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2015 Santa Monica Sustainable Quality Awards Bike Sponsorship

group of women riding bicycles

At this years 20th annual Sustainable Quality Awards, the Santa Monica Bike Center encouraged attendees to travel the emission free way to the most notable sustainable business event in Southern California. The Bike Center sponsored the ticket prices for the first 35 registrants that arrived by bike. This year’s initiative brought attention to the importance of bicycling as a direct way to reduce auto trips, meet GHG emission reduction commitments, and promote active living.

This sponsorship was a huge success, and over 30 people rode their bike to the event! This success reflects a dramatic increase in attendees who bicycled to the event. In 2014, only two people arrived to the Sustainable Quality Awards by bicycle.

In 2010 the City of Santa Monica adopted its Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) as part of Santa Monica’s General Plan. One of the important goals stated in the plan is, “to achieve numbers like those in Davis, California, where bicycling trips represent up to 14 percent of work trips, and Copenhagen, Denmark, where the number rises to over 35 percent (Santa Monica LUCE, 4.0-34).” The Sustainable Quality Award event attracts 250 attendees. Applying the City’s 14% goal to the number of attendees, at least 35 people should arrive by bike.

Mayor Kevin McKeown feels Santa Monica can continue to lead the way in sustainable transportation. “With Santa Monica becoming increasingly sustainable, as celebrated by these awards, we’re seeing sustainable mobility rise — with a 67% increase in bike ridership over just two years,” explains Mayor Kevin McKeown.

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Laurel Rosen, President of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, agrees, “The Chamber has been a longtime supporter of bike initiatives in Santa Monica, and we see the value of our business members supporting programs that help reach City goals.”

Many of those who rode their bikes to the event joined the staff of the Santa Monica Bike Center on a group ride to the bike valet. It was quite a sight to see so many bicyclists riding up Pico Blvd to the El Meridien Delfina. The Sustainable Quality Awards promotes and celebrates sustainability, and we hope to see bicyclists continue to feel encouraged to travel on two wheels to Santa Monica events in the future.
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