May 27, 2008 - Not as famous as Duct Tape, Masking Tape is poised for a comeback. After all, what other tape can you use to paint a car, paint the house, seal boxes, label things, and also act as a fashionable bracelet. Not as strong as duct tape, masking tape is easier to write on, to remove, to tear pieces off, and it comes in a neutral beige. If you had to be tied up, masking tape would be easier to escape. When wrapping presents, masking tape will not only hold the paper on, but it can double as a gift tag. Masking tape was patented on this day in 1925 by a fellow at 3M, so today is Masking Tape Day. Put away your glue, and tape something (or someone) up.
In Vancouver, this week is also Bike to Work Week. Promoted by the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition, and sponsored by the Province and Translink, the idea is you will leave the car behind, not get on the bus, and ride your bike to and from work. It's a dual pronged promotion - clean air, and better health. Ok, I buy the cleaner air. Bikes have a tiny carbon footprint compared the average Vancouver SUV. I can even buy that riding your bike to work would qualify as physical activity. Win-win right?
Ok, here's where I have a hard time with this one. I live in Vancouver. I have walked in Vancouver and been inches from a speeding vehicle. Escaped with life intact. I have driven in Vancouver, and wrapped in a steel cage, I'm not convinced I'll make it home each day. With the bad drivers, fast drivers, new drivers, and all those giant SUV's, a bicycle might not be a good choice. Now... if the organ donation foundation was also a proud sponsor of Bike to Work Week, I could get behind that. If you are riding your bike to work and get creamed (it happens), and the firetruck, ambulance, and two police cars rush to the scene, what is the carbon footprint now? Fortunately, the air may not be as clean, but your harvested organs can have a huge positive impact.
The first time I had a bike stolen, I was mad. The second time I had a bike stolen, I was relieved. I tried riding to work, but you only need to bike across one Vancouver Bridge once to know that you may never want to do that again. In the name of clean air, and the organ donation waiting list, hop on your bike this week. If you're behind the wheel of one of those SUV's, maybe look down every once and awhile. If you take out a cyclist, it will take more than a bit of paint and some masking tape to clean that memory off your truck.
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