As producer Mike Mazur prepped Bike Friday General Manager Hanna Scholz for her on-camera appearance for a mini-documentary on Sustainability being filmed for the U.S. State Department, Hanna revealed our deep roots in the city of Eugene.
The folks of Eugene already made a lasting impression on the film crew, and Mazur searched for connections.
There is Shane MacRhodes, who runs the Eugene Safe Routes to School program and is a cycling advocate.
And Paul Adkins and his family, who offer the quintessential look at a car-less family.
And Jan VanderTuin, who runs the Center for Appropriate Transportation.
“We just finished building 40 Bike Fridays for Shane’s Safe Routes program,” Hanna said. “Paul worked as a Bike Consultant for us a few years ago. And when Jan came to Eugene, he sat down with [Bike Friday Co-Founders] Hanz and Alan [Scholz], who offered what insight they could.”
Sustainability is one of the many ties that bind Eugene together, and key element to Bike Friday’s Green image.
“We could do a documentary on each of the individuals stories here,” Mazur said. “There’s just so much to tell.”
When they interviewed Co-Founder Alan Scholz, he reflected that Oregon’s foundation of sustainability remains part of the fabric of the people here.
“It’s what native Oregonians practice,” Alan said, “and the reason most others have come to live and work here.”
Hanna Scholz describes the Bike Friday production process, which was designed around sustainability practices from its concept stages.Mike Cheek works the welding station.
Co-Founder Alan Scholz works at his R&D station on one of the OSATA Bike Fridays, designed to give school systems a Made in USA choice for student bicycles.
