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Damascus using pedal power to bring change

KIM STEPHENS 03 Nov, 2009 10:38 PM WITH climate change the world's hottest topic in the lead-up to December's Copenhagen talks, a group of Ballarat students are taking a drastic step to ensure Australians are fully aware of the cause.

Damascus College students from Year 8 to Year 12 will set off from Darwin on November 25 on a custom-made bicycle with a solar assisted motor, with six cyclists sharing the pedalling duties all the way to Melbourne.

Named the Energy Breakthrough team, the group of 24 students is scheduled to arrive at Parliament House in Melbourne on December 9 to coincide with the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Ride co-organiser Tony Davidson said students had all committed to the ride on a voluntary basis, using their lunch hours, school holidays and before and after school hours to help construct the bicycle.

"We're riding to raise awareness of practical solutions to reduce greenhouse emissions," Mr Davidson, a former Damascus College teacher, said.

"We are aiming to raise about $100,000 to aid the impact of climate change in developing countries but our main aim is to help people realise the practical solutions they can institute every day to save energy."

Codenamed RodeRAGE, (Ride Against Greenhouse Emissions) this is the second large-scale ride the college has undertaken for climate change awareness, after a 23-hour ride from Sydney to Ballarat last year that raised $8000.

Mr Davidson said this year's bicycle - the 13th school students had built - was "the best one yet" and capable of travelling at speeds of 115kmh but students would be limited to travelling 90kmh.

Four boys and three girls will be charged with the task of pedalling, six main cyclists and one emergency.

A live webcast of the ride will be available on the group's website from November 25.

ON A MISSION: Damascus College senior rider Clancy Purdie with fellow members of the Damascus College team who will set off from Darwin in their vehicle later this month. Picture: Jeremy Bannister

Website - http://roderage.com.au/