Rally, Ride, & Party - let Shimano know you care about our Oceans

"Join us for a bike rally to celebrate sustainability in cycling and the sea! The rally will begin on Thursday, September 9th at 5:30pm at Justin Herman Plaza in downtown San Francisco and will coincide with the 2010 California and the World Oceans Conference. There will be music, speakers, food, and community action.

At 7:00pm, we’ll “Put the Sea in Cycling” with a bike ride to Triple Crown (1760 Market Street) for an after-...party complete with food, beverages and music.

We are rallying to call attention to the fact that the Shimano Corporation—makers of the derailleurs, cranks and wheelsets that keep us riding—is financing efforts to derail ocean conservation in California and elsewhere. Many of us who ride bikes are also avid surfers, swimmers, and beach-goers, so we care deeply about the health of our treasured marine environment.

Why would Shimano fight ocean protection? Because in addition to making bike components, they also manufacture rods and reels for fishing. And while Shimano claims to be committed to conservation, healthy oceans, and environmental stewardship, the truth is that Shimano has pledged to oppose any efforts to create new marine protections that would impact their short-term bottom line. The irony of Shimano’s campaign is that protecting our oceans is good for business; the long-term health of our ocean ecosystems is good for everyone—wildlife, fishermen and the fishing industry.

Unfortunately, in addition to spending millions of dollars to oppose California’s new marine protected areas—underwater parks, proven to improve the health of ocean ecosystems—Shimano has funded efforts to fight ocean protections across the nation, in places like Oregon, Washington and the Gulf of Mexico.

So while our bike lanes and paths lead us to the ocean, our bike parts may be leading us away from protecting our precious coastal resources. We need to put the sea back in cycling. Help us tell Shimano to stick with derailing bike chains, not ocean conservation
efforts.

For more information, contact:
Jennifer Eckerle: jennfeinberg@gmail.com
Sam Burg: greenmycrank@gmail.com
Leila Monroe: leila@partycorps.org
Paul Robi: paullikesbikes@gmail.com"

Join the Facebook group event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132003886840808&ref=ts