RETREET BLOG

RETREET redefines disaster relief by engaging communities to replant lost trees.


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.87

Big news out of Oslo, Norway. The city recently announced that it will ban all cars from the center of town, a move that affects some 350,000 or so vehicle owners. The plan also calls for the addition of some 35 miles of bike lanes and heavy investment in public transport. It is the first major city in the world to make such a bold move. Read more about it at the link below.

OSLO BANS CARS (article)

OSLO BANS CARS (article)

Europeans have been building wildlife bridges across major highways for many years, and, in more good news, some US cities are taking the initiative to do the same. Following the lead of Washington state, California now plans to construct the largest such crossing in America in an effort to aid wildlife species suffering from habitat loss due to urban sprawl. 

LOS ANGELES WILDLIFE BRIDGE (video)

LOS ANGELES WILDLIFE BRIDGE (video)

Need some inspiration? Check out Inspired to Ride, the new film from director Mike Dion. 45 cyclists gear up to race across America, an epic journey that crosses 10 states and 4,300 miles. The fastest time? Just under 18 days. This amazing film is definitely a joy to watch. Check out the trailer below!

INSPIRED TO RIDE (preview)

INSPIRED TO RIDE (preview)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.86

Over the years, numerous studies have shown that a walk through the woods, or "forest bath" as Japanese doctors describe it, is a great way to reduce stress and fatigue. However, a new study out of Australia takes that notion one step further. Believe it or not, even gazing for a moment at something green outside of your office window will calm you down and help you focus. Give it a try tomorrow at work!

GREEN BREAKS FOR YOUR BRAIN (article)

GREEN BREAKS FOR YOUR BRAIN (article)

What's the difference between fall in North America and fall in Europe? One word: RED. Finnish and Israeli scientists followed a trail of research that led them back in time 35 million years in order to answer what brought about this striking difference in foliage.

DIFFERENCES IN FALL FOLIAGE (video)

DIFFERENCES IN FALL FOLIAGE (video)

One man, obsessed with the history of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, decided the only way he could fully understand the story was to retrace John Wilkes Booth's 12-day run from the authorities after having shot the President at Ford's Theater. Lacking a horse, he realized the best way to do it was by bike. Follow his fascinating journey of discovery.

BIKING AFTER BOOTH (article)

BIKING AFTER BOOTH (article)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.85

This week, we feature a whole host of bicycle and tree related art projects, all of which should bring a smile to your face.

Are you a fan of Monty Python? A big enough fan to attach a coconut clapping device to your bicycle so that it sounds like a trotting horse while you're riding? Yes, there is an app for that.

TROTIFY (video)

TROTIFY (video)

This 16-year-old artist uses fallen leaves as her canvases, and creates some strikingly beautiful cityscapes in paint. Her work also promotes a simple idea: we do not need to cut trees down for paper. Take a look at her inspired offerings.

PAINTING ON LEAVES (photos)

PAINTING ON LEAVES (photos)

Before there were iPhones and bluetooth speakers, there were record and gramophone players. Now, thanks to the ingenuity of a couple of Dutch designers, you can turn your bike into one of the latter and rock your preferred tunes with a stroke of the pedal. Talk about a soundtrack to life!

BICYCLE THAT PLAYS RECORDS (photos)

BICYCLE THAT PLAYS RECORDS (photos)

Most of us treat cardboard as a disposable form of packaging. One artist, Evan Jospin, has given the product a profound second life. Invoking the strong and durable yet raw and impermanent qualities of the medium, which mirror those of trees, she carves intricate and dense forests by gluing several layers together and slowly excising the interior. Hers is some incredible work.

DENSE CARDBOARD FORESTS (photos)

DENSE CARDBOARD FORESTS (photos)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.84

Over the course of this year, every second grader in the D.C. public school system will be taught the ABCs of riding a bicycle. This innovative program makes use of 1,000 new bikes, purchased by the District Department of transportation with the help of private donors, that will rotate from one school to the next. An important part of a robust education.

D.C. KIDS LEARN TO RIDE BICYCLES IN SCHOOL (article)

D.C. KIDS LEARN TO RIDE BICYCLES IN SCHOOL (article)

After becoming an authority on living a nomadic lifestyle by traveling the world and living out of vans, photographer Foster Huntington created one amazing treehouse. His new home, Cinder Cone Treehouse, which he built in Skamania, WA, has its own skatepark. Not too shabby!

TREEHOUSE WITH SKATEPARK (photos)

TREEHOUSE WITH SKATEPARK (photos)

Have you ever wanted to just get on your bike and go someplace far away? These lifehacks will help you along the way. A must-read list for any two-wheeled adventurer.

BIKEPACKING LIFEHACKS (list)

BIKEPACKING LIFEHACKS (list)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.83

This week, we bring you a rather international smattering of fascinating projects. First up, South Korean artist Young Deok-Seo spends months welding and forming discarded bicycle chains into striking sculptures of the human form. Truly, this is powerful repurposing.

BIKE CHAIN SCULPTURES (photos)

BIKE CHAIN SCULPTURES (photos)

Second, Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia designed three 22-story buildings in Ho Chi Minh City that each have a giant roof garden. The roofs are all connected by suspension bridges, making the completed structure a giant linear garden in the sky. Now that's what we call green architecture!

DEVELOPMENT WITH CONNECTED ROOF GARDEN (photos)

DEVELOPMENT WITH CONNECTED ROOF GARDEN (photos)

Finally, Donhou Bicycles, a London-based company, set off to construct a bicycle with a chain ring big enough to achieve pedaling speed of 80mph. Theirs is a great story of determination and innovation.

