Raven reviews the e-trike from Mooncool in her off-grid forest

I was contemplating how to ready myself for old age, using the body wisely, and still attending to daily routines. Such was the state of inner asking when grace responded with the arrival of MoonCool, an e-trike. Silence is what I did not wish to disturb for me, the forest, and its creatures.

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Electric bikes and scooters has transformed the way pedestrians can zoom around a city and town with ease – especially during the last mile of public transport. City and town life can be a whirlwind of bustling streets, crowded public transportation, and fast-paced changes.

For seniors, navigating this dynamic environment can pose unique challenges, particularly when it comes to maintaining independence and mobility. This is where e-mobility solutions, especially electric tricycles, step in as a game-changer. Mooncool sent us an electric bike to review and we are waiting for our off-grid “pilot” Raven to have enough winter battery and snowmelt for her review.

Meanwhile:

Why E-Mobility Matters for Seniors

Mobility isn’t just about getting from point A to point B; it’s about preserving autonomy, staying socially connected, and maintaining mental and physical health. Just like new moms enjoy using the baby stroller for carrying small purchases made at the mall or market, an e-bike can help older people maintain mobility and allow them to do their every day shopping and errands. As people age, traditional modes of transportation may become less accessible. Buses are hard to alight, and can be slow and overwhelming. Driving can be stressful or unsafe due to declining reflexes or vision issues. Some people choose to not keep a car in the town or city for its restrictive cost and upkeep on insurance and repairs.

Enter electric tricycles—a perfect blend of stability, ease, and efficiency. With three wheels, these bikes offer the balance seniors need, eliminating the fear of tipping over. Plus, the electric assist reduces the physical strain, making it easier to travel longer distances without exhaustion. E-bikes are getting their moment in the sun for wheeling kids around the city. Seniors want their turn.

The Advantages of Electric Tricycles

1. Enhanced Stability and Safety: The three-wheel design offers a solid foundation, reducing the risk of falls. This is where company’s like Mooncool safety design for elder people truly shines, providing extra features tailored to senior needs, like anti-slip pedals, low step-through frames, and ergonomic seating. The grandkids like to jump on the back!
2. Affordable Transportation: Owning a car comes with hefty expenses—fuel, insurance, maintenance. Electric tricycles, on the other hand, are a one-time investment with minimal upkeep costs. They’re an affordable solution for seniors looking to maintain mobility without breaking the bank.
3. Eco-Friendly Choice: E-trikes produce zero emissions, making them a green alternative to cars. Seniors who care about leaving a positive environmental legacy will appreciate this eco-conscious option.
4. Health Benefits: While the electric assist helps on tough terrains, riders can still engage in light physical activity, promoting cardiovascular health, joint mobility, and mental well-being.

Mooncool Safety Design: Built with Seniors in Mind

When it comes to senior mobility, safety isn’t negotiable. Mooncool safety design for elder people prioritizes features that address common concerns:

• Low Center of Gravity: Reduces the risk of tipping over, even on uneven surfaces.
• Enhanced Braking Systems: Ensures quick, controlled stops.
• Comfortable Seating: Ergonomic seats with back support reduce strain during longer rides.
• Visibility Features: Built-in lights and reflectors improve visibility in low-light conditions.

These thoughtful design elements help seniors feel confident and secure, encouraging more frequent use and greater independence.

Affordable Freedom in the City

For seniors, the cost of mobility options can be a barrier. But electric tricycles are an affordable alternative that offers long-term value. They eliminate the recurring costs associated with cars and provide the freedom to explore the city without relying on public transport or family assistance.

Moreover, many cities are expanding bike lanes and e-mobility infrastructure, making it safer and more convenient than ever to use electric tricycles. Seniors can run errands, visit friends, and enjoy outdoor spaces, all while maintaining control over their schedule.

::Mooncool 

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As you probably have heard, climate change and global temperatures are on the rise. Our carbon sinks like the forests in Canada are burning and there is no time to put this beside us. The human-induced temperature change from the burning of fossil fuels has been heating the planet at an alarming rate.

The latest report by the IPCC has declared the expected rise in global temperatures will be 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Each decade, temperatures have been increasing by 0.08°C since 1880. These catastrophic measurements are only getting worse and can be reflected in society’s carbon footprint.

