SHIFT TO GREENER ALTERNATIVES: Initiative of UP USC & University Freshmen Council

Come and join us as we SHIFT TO GREENER ALTERNATIVES!

Invite your family, friends, classmates, org-mates as we run and ride for a great cause!

SHIFT is a bike and run environmental advocacy promoting greener alternatives of transportation and pedestrian/cycling road safety. This project was born out of the students’ desire to have a secure parking space for their bicycles when traveling inside campus. Major buildings of the University of the Philippines lack the appropriate racks to securely park their greener mode of transportation. Majority of the bicycles in dorms have been left to rust. A lot are now useless to the dormers due to neglect which stemmed from the impracticability of riding it from one building to another.

The now called “SHIFT” team decided to make an event that would benefit such a cause. The research about cycling events led to the unfolding of a multitude of transport as well as environmental issues. Thus, the team resolved to the inclusion of a campaign for cleaner air by SHIFT-ing to greener alternatives when travelling. In addition, road safety has also been one of the off shoots of this activity since a lot of cycling accidents happen because of the lack of cycling lanes and education of the everyday motorists about road sharing.

The boom of Fun Run events compelled the team to include running as a part of the event. Since running is also one of the top recreations in the University, and the greater Metro for that matter, it seemed like a good addition so more people would get involved in this advocacy.

This event, projected to happen on March 24, 2013 in the UP Academic Oval and some major roads in the vicinity, it is hoped to be the first of many advocacy events for cleaner air and road safety for our pedestrians, joggers, and cycling enthusiasts alike.

Moreover, the profits of the event will go to the promotion of cycling as a greener choice in transportation by the installation of bicycle racks in major buildings in UP Diliman and the launching of a rent-a-bike program within the University.