Just Do It

Pedal Co-op Benefit

by Will Dean

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Published: Feb 20, 2008

Sat., Feb. 23, 9 p.m., donations encouraged, Fiume, 229 S. 45th St., 484-222-1231, pedalcoop.org

Calling the city's recycling program intimidating, inefficient and convoluted would be an understatement. But how can you even begin to address a system less organized than SEPTA? Pedal Co-op founders John MacDuffie Woodburn (call him Woody) and Dunstan Horng saw an answer in their bikes. Geared at helping small businesses recycle without paying the city's steep pickup fee, the co-op transports bottles and cans via bike to Blue Mountain Recycling in South Philly and food refuse to a composting plot in Woodlands Cemetery.

Featuring the musical support of locals P.K. Musarra, Kurt Vile, Mike Yanchuck and Andrew Butler as well as Brooklyn's the Cherokee Band, Saturday night's benefit will raise money for more bike trailers and allow Pedal to expand service beyond its two current customers, Fiume and Metropolitan Bakery. "Our goal is to make it a self-sufficient business," says Woody. In addition to the music, co-op members will be around to pass the hat and spread the word about their work.

Begun last September with an old mountain bike and homemade trailer, the co-op now has nine members and is poised to add several more West Philly businesses to its route. Though their equipment might not be fancy, Pedal is certainly proving that if the city can't do it, Philadelphians can do it themselves.

 

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