Your carbon footprint is measured by the amount of carbon dioxide your everyday life emits into the atmosphere. Actions like eating meat, driving cars, and using a lot of water and electricity increase your carbon footprint. Luckily, there are many ways to reduce our carbon footprint and take hold of climate change.

Today, I will share with you 10 tips that you can do today to reduce your carbon footprint.

Take the bus, walk, bike, skate or scooter

This one is especially easy if you live in a city. In Tel Aviv, using public transportation is also the easiest way to get around. The bus system is extremely convenient and buses leave from so many spots every couple of minutes. There are also many apps that you can download to easily find out where the buses are, how long it will take and it will map out your entire trip. In addition, Middle East cities like Istanbul and Tel Aviv are walkable cities and should be taken advantage of.

Unless it is in the midst of summer, when the weather is nice, walking is a great way of getting around and is a great way to get in some exercise. Another cool feature of Tel Aviv is the scooters that can be found all throughout the city. Tel Aviv is designed for bikes and scooters, with lanes everywhere designated only for users. They are eco-friendly, easy to use, and go fast, so you can always count on one to get you places.

Try going vegan for a day

Have you ever tried to go vegan? Going vegan is pretty easy now a day, and is definitely something everyone should try if they haven’t. Even just for one day, going vegan cannot hurt you. In fact, going vegan is good for you because it promotes a healthier diet full of fruits and vegetables.

According to a study done by the University of Oxford, going vegan can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 73 percent. Even if you are a big meat person, there are tons of alternatives to meat that taste similar to real meat that can be picked up at your local grocery store.

Turn off the lights before heading out

This one is so simple yet so many people forget to do it. Turning off lights, appliances, and AC units before heading out for the day is extremely important when trying to reduce your carbon footprint. In Israel, electricity generation is responsible for 53 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore turning off lights will vastly reduce the need for electricity generation until we can switch to electricity generation primarily from renewable sources. It also reduces your electricity bill, and according to The Department of Energy can reduce your electricity bill by $10 a month.

Use a reusable water bottle, don’t buy a plastic one

This one I am proud to say I greatly take part in. I have probably bought 3 plastic water bottles this entire year. I carry my reusable water with me everywhere I go. I personally use a Hydro Flask, which carries 32 fl oz of water and has a straw and a handle to carry it, but any reusable bottle will do. I also suggest getting one that is insulated so that your water can stay cool in the heat of the summer. Especially living in Israel, it is convenient to carry around a reusable water bottle because it is safe to drink the tap water.

Cook and pack your lunch for the day

Cooking from home is not only better for the environment, but is also typically better for you. This way you know what you are consuming and don’t risk consuming things that were badly sourced. Pick up some reusable containers or thermos and pack your lunches for the day. This reduces the amount of waste that is generated from eating out and it also saves you money.

Shop locally

This one is one that people often forget about and how much better it is overall. Instead of driving a farther commute to a large supermarket, see if there are local farmers’ markets in your area. Not only do farmers’ markets have higher-quality produce, but they are also fun to check out and are locally sourced. Many stands at farmers’ markets are also small businesses, so it’s always good to support them. F

or clothing shopping, try checking out your local thrift store. Buying online or in large chain stores in shopping malls is fast fashion and is very bad for the environment. Thrift stores often have very unique items and are better for the environment because it is used clothing and typically at a much lower price.

Go through old clothes and donate them

A fun activity you can do today if you have some free time is to go through your closet and pick out things you no longer need. I’m sure there are tons of items in your closet that you no longer wear and have forgotten about. Instead of just throwing them away, find your closest donation site and donate them to people who need it. You can even upcycle your clothes if you’re into fashion and create it into something new. You can also try selling your old clothes online or having garage sales.

Hang your clothes on the drying rack

Did you know that a dryer can generate 2 to 6 kilowatts of electricity per hour? This is a massive amount of electricity and can be avoided by using a drying rack. It is also better for your clothes as dryers often shrink your clothes and is bad for the fabric.

Take a shorter shower (together?)

Try taking a shorter shower today. The average American uses 17.2 gallons of water in an eight-minute shower. You should look into buying a low-flow showerhead or a filtered showerhead to reduce pollutants to your skin and body.

