the most vibrant and dynamic city on Earth, still has lessons to learn from Old Europe.

We hope this Streetfilm is a great resource that will help ally many fears this new concept (in the U.S. anyway) is experiencing in some cities.  It shows after a very brief adjustment period that drivers do grasp it.  Along the way you'll see ample, helpful footage of some of the many configurations of the NYC's new complete streets in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

More than 200 participants from 14 states and two countries came to New York this past weekend to swap ideas, learn bicycle advocacy best practices and build nationwide momentum in the country’s first-ever Youth Bike Summit, sponsored by Recycle-A-Bicycle. The youth spent three days learning everything from map-making techniques to political organizing strategies, participating in roller races and developing an action plan to advance biking in NYC and places beyond.

To kick things off, DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan acknowledged the event’s female leaders by evoking Susan B. Anthony’s 1896 quote, "I think the bicycle has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world." She then introduced Kimberly White, an 18 year old intern at Recycle-A-Bicycle as the Summit’s keynote speaker.

Kimberly related her personal transformation from a 16-year-old couch potato watching 36 hours of television a week, whose 4-year-old sister had superior bike handling skills, to a comfortable cyclist who had built her very own bicycle. This led to an opportunity to attend the 2010 National Bike Summit, where Kimberly and other NYC delegates asked legislators to make biking and walking safer for kids. She now seeks to empower other youth by urging legislators to keep streets safe for all young people in New York City.

In one workshop, Dr. Edward Fishkin, the director of medical services at Woodhull Hospital, spoke about his creation of a Kids Ride Club 15 years ago. From spring through fall, Dr. Fishkin leads weekly rides ford kids ages 7-19 with fun destinations and healthy lunches. Their motto is “Have fun and ride safe.” Fishkin calculated that in the 2010 season the Kids Ride Club burned a collective total of 1.5 million calories on the rides.

On day three of the conference, all of the participants formulated a plan based on what they'd learned during the weekend on topics such as education and advocacy campaigns, infrastructure designs, and diversity-boosting strategies. They vowed to band together to research the issues, publicize their findings, and create change. Clearly, this is a young group with a lot of energy. Legislators and decision-makers, watch out!

To follow the progress of the youth bike advocacy movement, go to www.recycleabicycle.org, and for more information on how to get involved contact Pasqualina Azzarello, Executive Director of Recycle-A-Bicycle, at director[at]recycleabicycle[dot]org.

As you may be aware, Streetfilms needs to continue to diversify our funding sources in the coming year in order to thrive and continue to make quality films. With that in mind there are a few things you can help us to have a prosperous 2011!

1 - Please consider making a year-end donation to Streetfilms.  To do so just follow this link.

2 - Fill out our very short Streetfilms survey and provide feedback.  Here's that link. (Note: as a carrot to dangle: one random person will win a $100 Amazon gift card.)

3 - If you or anyone you know (organization, individual) is interested in sponsoring a Streetfilm in production, please feel free to contact us at: info [at] streetfilms [dot] org.

4 - Keep watching. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Continue to tell your friends about Streetfilms, get them to watch our films.

Thanks.

Clarence Eckerson Jr.

It's very educational for the youngest ones in your home, but it's also about Zozo being his Zozo fun self and there's lots in here that will make the adults smile too. Our staff here at Streetfilms shot & edited all of these and here we present you with a funny montage featuring outtakes and other fun moments that didn't make the cut.  As you will see, Zozo is a charmer.

So, what better way to mark this year’s International Walk to School Day on October 6th, than to get the info directly from Zozo. According to our friends at the National Center for Safe Routes to School, this idea began in 1997 when the Partnership for a Walkable America sponsored the first Walk Our Children to School Day in Chicago.  Since 2002, it has become a worldwide event, with schools here in America in all 50 states leading the way for healthier children.  Make sure you get out for Walk to School and walk or ride your bike that day!

For more info, or to register your event that day go to www.walktoschool.org.  In 2009, there were great events in New York City & San Francisco that Streetfilms captured.

For a young international movement, 350 is a rallying cry, an organizing principle. On October 24^th, climate activists in over 180 countries with the group 350.org staged more than 5,200 demonstrations, pressuring world leaders to take meaningful action on global warming at upcoming United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen. In San Francisco, a ride of 350 cyclists in snorkels and flippers gathered at a downtown rally and traced a route through Bay-side neighborhoods threatened by rising sea levels.

Critics of the movement say the goal of stabilizing the atmosphere is too ambitious, and that even a cap of 450 parts per million would be difficult to achieve with curbs on carbon emissions. But the heated debate on the political possibilities of climate action is up against cold, hard, science.

