Pedaling for Cleanliness
Do you know how we started? Litter prevention. Folks in Culpeper got tired of seeing litter on their roadways, and decided to do something about it. They organized a cleanup, started the “Don’t Be a Litterbug” campaign, and did something about it. This local, Virginia initiative became the inspiration for both Keep Virginia Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful. This was in 1953, and the bicycle to have was the Schwinn Meteor.
Much has changed over the past 60+ years.
More people than ever are riding their bikes, for work, commuting, and pleasure. While over the past few years overall numbers of riders have dropped, almost 40 million Americans will ride a bike this year. And while the overall number of riders has gone down, their visibility and productivity has gone up! In 2009, there were over 4 Billion trips made astride a bicycle. And the fastest growing segment or riders are those over 65. It’s a great way to see the world. There are many who take to our trails and bikeways. There are currently over 6,700 miles of the United States Bicycle Route, and there are thousands of miles of park trails. But the majority of our riding is on the over 4 million miles of U.S. roadway. So it’s important that we continue to try and keep our streets and byways tidy.
One man who wants to make a difference is our good friend John Deuel. John worked with Keep America Beautiful as a National Trainer, teaching local leaders how to exact and measure environmental change and beautification. He recently retired as Recycling Coordinator with the City of Norfolk and as the Executive Director of Keep Norfolk Beautiful. He decided that he wanted to see the world and do something about litter, so he started pedaling. From San Diego California. To Virginia Beach. He was Pedaling for a Cleaner America.
Along the way, John met with other riders and engaged communities to fight litter and promote cycling. Each day, he had some community action, be it a cleanup, a beautification project, or handing out helmets to young riders. When he arrived in Richmond on June 26th, he was welcomed by the Richmond Flying Squirrels. That’s the farm team for the San Francisco Giants. He had the honor of throwing out the first pitch! The next day, he helped us with over a dozen volunteers as we tidied up the trailhead of the Virginia Capital Trail and sections of the riverfront. Afterwards, we all celebrated John’s ride (and its’ coming conclusion!) with some delicious pizza and beer at Bottom’s Up Pizza.
Good cause, good work, good times, good food.
We’re very proud of John and his accomplishment. We’re also honored to have been his welcoming committee in Richmond. Now as for the rest of you – get out there and start pedaling! And make Virginia a little cleaner!