Many previous blog posts have talked about sustainability within design. Often those discussions involve global statistics and overwhelming data without perspectives on what individuals can do. However, this semester’s Design and Technology course has shown me alternative perspectives on these is issues. For instance; Ben Craven’s calculations comparing the power usages of different modes of transport, and watching how one family can radically reduce their environmental impact in ‘No Impact Man’. These experiences led me to reflect on the differences that I can make to my own life and ask myself; how can I take these discussions and act on them? This led me to looking at social initiatives in Glasgow and one that immediately caught my eye, and have since tried, is Nextbike UK.
Nextbike is an international bike rental service that operates in 25 countries worldwide, including Glasgow. I had seen these bikes around the city in ‘stations’ but had never investigated on how I could use them. To reduce my reliance on public transport and to understand more, I took the opportunity to find out how they worked. The idea is a very simple one; anyone can register an account on the app which can be used to find and select available bikes to rent. After selecting the bike you wish to rent an automated unique code is sent to the customer that can be typed in to the keypad on the bike, unlocking its self-locking system. The bike can be returned to any station by simply ending the journey and replacing the lock. Once returned, anyone else using the app can then see this available bike and rent it themselves. This system is designed for convenience to encourage everyone, particularly people who wouldn’t typically cycle, to get involved. Bikes are priced at £1 per half an hour unless you’re a student, in which case, you get the first hour for free. This is perfect for me making small trips into and around town or to the shops.
Naturally, as a product design engineering student, it’s impossible to simply enjoy a well design system and product without some analysis. Having tried the service for the past couple weeks I have to say I was genuinely impressed by the practicality and ease of use. User requirements and accessibility have clearly been the focus of the design process to deliver not only a service but the bikes themselves. The locking system is easy to use, relatively self-explanatory and instantly updates on the app to provide the user with live updates and pricing information for peace of mind. The simple basket on the handlebars uses elastic drawstrings and pegs for flexible, secure and customisable storage. Every aspect of the experience just worked well and that simple fact is the thing that’s going to make myself and use it again.
This service encourages people who don’t own bikes to cycle more in a city with terrible traffic emissions statistics. But I think it’s more than that; there’s more benefits than meets the eye. Sharing builds a sense of community in a big city, it provides the means for the people of Glasgow to enjoy their city in a new way, and, of course, it makes more sustainable choices available. It reminds me of ‘No Impact Man’ explaining that there are other benefits to eco-friendly solutions than just the obvious environmental ones. I found it to be a really pleasant experience cycling through Kelvingrove Park, something I hadn’t done before. These conscious choices to seek out alternatives from the norm can provide us with better, more fulfilling options. If anything, that’s exactly what this short personal experiment gave me. It proved that a well-designed system can make our society more sustainable by making those alternatives easy, accessible and ultimately, more fun.
Photo credits to Nextbikes UK