Ok.. I know this is not Lawrence, but it shows the power and importance that basic, dependable transportation provides.

I saw the post in the Inhabitat blog and it really struck me..

Customized bikes, may be all the rage in urban America nowadays, but even the simplest, cheapest bike is a rare sight in rural Africa. Fortunately, the bamboo from which to craft bikes grows on trees – or rather in groves. However, the labor and money to manufacture bicycles does not. That is where Zambikes comes in. In partnership with the non-profit Akerfa, this Zambian bike manufacturer sells hand-crafted bamboo bikes to the West and invests the profits back into its community.

Zambikes Bamboo Frames Commercial from Russell Brownley on Vimeo.