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A bicycle - rickshaw from Agra, India provides carbon-free transit to San Franciscans and visitors, while overcoming non-sensical barriers from residential and commercial property owners. Donations from the service support a new socially responsible business being formed by Partnerships For Change, Inc.. (See )
San Francisco, California (PRWEB) December 22, 2008 — A bicycle - rickshaw from Agra, India provides carbon-free transit to San Franciscans and visitors, while overcoming non-sensical barriers from residential and commercial property owners. Donations from the service support a new socially responsible business being formed by Partnerships For Change, Inc. (See )
WHO
Andrew Michael of Partnerships For Change (PFC) drives a bicycle rickshaw and directs a social-profit recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 Charitable non-profit. PFC is an instigator for the creation of the Business Council for Climate Change (BC3) founded by the Bay Area Council, the United Nations’ Global Compact and San Francisco’s Department of the Environment, see .
WHAT
A bicycle - rickshaw from Agra, India provides carbon-free transit to San Franciscans and visitors, while overcoming non-sensical barriers from residential and commercial property owners. The Rickshaw service is one small way to help combat global warming.
“You would think a competing new residence or office building was opened, the way some of these property owners attempted to resist access to carbon-free transit,” says Andrew Michael, Director, Partnerships For Change.
Solution: The Hotel Vitale (near the Embarcadro) and Hotel del Sol (near the Marina and Cow Hollow) both members of Joie de Vivre Hospitality agree to provide space to park the bicycle-rickshaw and offer their guests a carbon-free; transit experience. The Hotels are green hotels recognized as green businesses.
“We are fortunate to have leaders of a true green economy from Joie de Vivre Hospitality that understand joy in life is in part being able to be in harmony with nature,” commented Michael, driver of the bicycle-rickshaw.
Story Contacts
Hotel Vitale
Hotel del Sol
Business Council on Climate Change (BC3) -
Barriers - Those refusing to allow the parking of bicycle-rickshaw on property: Residential Property Owner, San Francisco, CA 94123,
Commercial Property owners on California Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
WHEN:
Anytime when Rickshaw is available, riders of Carbon-free transit include San Franciscans and visitors along the Embarcadero all the way to the Marina Green and the Golden Gate Bridge.
WHY:
PFC Project’s economically empower the poorest of poor in India, Cambodia and Burma and directly receives financial donations from Carbon -free transit service provided in San Francisco with a bicycle-rickshaw produced in Agra, India. (See the Photo Journal of a the rickshaw at RickshawAMP at and a description of the new form of business at .)
CONTACT:
Partnerships For Change (PFC) supports sustainable development and direct humanitarian action by redefining the role of the media. PFC, Inc. is new business empowers the poorest of the poor to create businesses that make products with a positive message for American children and their parents. Contact Andrew Michael, Director, Partnerships For Change at Andrew at partnershipsforchange dot com or 415-533-6210.
Key Episodes in the Journey of an Indian rickshaw to the streets of San Francisco
Episode of purchasing the bicycle-rickshaw from Agra, India (home of the Taj Mahal) and shipping to San Francisco and finally after 6 months getting in working order:
“In January 2008, following the third visit to Agra and a maker of bicycle-rickshaws that provides a free rickshaw to an Indian rickshaw driver for each one purchased by a westerner, I chose to purchase the rickshaw from Rickshaw India,” says Michael. “It was delivered in May 2008. It was not until June 2008, that I was able clear the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. customs and transport the wooden crate from a San Leandro warehouse to San Francisco. It would take yet another month to get it moving as the size of the inter-tube tires and the tools to replace the tire were not accessible, as they are uniquely Indian. It would not be until September 2008, when I visited India that I was able to purchase these tools and parts with a Franciscan Nun in a bike marketplace in India.”
Episode with Residential Property throwing up barriers in the Marina District, San Francisco
“Residential property owner refuses to allow Rickshaw parking in its own garage in the bike area where no person nor car is blocked or impeded from movement,” Michael says. “Even a month after the residential property owner’s land attorney received a letter rebuffing all of their claims, the landlord orders the Rickshaw out of their garage. This forced me to park it in one case under a freeway underpass.
“Later in time in December 2008, the Rickshaw is parked in a public parking area near the Marina Residence. A ‘neighbor’ calls in a complaint that the bicycle rickshaw is locked to a stop sign. After a courteous warning from the San Francisco Department of Public Work, the lock is cut and the rickshaw is taken to DPW’s maintenance garage on Cesar Chavez Avenue. Eventually the field trip ends to DPW and the rickshaw is driven back to the Marina to continue its Global Warming campaign to make owners aware that gas guzzlers are unnecessary. See photo of sign, ‘GASS HOLE’ in front of PT Cruiser in the public parking area and hood ornament of Rickshaw, an SUV with a big NO symbol on its back.” (see and RickshawAMP photo album).
Episode with Commercial Property in the Financial District
“The Commercial Property Manager like a number others on California Street refuse to allow the bicycle rickshaw to park in front of their building on public sidewalk where bike’s park because they think it will not help them lease ground offices,” Andrew says. “My commercial property owner says that they will find a free area to park the rickshaw, but the parking company in the garage doesn’t have a place and nor does it want to reduce their take of parking fees. Over five weeks later, there is no place identified to park but they have no problem parking an expensive sports car in a non-parking area.”
Episode: San Francisco Chronicle’s Car section touts Rickshaw as Best Carbon Free Vehicle. See “Best vehicles are Carbon-free” on the San Francisco Chronicle site.
You can view and comment on the photo here:
“It’s true what the San Francisco Chronicle says in their Car section, the best vehicles are carbon-free!”
For more information, Contact Andrew Michael, Director, Partnerships For Change at Andrew at partnershipsforchange dot com or 415-533-6210.
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