Also, stop taking baths. Not only is it unsanitary, but it also wastes a massive amount of water. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a full bathtub requires about 70 gallons of water. Save more water by not shaving – try growing a unibrow or your leg hair out for Januhairy.

Take the stairs

Lastly, if you are able, take the stairs. Especially if you live on the second, third, or fourth floor, it is better to take the stairs. The elevators go up and down all day long, constantly wasting tons of electricity. Taking the stairs is quick, good exercise, and safer. Take the stairs because there is always the chance of getting stuck in an elevator.

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Cycling, e-biking or walking can help tackle the climate crisis – even if you swap the car for active transport just one day a week – according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Oxford’s Transport Studies Unit.

Emission targets are unlikely to be met without a significant move away from motorised transport, according to the researchers, and shifting to active transport could save as much as a quarter of personal CO₂ emissions from transport.

Published in the journal Global Environmental Change, this is the first study of the carbon-reducing impact of city-based lifestyle changes and it reveals that increases in active mobility significantly lower carbon footprints, even in urban European contexts with a high incidence of walking and cycling.

‘By following nearly 2,000 urban dwellers over time, we found that those who switch just one trip per day from car driving to cycling reduce their carbon footprint by about 0.5 tonnes over a year, representing a substantial share of average per capita CO2 emissions,’ says the lead researcher, Oxford’s Dr Christian Brand. ‘If just 10% of the population were to change travel behaviour, the emissions savings would be around 4% of lifecycle CO₂ emissions from all car travel.’

Dr Brand says, ‘Our findings suggest that, even if not all car trips could be substituted by bicycle trips, the potential for decreasing emissions is huge.’

Researchers found active travel substitutes for motorised travel – and increases in cycling, e-biking or walking over time independently lowers mobility-related lifecycle CO₂ emissions. And swapping the car for a bike or e-bike for just one day a week – or going from ‘not cycling’ to ‘cycling’ – drastically lowers mobility-related lifecycle CO₂.

The analysis comes as UK, and the world, enters the 2020s – what needs to be a ‘decade of action’, if global goals to limit rising temperatures are to be met. Ahead of this November’s COP26 UN climate summit in Glasgow, countries are expected to submit enhanced pledges to tackle emissions.

To put this into context, for the cities in this study, average per capita CO₂ emissions from transport (excl. international aviation and shipping) ranged between 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ per person per year in the UK to 2.7 tonnes of CO₂ per person per year in Austria. According to the Global Carbon Atlas, average per capita CO2 emissions from all activities were eight tonnes per year in the UK (on a consumption basis).

The largest benefits from shifts from car to active travel are for business travel, followed by social and leisure trips, and commuting to work or place of study. The finding that those who already cycled had 84% lower CO₂ emissions from all daily travel than non-cyclists further shows the population benefits of travelling actively that already exist.

The study collected primary data on daily travel behaviour, journey purpose, as well as personal and geospatial characteristics in seven European cities and derived mobility-related lifecycle CO₂ emissions over time and space.

Statistical modelling of longitudinal panel data of 1,849 study participants was performed to assess how changes in active mobility, the ‘main mode’ of daily travel, and cycling frequency influenced changes in mobility-related lifecycle CO₂ emissions.

Dr Brand says, ‘A typical response to the climate crisis is to ‘do something’, such as planting more trees, or switching to electric vehicles. While these are important and effective, they are neither sufficient nor fast enough to meet our ambitious climate targets.

 ‘Doing more of a good thing combined with doing less of a bad thing – and doing it now is much more compliant with a ‘net zero’ pathway and preserving our ‘perfect planet’s’ and our own futures.

‘Switching from car to active mobility is one thing to do, which would make a real difference, and we show here how good this can be in cities. Not just for the climate but also for reducing social inequalities and improving public health and quality of urban life in a post-COVID-19 world.’

Cities across the world will need to increase investment in high-quality infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists and incorporate policy and planning concepts that require a fairly radical rethink of our cities and is likely to reduce inequalities because the concepts involve mixing different population groups rather than maintaining the model of residential zoning by socioeconomic status currently used.

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