Car culture has ensnared much of the world--and it's no wonder. Convenience and comfort (as well as some clever lobbying) have made the car the transportation method of choice for generations. But as the world evolves, the high cost of the automobile is made clearer--with its dramatic effects on pollution, the way it cuts people off from their communities, and the alarming rate at which people are injured and killed in crashes. Walker argues that the simplest way to tackle many of these problems at once is with one of humankind's most perfect inventions--the bicycle. In How Cycling Can Save the World, Walker takes readers on a tour of cities like Copenhagen and Utrecht, where everyday cycling has taken root, demonstrating cycling's proven effect on reducing smog and obesity, and improving quality of life and mental health. Interviews with public figures--such as Janette Sadik-Khan, who led the charge to create more pedestrian- and cyclist- friendly infrastructure in New York City--provide case studies on how it can be done, and prove that you can make a big change with just a few cycling lanes and a paradigm shift. Meticulously researched and incredibly inspiring, How Cycling Can Save the World delivers on its lofty promise and leads readers to the realization that cycling could not only save the world, but have a lasting and positive impact on their own lives.

    In Holy Spokes Everett tells how she became a dedicated cyclist and uses her story to develop a distinctly urban spirituality. With chapters structured around the parts of a bicycle, the book looks at the history of cycling, relates Everett's own experiences biking in Boston, and reflects on the spiritual dimensions of moving through the city on two wheels. "As I bike across the cobblestones and potholes of Boston," Everett says, "I now have daily opportunity to see the life of my city more clearly, love the broken world around me more dearly, and follow this path more nearly. Curiously, I think I am closer to God because of my bicycle."

    

    But that isn't how it always works. The contributors to this volume of Taking the Lane zine tackle the potentials and realities and unintended consequences of trying to create a better world using human-powered transportation.

    With over 100 full-page cartoons that give an affectionate take on cycling in all its different forms, featuring cartoons about road cycling, mountain biking and bike ownership, via sportives and commuting--celebrating the simple pleasure of getting from A to B on two wheels.