THE 80MPH BICYCLE (video)

THE 80MPH BICYCLE (video)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.82

Safety is an important part of riding, and lights at night are a key element. The Monkey Light Pro is about as cool a way to be noticed as possible when cruising the streets after dark. With thousands of patterns to choose from, these are some slick LEDs!

MONKEY LIGHT PRO (photos/video)

MONKEY LIGHT PRO (photos/video)

A group of students from the Estonian Academy of Arts recently built a series of giant megaphones and placed them in a forest outside of the capital, Tallinn. An art installation and resting place, these beautifully crafted pieces allow passersby to experience the trees in a whole new way. Hardly the sounds of silence!

ESTONIAN FOREST MEGAPHONES (photo essay)

ESTONIAN FOREST MEGAPHONES (photo essay)

Hayao Miyazaki, one of the world's most famous animators, announced that he will build a park in Okinawa, incorporating themes from some of his most beloved films. This is guaranteed to be a magical place. We would love to walk down these paths.

MIYAZAKI PARK IN OKINAWA (article)

MIYAZAKI PARK IN OKINAWA (article)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.81

An artist in South Korea has mastered his ability to transform discarded pieces of wood, mostly tree trunks, into magnificent and functional sculptures. This gallery of photos is one of the most beautiful we have ever seen. If only we could partner with Jae-Hyo Lee in some of the areas in which we work!

JAE-HYO LEE TREE FURNITURE (photos)

JAE-HYO LEE TREE FURNITURE (photos)

Believe it or not, the image below is of a compact bicycle that, when dissembled, can fit into a large suitcase. The ECO 07 is also a remarkably attractive ride: an urban bicycle that is designed to save space and turn heads.

COMPACT URBAN BICYCLE (photos)

COMPACT URBAN BICYCLE (photos)

About 1,500 years ago, the Roman Empire completed their campaign to wipeout the Judean date palm tree, formerly a staple crop of the Kingdom of Judea. Previously, the tree was so influential that King David named his daughter after it in the Old Testament. During excavations of Herod the Great's palace, scientists discovered a jar of seeds for extinct tree and several were planted in 2005. In 2011, one even produced its first flower. This ancient tree has been brought back to life and the seed from which it sprung is the oldest know to germinate. What an incredible story!

ANCIENT TREE LIVES ANEW (article)

ANCIENT TREE LIVES ANEW (article)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.80

In 1982, artist Agnes Denes proposed a monumental artistic planting in the wilderness of Finland. Tree Mountain was created by 11,000 people from all over the world each planting a single tree in a specifically designed pattern that evokes ancient artworks as well as mathematical precision found in many of the works of painting masters. Planting took place over four years, from 1992 to 1996, and resulted in the world's first virgin forest built by humans. Check out this amazing artwork, meant to last for hundreds of years.

TREE MOUNTAIN (photo essay)

TREE MOUNTAIN (photo essay)

Sometimes, a tree stands in the way of a proposed construction project. Too often, such trees are removed. The following photos show beautiful examples of architects who decided to not only save the trees, but also incorporate them beautifully into buildings. 

BUILDING AROUND TREES (photos)

BUILDING AROUND TREES (photos)

Believe it or not, bikes are good for business. They take up less parking space, encourage riders to make purchases more often, and make finding that random specialty shop across town a lot more fun. Learn more about the advantages of cyclist consumers by clicking the link below. Some great reasons to install more cycling infrastructure!

BIKES ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESS (article)

BIKES ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESS (article)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.79

New Zealand BMX cyclist Jed Milton just set a new world record, becoming the first person to land a quadruple backflip. This video, courtesy of Nitro Circus, is unreal. Nothing like a little friendly competition to push boundaries!

QUADRUPLE BACKFLIP (video)

QUADRUPLE BACKFLIP (video)

Bicycles have played a number of key roles throughout the last century, serving as everything from military transportation to an emblem of the women's rights movement in the US. National Geographic gathered 16 shots that really put historical context to our favorite machine. Cycle through!

A CENTURY OF CYCLING (photos)

A CENTURY OF CYCLING (photos)

What is a tree worth? Would it surprise you to know that a new study found that an additional ten trees on a given clock corresponds to a one-percent increase in how healthy nearby residents felt? Every little bit helps! This builds upon a thread we originally mentioned in SS&Tvol76. Read more about the many benefits of our green friends at the link below.

WHAT A TREE IS WORTH (essay)

WHAT A TREE IS WORTH (essay)

 


 
SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.78

Have you ever wondered what keeps a bicycle upright, or how a riderless bike can travel a solid distance without falling? Some feel they understand the basic physics involved, but the true answers might surprise you. Take a minute to learn something new.

THE PHYSICS OF A BICYCLE (video)

THE PHYSICS OF A BICYCLE (video)

Ten years ago, Rob McBride, an IT specialist from Shropshire, England, was saved by a newfound fascination with trees. Now, he returns the favor by participating in Ancient Tree Hunt, an effort to catalogue and preserve the oldest trees in the UK. Read his inspiring story below.

TREES SAVE A MAN, MAN SAVES THE TREES (photo essay)

TREES SAVE A MAN, MAN SAVES THE TREES (photo essay)

The future has arrived! Imagine never again having a flat tire, or needing to change one. The Energy Return Wheel, an airless prototype, offers that possibility and so much more. Check it out!

ENERGY RETURN WHEEL (article)

ENERGY RETURN WHEEL (article)