Two Wheeled Newsletter: May 2008

“What is the opposite of “going green”?

The question was posed recently, and my immediate thought was a color; being brown? going red? The term going green has become a buzz word, so widespread that it has gone through a commercialization and become a form of marketing. In response to the mainstream acceptance of large corporations to embrace environmentalism through the going green ideal, I’d offer the opposite of green as mindless consumerism, purchasing and consuming without considering effects on the environment or people around us.

In an effort to utilize a form of global over consumption, TWF has made its first mission to help recycle good bicycles no longer used by their owners in North America. For successful re-invention of the bicycles in Africa, TWF announces that is has signed a partnership document with two unique Ugandan based groups.

The First African Bicycle Information Organisation (FABIO) is a non-governmental group based in eastern Uganda, and has a great history of bicycle capacity building, research and advocacy. FABIO brings bicycle technical experience in the African context, and this will help train local community members to remodel, refurbish and repair at their new bicycle workshops.

The second partner is the Youth Employment Systems, Inc. (YES), an affiliation of international leaders finding ways to create employment for young people around the globe. Each year YES has an international summit which brings together leaders to discuss best practices and share employment generating ideas. YES - Uganda leaders will work directly with the workshops and give entrepreneurial and financial management training for the managers and employees. With YES and FABIO on board, there is great potential for innovative and sustainable bicycle workshops.

TWF has launched its website www.twowheeledfoundation.org. The site will function as a way to learn more about the organization, but also a space to share stories of how the bicycle is an instrument of social change. Check out the site and read profiles of individuals like David Butcher, who is an oracle of alternative energy and gave his interview through a unique webcast that is 100% powered by a specially rigged bicycle. Through the web and mail, expect more exciting news from TWF.


Kind and Warm Regards,


Joseph Agoada
Chairman, Two Wheeled Foundation
jagoada@twowheeledfoundation.org