Rebuilding My Bike Into a Better One

As I mentioned on my previous post, the threat of global warming should led to advocacy of bicycles as an environment-friendly means of transport.

And since my New Year's resolution is to tighten my belt even more, and since I am advocating the use of bike, I have decided to refurbish my bike which already collecting rush and dust at the back of our house.

I bought this bike a long time ago because I want to use it when going to work and reduce my transportation cost, but since it's an uphill battle, especially in the Philippines where cyclists face a particularly hostile environment: road rage-crazed and cyclist-hater drivers, traffic-choked streets, relentless heat or torrential rain and air pollution, I have stop using it. Another obstacle comes from an unexpected source: the bicycle itself. Since I cannot afford expensive bikes I have no choice but to buy the cheapest one. Since it is cheap, it has a poor quality and not comfortable to use. I cannot use it for long travel because it is like pedaling a pedicab that has three passengers and usually the chain disintegrate from its plate.

Another reason I lost interest in bike is because I'm the only one who use it for practical means in our office. Though some people who work in factory and construction use it as a way of transportation, some office workers cycling is seen more as a recreational sport rather than a practical means of getting around.

I have decided to just rebuild my old bike because it will be hard for me to look for a cheap but durable and high performance one. In countries where cycling is an accepted form of mass transport, mainly in Asia and Europe, cheap, durable and practical bicycles are readily available. In countries where the car is king, such as the US and, sadly the Philippines , you need to look harder to find them. Local bicycle retail industry has chosen to focus on the expensive and high-performance bike market, to the virtual exclusion of everything else. That's fine if you're in the market for an ultra light, 20-speed, and carbon fiber racing bike or a full-suspension aluminum alloy mountain bike with front and rear shock absorbers and 27 speeds. If not, you're just out of luck.

I am planning to rebuild my bike into high performance and comfortable bike, even though I need to use expensive bicycle parts to accomplish it. That will still be cheaper though compare to buying a new one. I opted to use expensive parts so that I will not be forced to abandon it again because of poor quality. I am planning to use it for a long time hoping that Philippines will become a safe and encouraging place for bikers and a country where bicycles are tools not toys.

New Years Resolution

Since almost of the company today is cutting cost, I have decided that my New Years Resolution is to do the same. Well actually I'm already in budget tightening because I'm was not born with a golden spoon and I'm not lucky enough to get a high paying job. High paying job is very rare here in the Philippines and only few people getting successful in business because of uneven playing field.

Already got used with stretching small budget but since some of the benefits the we are previously receiving were chop, and the worries of losing my job soon, I think I do not have any other choice but to save even more. Being able to successfully save money is one the most important things that you can do in order to prepare for your financial future. To stash away the big bucks, first chop expenses in housing, transportation and food. Even shrinking your household expenses mean dramatically changing your lifestyle, I need to do it and the best motivation that I can think of is to think that this will have a good impact to the environment.

New Years Eve Aftermath

We have a work on the day before the New Years Day; luckily, we were allowed to change our schedule from graveyard shift to morning shift. So we can go home at 8:30 pm and enjoy the New Years Eve with our family. Last New Year, we were allowed also to change time but we allowed going home only at 10:30 pm, which is already dangerous in the way going home because people already started lighting firecrackers at that time.

As usual people ignore the call of different group not to use firecracker because of the danger it will bring to people and environment. Many people still use firecrackers to celebrate the New Years Eve. Actually, as early as November you can already hear firecracker explosion, and comes 12 midnight of December 31 you are in war zone. And like US shock and awe style, firecrackers are all over, aerial and ground explosion can be seen in all direction. And like in a real battle, you need to be wary of enemy fire and friendly fire.

After the boisterous New Years Eve celebration, I have the guilty feeling that I allowed my family to get out of the house and exposed them to the danger of firecrackers. Luckily no one get hurt from my family. Another sin that I committed is I am one of those who used firecracker. I have a pesky co worker who wants to take advantage of the New Year celebration and earn money who keeps on selling me these firecrackers. Even though I do not have a plan to use firecrackers she was able to convince me to buy. The worse thing is I only agreed to buy two boxes but she delivered five boxes, since it is already there, I just paid the 5 boxes. Though firecrackers that I bought from her are just the small one and don’t pose any big threat to human physically, there is still some harmful effect to human and mostly to the environment because of the smoke it has emitted.

As expected, there were deaths and injured due to firecrackers and stray bullets. The morning news telecast the aftermath of New Years Eve revelry which shows the ugly results of this kind of tradition. Burned firecrackers litter the street and sky is cover with black smog. My guilty feeling become more worst when the newscaster mentioned that the smoke of firecrackers make the global warming more severe, thinking I contributed to it.

Celebrating New Years Eve

New Year's Eve is the last day of the calendar year, or December 31 in the Gregorian calendar. This will also be the last day of the year where Filipinos will spend excessively. Since Filipinos is a firecracker-crazy people, for sure most of the spending will be for firecrackers. Even though the New Year's celebration in the Philippines has already resulted in a lot injuries and death from fireworks usage it will still be normally boisterous New Year's Eve revelry for the Filipinos.

The implementation of Iwas Paputok of the DOH (Department of Health) of the Philippines will educate public of the harmful effects of firecrackers and other explosives. This program usually includes TV commercial which shows the victims of firecrackers from the previous years. The video usually shows the severed body parts of some of the victims due to firecrackers blast. But this kind program will not deter Filipinos from using firecrackers. Every year the government warns Filipinos not to use firecrackers due to its harmful effect, but as always there is still report of firecracker related injuries.

The loud noise being produced by firecrackers blast is also harmful to human and animals. Noise pollution disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal. This may cause temporary or permanent hearing problem. Motorcycles, firecrackers, and firearms can produce sounds from 120 to 140 decibels and cause hearing loss. They can also cause severe ear injuries for animals that are very sensitive to sound. Intense noise could damage their ears and terrify them. There are I know people who suffered Tinnitus after the New Year celebration. Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head.

The worst thing is it doesn't only cause body injuries; it is also harmful to the environment. After New Year's Eve, the Philippines is covered with blanket of smog due to the smoke produce by lighting firecrackers. And the smell of burned firecrackers usually stays up to two weeks. The litters of firecrackers packaging and remains also fills the streets and all open ground in the Philippines. The smoke of firecrackers is one of the possible causes of asthma. In my opinion, even though the Philippines is not the number one contributor to the global warning, we climb to this position every New Year. Almost every household in the Philippines use firecrackers to celebrate New Year. Million or maybe billion of firecrackers is being lighted simultaneously in the Philippines and usually start as early as 9 pm of December 31 up to 4 am of January 1.

So before you start buying firecrackers, think of all those harmful effects to human and environment. If you care less with the environment, just think what will be the effect to you or your love ones. But no matter how you will celebrate the New Year, I still hope all your fingers are still intact, meaning I hope everyone safely welcomed the New Year and stayed clear of dangerous firecrackers.