Doug Gordon: I always say that the confounding thing about the bicycle is that it's a 19th century solution to a lot of 21st century problems.

I always say that the confounding thing about the bicycle is that it's a 19th century solution to a lot of 21st century problems.

We got tricked by science fiction into thinking a futuristic city is all about flying cars and crystal towers and hologram billboards but what it really looks like is nice apartment blocks, good mass transit, pedestrian zones with shade trees and safe bike lanes.

The "city of the future" looks a lot like Utrecht, with frequent trains, the world's greatest bicycle parking garage and smart signals that give cyclists extra time to keep going when it's raining. Utrecht, remarkably, is 600 years old and a lot more advanced than any city in the US.

It’s shocking, and beautiful, and quiet, and equitable, and healthy, and inexpensive, and clean… you can’t un-live Utrecht once you’ve spent any time there. You want to import it to where you are, as fast as you can.

I lived there for a year as a child and it was wonderful how easy it was as kid to navigate the city by bike or bus or train

are the homes insulated though. genuine question. I'm learning how many homes worldwide are not.

I don’t know! Good question.

I never lived in Utrecht, but the 1940s flat I lived in the Hague 10 years ago was not particularly well insulated. It looks like there have been efforts to retrofit existing housing stock - this initiative looks interesting: Energiesprong world-habitat.org/world-habita...

Energiesprong - World Habitatworld-habitat.org One of the biggest challenges facing social housing providers across the world is the need to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Old buildings use a lot of energy, making them a major sourc...

In the durable good category that’s more or less unchanged from its original form, I can’t think of a more promising technology for humanity than the bicycle. Electric assist makes it the perfect primary urban vehicle. All it requires is protected free-flowing network. We have all the road we need.

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