The Santa Monica Bike Center aims to encourage this year’s Sustainable Quality Award attendees to travel the emission free way to the most notable sustainable business event in Southern California.
The awards luncheon event will take place starting at 11 am on Thursday, April 16, at Le Meridien Delfina Hotel, 530 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica.
This year’s initiative will bring attention to the importance of bicycling as a direct way to reduce auto trips, meet GHG emission reduction commitments, and promote active living.
In 2010 the City of Santa Monica adopted its Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) as part of Santa Monica’s General Plan. One of the important goals stated in the plan is, “to achieve numbers like those in Davis, California, where bicycling trips represent up to 14 percent of work trips, and Copenhagen, Denmark, where the number rises to over 35 percent (Santa Monica LUCE, 4.0-34).”
Mayor Kevin McKeown said he felt Santa Monica can continue to lead the way in sustainable transportation.
“With Santa Monica becoming increasingly sustainable, as celebrated by these awards, we’re seeing sustainable mobility rise — with a 67 percent increase in bike ridership over just two years,” McKeown said.
The 20th annual Sustainable Quality Award event attracts 250 attendees. Applying the City’s 14 percent goal to the number of attendees, at least 35 people should arrive by bike.
The Santa Monica Bike Center believes this is the most logical event where this goal can be achieved, and in the spirit of sustainability will sponsor the first 35 registrants who commit to arrive by bike.
Laurel Rosen, President of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, agrees.
“The Chamber has been a longtime supporter of bike initiatives in Santa Monica, and we see the value of our business members supporting programs that help reach City goals,” Rosen said.
Register to ride your bike at www.SMSQA.com, and join the employees of the Santa Monica Bike Center and other locals for a short ride to the event. Meet at the Santa Monica Bike Center on 4th and Broadway at 10:30 am to roll together.
Contact outreach@smbikecenter.com for more information about the ride.
