Abwrackprämie?!

What is this about? A new German word creation? Basically it comes from a campaign, that the German Government started to convince users of old cars to buy new ones with better pollution references. The old cars must be brought to licensed scrap merchants and the owner gets a bonus of 2.000 Euros. So "Abwrackprämie" means something like "scrapping-bonus"...  This campaign was in the critics right from the beginning, because the anticipated impact on the national car industry was more or less "zero". Most of the new cars being sold, were bought from foreign importers like Dacia or Renault. A small impact could be registered at Opel, but as this company is looking towards it´s end for other reasons, the "Abwrackprämie" seems to be nothing but cosmetics on a lethal case.

But is it really an alternative to give benefits to the car industry? The same industry that had ignored throughout years the signs and indications of  better environmental decisions? If we are counting the CO2 balance of the production of new cars it still makes sense to continue driving an old one, that has already been produced a long time ago instead of polluting the world and the cities with new cars. But these "revolutionary" thoughts are not our business. Greenpeace, Robin Wood and others are much more better than we are in adducing reasons that beat!

How to find the way to our bicycle subject!? Take a look at this! The city of Mannheim/Germany has started a serious campaign to give the "scrapping-bonus" to each buyer of a new bicycle! It is necessary to buy a new bike in a licensed shop, bring an old one to the "Scrapper" and receive 50 Euros.. (OK, not that much, but in relation to an average bicycle price..)

This seems to me a symbolic step into the right direction! Could this be and idea for a bicycle friendly city in Portugal for ex. Aveiro? ;-)