Cycling for sustainability

Four Cronulla cyclists stopped overnight at Ettalong Beach on December 3, as part of their 17,000 kilometre bicycle journey around Australia to promote sustainable living.

The youth-led non-profit organisation consists of four university students from Cronulla - Tom Gray, Anthony Garagounis, Matthew Coggan and Mereki Garnett - who are challenging Australians to make sustainable changes to their lives, homes and means of transport throughout the team's 17,000 kilometre journey.

After 14 months of planning, the four men left on December 9 last year and are planning to arrive back in Sydney this Tuesday, December 9, a year to the day.

After leaving Cronulla, the four cyclists headed south, travelling along the coastline of Australia for most of their one-year long journey.

The team stopped more than 300 times to promote its campaign for sustainable living and for much-needed rest and recovery.

An associated website encourages Australians to a sustainable living challenge.

Some of the challenges included planting one native or food tree, using recycled paper for the home or office, reading a book on sustainable living, switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, test driving a hybrid vehicle, riding a bike or carpool to school/work and installing a rainwater tank.

"The tour has had a great reception around Australia and we have been kindly accommodated by all walks of life from friends and family to school principals and professional clowns," Mr Garnett said.

"We have slept everywhere from the bleachers of football fields, inside the back of trucks and in the drainage ditches just metres from the highway.

"There is no good argument against sustainable living

"We need to consider becoming producers of food, energy and water at home, instead of merely being consumers.

"We need to revisit our ethical roots and be open to change."

For more information, visit www.mypower.org.au.

Press release, 3 Dec 2008 Mereki Garnett, MyPower Ltd