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About Jeff





The Third Mode:

Walking and bicycling are metaphors. While they are unique forms of mobility, they can also be thought of together to represent a “third mode” of transportation that is as important as highways and mass transit. This mode of transport, and the kind of thinking that is required to integrate it into our modern world, symbolizes a different perspective on our way of thinking. If you can understand why non-motorized mobility is important for transportation, you can also see how other problems could be resolved with similar thinking. This thought process is called The Third Mode, and this book describes how it can lead to a more connected, healthy, and sustainable society.


Creating a Green Society:



In a time of environmental, public health, and economic challenges, we need to understand how individuals, organizations and communities can make change happen. The Third Mode is a way of seeing how our society can create better connections between people, nature and the built environment. Author Jeff Olson grew up in American suburbia, where he saw how quickly a landscape of open space could become a placeless sprawl...and realized that better planning and design were keys to a sustainable future. Jeff's experiences in the non-profit, public and private sectors are fun stories to read and important lessons for leaders at multiple levels. His vision of wanting to create a better world will hopefully inspire a new generation. Jeff served as the first New York State bicycle/pedestrian program manager, and then went on to lead the US Millennium Trails program before joining the award winning consulting firm Alta Planning + Design. The Third Mode will help you see that simple solutions like walking and bicycling can help us move forward towards a green society.