Bicycles in the City: Ecological Mobility and Green City Discourse in Freiburg, Germany

Abstract

Cycling in the city of Freiburg is a common thing to do by local communities as a form of daily mobility. Known as a green city, the city of Freiburg has specific attention to the fields of transportation and ecology what seek to reduce the use of private motorized vehicles through government policies and regulations. This effort was provided as a solution to government regulations to develop public transportation and promote bicycles. Cycling, which has been common in Freiburg for decades, is still an interesting topic to discuss. This study focuses on the production of discourse that was born from cycling activities in Freiburg. Besides, this study also wants to see how this cycling activity from an ecological perspective of green cities. This research was conduct using participatory observation research methods, interviews with research informants, and Internet research. The results obtained in this study show: (a) the existence of discourse on sustainable mobility in the context of green cities; (b) program forms and government regulations on cycling in Freiburg; and (c) the reality of the meaning and use of bicycles in Freiburg. The diversity dialogue born of this cycling activity binds to the practice of ecological green city that is still a concern in Freiburg today.