Thursday, September 25, 2008

Press Release: Biking for Sustainability

In search of a sustainable future, with minimal impact on our environment and socially responsible beings; on October 6th, 2008, the Brazilian/Canadian, Hilário Porto Gonçalves (aka Lalo Porto), 28, will depart on an ambitious bicycle ride that will cross 23 countries and approximately 50,000 kilometres in the span of roughly three years. The route will be the shaped in an infinity symbol crossing the shores of North, Central and South Americas, starting and finishing in Toronto, Canada. “The main objective of InfinityCycle is to meet people, experience their way of life, and share knowledge to empower positive change in our lives,” says Porto.

Porto will only have basic supplies such as food, tent, camping gear, bike repair kit, a basic laptop to upkeep this blog, plus his
smog free vehicle, the bicycle. “I will camp, and cook meals on a fuel efficient camp stove, and as much as possible consume local goods with the least amount of packaging and use solar power to fuel electronic devices” says Porto.

This idea has been developing for over six months, and Porto is seeking partners that relate to his concerns and would be interested in sponsoring this project. Porto will be an official ‘ambassador’ for Bikes Without Borders, a Canadian not-for-profit organization that uses bikes as a tool for development in marginalized communities, to visit and assist existing communities and find new ones for their projects.
(www.BikesWithoutBorders.org)

The first ideas of cycling around the Americas started 3 years ago with some long distance rides in Ontario. He is inspired by the belief that person-to-person contact can cause a ripple effect of positive action. Porto also seeks to connect with the participants of the Eagle and Condor Prophecy: An Aboriginal belief to have peace and unity between people of the North and South.