I don’t know how you go about getting bicycle racks on your side of the pond, but on our side you’d talk to the Jr. Warden who’s in charge of “buildings and grounds” about it. Then depending on where the church was located, you’d either get the city to put one in on the public sidewalk or you’d order one from a company that makes them (contact your local bicycle shop – they should know who makes them). You could install one yourself, you’d just need some buckets with spouts, some water, a mixing paddle, some Quik-Crete, and some muscles for mixing.

If you wanted to get really creative, you could get a local welder to make you one with pipes that resembled something like a fish |>, or the conjoined Greek letters Alpha and Omega, or some other suitable Christian symbol that would make a good bicycle design. (I wouldn’t use a Cross since there’d be nothing to lock the bicycle too, and even a celtic cross would offer limited parking options.) If y’all decided to have your own made, I’m sure you could draw something suitable.

I’ve seen some interestingly designed bicycle racks and some of the most interesting looking ones can be found in Portland, Oregon. Some are so artsy, that if no one told you what they were, you’d think you’d have to park your bicycle somewhere else. Also, in looking around Google images, I found bicycle racks that look like bicycles, music, a car, and books. So if you get creative, put a “bicycle parking here” sign next to the racks, unless of course the racks look like bicycles.

I think cycling and taking public transport when you can, as I believe you do, is an important way to tackle global warming. I have thought about trying out daughter’s bike, which as she hasn’t used if for a year or so is about the right hight for me. |: I still have to get organised enough to find time to practice between the raindrops, though, and then I shall need to get fitter to make it a viable option. I hope that if I talk about it enough I will eventually get on with it.

Heating seems to be the other big thing most of us do to create carbon emissions, so keeping the thermostat down as low as possible and wearing vests and jumpers and not using more hot water than necessary along with switching to an electricity company that invests as much as possible in sustainable power with low carbon emissions. Unfortunately there are days when a long soak is so much more appealing than a quick shower, and sometimes even a needed therapy.

There was something on a simple living website that said living simply (and also sustainably?) is about a balance between our needs and the needs of others etc, not about just giving things up for the sake of it – or words to that effect – which seemed like a sensible idea.

Sorry, I don’t know anything about bike wracks, but if it encourages people to cycle to church it must be a good idea.