Why GREEN Riders?

We are often asked why we decided to do GREEN Riders and how we came up with the idea.

This is how Kenny remembers it:  Basically, we were sitting in a pub in Kuala Lumpur having some dinner after a workshop we both were attending to learn more about service learning.  We were talking about some crazy ideas for an adventure that might also include a bit of education and awareness as well as service learning.  In the beginning, we were talking about walking across Malaysia in the tradition of The Appalachian Trail in North America or possibly riding bikes across Malaysia from the Thai border to the Singapore border.  I’m not sure how it expanded and became a ride across Southeast Asia.  But it did!

This is how Jamie remembers it: It’s pretty much like Kenny said except that I wasn’t too excited about the idea at first. I was just lukewarm about the idea initially, but it grew on me.  Since I had studied film in University I thought it would be a great opportunity to combine my passion for the outdoors and environmental education with documentary film making.  When I returned home to Japan I started getting more and more excited.  The rest is history except the fact that we originally planned to ride from Bali to Phuket.  How we reversed the route is a funny story you’ll have to ask me or Kenny one day!

And this is the why!

Categories: Sustainable Transport | Leave a comment

Jamie’s Favourites

Jamie reminisces about his favourite moments and the videos he likes the most.

One of my favourite moments was when we visited the village in Thailand that had made their playground out of old spare tires.  Julia was a great source of inspiration for the community and an excellent resource for them as they decided to build their recycled playground.  So Episode 4- Give me a spare tire and i’ll build you a playground is one of my favourites!

It’s also hard to imagine a more dedicated person than Baisikal Akmal.  The fact that he taught students how to pull old bicycles from the landfill and rebuild them into bikes that they rode across the entire country of Malaysia is ridiculously amazing!  For this reason I also choose Episode 7- Recyclecycles as an all time favourite!  It was great to ride across Malaysia with the UPM students and see their recycled bicycles in action!

Enjoy my choices below!

 

Categories: Sustainable Transport | Comments Off on Jamie’s Favourites

Kenny’s favorites

Kenny reflects on the good times and his favorite videos.

I agree with Jamie’s favorite videos too.  In fact, it’s hard to pick because each one has a unique story with really cool people that are dedicated to the environment and sustainability in very different ways.

But I picked the two videos below.

I chose Episode 8- We Love you Kelab Alami because Serina from Kelab Alami is a good friend of mine and also a hero!  She is so dedicated to her students that it’s awe inspiring.  The way she talks about the kids in the club and how much they have been learning and doing to teach the elders in their village about mangrove and seagrass conservation makes you want to get out and start your own Kelab Alami!

It was also a great way to bring the two worlds of the Kelab Alami kids and the students from Univerity Putra Malaysia on the recycled bicycles together.  A lot of mutual teaching and learning happened that day.  It was magic!

I also picked Episode 9- Singapore Swingin’ because it was great to meet Sunny who had built our bamboo bikes and take a tour of Singapore with him.  The citizens we met in Singapore were incredibly vocal and active.  I’ve never seen such a dedicated bunch of people that want to make their city a better place with sustainable transport and cycling lanes.  Not to mention that Lastrina, who organized the Singapore leg of GREEN Riders, is one of the most organized and dedicated people we met along the whole trip!

Both Serina and Lastrina are some of my best friends and a source of inspiration to this day!

 

Categories: Sustainable Transport | Leave a comment

GREEN Riders Jamie & Kenny look back fondly at their adventure…

Two years on, Jamie and Kenny look back fondly on the GREEN Riders adventure and they continue to be amazed at how much attention and influence their journey has had and continues to have!

In our blog post GREEN Riders celebrates 12,000+ video views! we shared how we had reached over 400,000 people via our website & blog, our YouTube videos and social networks such as Facebook, Pinterest & Twitter.

Today we celebrate the media and press that GREEN Riders received!

As we said, we are just two guys with bamboo bikes and cameras… and we’ve managed to have a decent impact on folks with our message for conservation and sustainability.  

We think you can do the same thing!

So go ahead, get outside and make your adventure happen!

Make sure to see our PRESS page for the full articles!

A quick run down on the people and places they encountered and where they’ve been featured in the media:

– In the news with GREEN Brunei!

– Featured on BFM 89.9 radio!

EcoKnights (Malaysia)!

Culture Unplugged Film Festival!

Kuala Lumpur Eco-Film Festival!

– The UK based Earth Times!

– The Bike Shop Hub!

Baik Bike Malaysia!

Hiajuku Indonesia!

The Star iPad Edition Malaysia!

Traidhos Quarterly Thailand!

Cape Town TV (South Africa)

We sincerely hope you are inspired by GREEN Riders and realize the impact you can have too!  

Let us know if you plan your own adventure for conservation and sustainability!

 

Categories: Sustainable Transport | Leave a comment

GREEN Riders… the adventures continue!

In June 2012, Jamie and Kenny took a 6-week leisurely stroll on the backroads of Southeast Asia.

They rode bikes made out of bamboo from Khao Sok National Park, Thailand to Bali, Indonesia to raise awareness for conservation and sustainability in the region. Their ride was also an experiment to see if they bamboo bikes could make the journey.  And they did!

In Thailand, they met communities involved in the protection of mangroves for tourism, they saw playgrounds made from recycled tires and they helped plant trees.

In Malaysia, they rode with a University group that had pulled their bicycles from landfills and refashioned them into useable and functional bikes and they met a group of Young Eco-Rangers that are educating local villages about the protection of their mangroves and sea grass beds.

In Singapore, they met incredibly enthusiastic citizens lobbying for safe bike paths along Singapore’s busy roads and they spoke with countless individuals that are very active in leading Singapore to a sustainable future.

In Indonesia, they met individuals improving their communities through micro-loan programs and developing a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle for folks in their villages.

But it does not end there!  GREEN Riders inspired Dan, James, Kerry and Kenny to embark on a similar project in 2014!

In April 2014 GREEN Paddlers was born, inspired by GREEN Riders, their mission was to circumnavigate Phuket Island, Thailand in kayaks and raise awareness for marine conservation issues, environmental education and action for a sustainable future!

James Paddling 4 the Planet!

James Paddling 4 the Planet!

GREEN Paddlers worked with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, SEEK Phuket, Kamala Green Club and a myriad of other sponsors to make their journey happen!

And the adventure continues…. GREEN Paddlers Bali has been proposed for June 2015.

Kenny and his friend Alex are in the planning stages for yet another adventure to raise awareness for all the plastic pollution in Bali’s beaches and inspire local action for protection, education and conservation of Bali’s natural resources.

Stay tuned for updates and more information… the adventure continues!

 

One of the many beach clean up vounteers!

One of the many beach clean up vounteers!

Green Club in Action!

Green Club in Action!

Categories: Sustainable Transport | Leave a comment