Sundial Bridge
In Redding, California, you can simultaneously walk across the Sacramento River and 'naturally' determine the time.

Re-thinking Transportation Options
Have you ever heard stories in the media about traffic congestion actually declining? Me neither. Every year, for example, TTI reports 'how many hours we spend stuck in traffic' and similar measures of our transportation system...and the not-so-surprising news is nearly always the same: More. More time in traffic, more time waiting, more cars on the road. Results are similar for regional traffic studies conducted in most major U.S. metro areas.

Fortunately, lots of little outfits exist all around the country to at least try to provide people with realistic alternatives to driving. One such organization: Bikestation. This California-based nonprofit works...in its own words...to make bicycling "an integral part of the transportation system...." It creates facilities at transit stations that make bicycling to the train or subway or bus more convenient and attractive for commuters.

Bike-transit stations are more common in Europe and Japan, but...despite the amazingly simple concept...not so here in the 'States. Bikestation says it values "innovative, creative, and efficient solutions" to transportation challenges. Let's hope more U.S. drivers feel the same.

"Reading, Writing, and Creativity"
Business Week featured an interesting interview of Sir Ken Robinson by Jessie Scanlon today about creativity in education and business. Read

Expanding Our Frame of Reference
While this is probably obvious, real creativity...in whatever context...requires an ability to broaden one's thinking in order to recognize new opportunities, new patterns, new possibilities. Toward that end, looking over the shoulder of those who manage to do that on an apparently daily basis might prove helpful in shaking up our own thinking. Here's one example to explore: Bruce Mau Design.

Sick of Waiting?
Standing at the bus stop. Trapped on a flight. Strapped into a stop-n-go car during oxymoronic 'rush hour'. Such moments of commuting purgatory used to mean...well...utter boredom.

Thanks to author Hal Bowman, liberation is at hand...at least for the mind...during these excruciatingly mundane periods of waiting during the trip between point A and point B. Bowman's book, Commuter Waiting Games (Quirk Books; ISBN 1931686270), banishes the banal during commute-related inactivity by offering creatively engaging diversions.

Go ahead. Dare to be un-bored by running a water cup relay race on the subway, or by playing a game of safety card volleyracket with fellow airline passengers. Whether or not you take the dare, Bowman deserves to take a bow for his creative rebellion against mind-numbing dead time.

NYC Garbage Sculptures
Most of us throw trash away with little thought about where it really goes. Yet New York City artist Justin Gignac creatively transforms flotsam and jetsam from NYC streets into pop art.

Enviros would probably label Gignac's activity "creative re-use." Wall Street types likely call it a wise investment. He began selling his translucent plastic trash-filled cubes on the street to passersby...at least those who didn't write him off as a total jokester...for ten bucks. Proving that trash really can be treasure, however, his art-in-a-box creations now run a cool $50 each.

While this affirms my long-held bias that EVERYTHING in NYC is high-priced, my hat's off to Gignac for creativity. (Besides, it make me wonder if a few bucks couldn't be made from some of the stuff Congress throws out. Dead-legislation-in-a-box, anyone?) Gignac gets extra points for a REALLY creative Web site, too: www.nycgarbage.com.

About this Column
The people, projects, organizations, companies, Web sites, books, and other examples of out-of-the-box thinking featured here are selected entirely by me. They paid nothing to be included...which is really unfortunate for my checking account, but necessary for my ethics-comfort-level. Of course, payment will be shamelessly accepted from anyone who decides to become my client. I promise to flag such relationships on any of these blurbs where that's the case, though...and featuring someone here is NOT an attempt to sell them on the services of Mark Wright Communications LLC (really!). Feel free to e-mail leads for this column anytime; sources will be duly credited.
-Mark Wright