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Making cycling even more sustainable with le Vélo Vert

Last updated: Apr 14, 2023

Summary

By restoring old bicycles, le Vélo Vert is turning cycling into an even more sustainable means of transportation, while meeting some social benefits.

Problem

Although cycling is already the greener means of transportation, le Vélo Vert is taking it to a whole another level by making it more circular and inclusive.

Solution

Le Vélo Vert ('The Green Bike') is a bike company that recovers more than 3000 bicyles per year, and restores between 500 and 700 bicycles, which are then sold in its shop. Some of the bikes are also sold to other shops, while the broken bikes are dismantled for recycling.

Le Vélo Vert is dedicated to the professional integration of people experiencing socio-professional difficulties. The company offers them practical experience and training in a real work context within a company working on circular economy.

Outcome

So far, le Vélo Vert has restored and stolen more than 14 600 used bikes. This is worth 130 tons of metals being reused. On a yearly basis, the company has collected 3400 bikes and restored 560 of them from July 2021 to June 2022. They also hired around 40 people in this period of time.