The head of UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri, recently endorsed the goal of cutting emissions to 350 parts per million or less. Pachauri, who in 2007 split the Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore, was not able to advocate for any specific goals as chair of the IPCC, “but as  a human being I am fully supportive of that goal. What is happening, and what is likely to happen, convinces me that the world must be really ambitious and very determined at moving toward a 350 target."

But now thanks to a burgeoning livable streets movement and a marked improvement in public spaces in NYC, Zozo sightings have been reported. World-renowned crypto-zoologist Donald Druthers has convinced us to document the facts - and yes, it looks like Zozos could be making a comeback! See the evidence for yourself.

Presenting our long-awaited mockumentary "The Search for the Zozo," featuring many of New York's greatest citizens. You'll hear NYC urban expert Professor Kenneth T. Jackson from Columbia University talk about the history of the Zozo. But in addition, you'll hear accounts of sightings and Zozo-inspired stories from Colin "No Impact Man" Beavan, restaurateur (and cyclist) Florent Morellet, livable streets advocate Mary Beth Kelly, author Tom Vanderbilt, and a slew of advocates working to make safer streets a reality for pedestrians, cyclists, and the general public.

And if you see a Zozo? Let us know in the comments section, or dial 555-ZOZO. You can also check out our website WhereistheZozo? for the latest in sightings and news.

The first ever Participation Camp unconference took place on June 27th and 28th, 2009 in New York City.  The event focused on new ideas and tools to support citizen participation in government.  Over 100 attendees came to the physical space, and more than 2000 checked in virtually.  Participation Camp featured workshops, presentations, games, a hack session, a collaborative sculpture, and more.  Archives of the live webcasts can be found at http://participationcamp.org

-Matt Cooperrider, PCamp Organizer

As you'll see the students, teachers, volunteers and neighborhood residents all pitched in to bring the street to life, courtesy of tweleve vibrant colors. And as the event was wrapping, trucks from a Million Trees NYC appeared and started planting trees on the block. How's that for good karma?

Our eclectic mockumentary "The Search for the Zozo" is only days away from debuting.  Until then you'll have to do with the charm of this mysterious promo which is all sorts of wonderful and features lots of NYC notables.  Have you seen the Zozo? Check back in a few days to see if we found it.

This short Streetfilm provides an overview of the recent work they've been doing - in particular, it highlights LSE Director Kim Wiley-Schwartz's work with grades K-2 at PS 87. Please check out the website to see more on this groundbreaking curriculum. And to see some of the amazing art produced by the students, refer to this page and videos.

Livable Streets Education has been working in New York City schools, encouraging students to explore and question the environments around their school and in their neighborhoods, and to voice the changes they want to see on their streets. We recently asked first graders at P.S. 87 to give advice to pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers and to illustrate their words of wisdom. As we posted before with kindergarteners, here are their wonderful responses via montage.

If you would like to get your school involved, please visit the Livable Streets Education website or contact Kim Wiley-Schwartz at 212-796-4211 or kwileyschwartz@openplans.org for more information.

Livable Streets Education has been working in New York City schools, encouraging students to explore and question the environments around their school and in their neighborhoods, and to voice the changes they want to see on their streets. We recently asked Kindergartners at P.S. 87 what they would do if there were no cars on the streets. We were so impressed with their brilliant, creative responses that we wanted to share them with you!

If you would like to get your school involved, please contact Kim Wiley-Schwartz at 646-734-6486 or kwileyschwartz@openplans.org.

The school's administration and staff formed a Bike Safety Committee, bought bicycle helmets for every student, and partnered with Bike New York to get students pedaling safely.  Bike New York provided its Bike Driver's Ed curriculum, its Bike Fleet, a Learn to Ride event for students and their parents, and a brand new bicycle which was raffled off to one lucky student.  Did I mention that Bike New York did all of this for free?

Look out Dodgeball, there's a new sport in class.  Check out Bike New York's website for information on how your school can get in on the action.

In the final chapter of our September NYCSR visit to Colombia, where the indefatigable Gil Peñalosa was our tour guide, you'll find lots of tasty video morsels including: riding the comfortable ciclorutas and cycle paths, a visit to a thriving pedestrian-only street where they said it couldn't be done, a "bollard farm," mucho footage of the city's parks and public spaces and comments from the city's residents. And we couldn't resist - just a wee bit more dance mania at the Recreovia.

If this is your first foray into Bogotá, might we suggest these related Streetfilms which will bring you up to speed on Ciclovia and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT):

Ciclovia (9:41)

Bus Rapid Transit: Bogotá (7:29)

Mark Gorton Interviews Enrique Peñalosa (12:07)