When it comes to a public library, you usually think of books and computers for people to use. You can even think of educational lectures and concerts that are often held in the library. But few people would expect to have a farm in the library.

But why not? After all, with rising costs, food safety is a community-wide issue. The Cicero Public Library near Syracuse in New York solved this problem by building a farm on its land. When Meg Backus saw all the open space in the library across the street from the building, he realized it could be used to benefit the community.

The farm was created in 2011 and in the beginning, 40 members of the library brought seeds (种子), water, and supplies to see if they could grow food on the land. It turned out that they could. To get the needed supplies for a larger farm, the library began to work with the organization Syracuse Grows Agency.

The community farm donates (捐赠) over 200 pounds of fresh produce (农产品) to local food banks every year. Half of the growing area is used as the Food Educational Garden. The other half is used by growers themselves. During the year, there are educational programs held at the library to teach people how to garden. There are also a lot of gardening books that can be used at the library.

Lauren Rosenstein, a worker of the library, said that she felt like she was giving something back to the community. “You’re really making a difference as a local community because you’re growing the food that people are eating.”

There are more bicycles than residents in the Netherlands, and in cities like Amsterdam and The Hague up to 70% of all journeys are made by bike. The BBC’s reporter, Anna Holligan , examines what made everyone get back in the saddle (车座).

Before World WarⅡ, journeys in the Netherlands were mainly made by bike, but in the 1950s and 1960s, as car ownership increased quickly, this changed. As in many countries in Europe, roads became increasingly crowded.

The jump in car number caused a huge rise in the number of deaths on the roads. In 1971 more than 3,000 people were killed by motor vehicles, and 450 of them were children. In response a social movement demanding safer cycling conditions for children was formed. Called Stop de Kindermoord, it took its name from the headline of an article written by journalist Vic Langenhoff whose own child had been killed in a road accident.

The Dutch love of the motor vehicle was also shaken by the Middle East oil crisis of 1973, when oil-producing countries topped export to the US and Western Europe.

These twin pressures helped to persuade the Dutch government to invest in improving cycling infrastructure (基础设施) and the Dutch urban planners started to change from the road-building policies designed mainly for cars.

To make cycling safer and more inviting, the Dutch have built a vast network of cycle paths. These are clearly marked, have smooth surfaces, separate signs and lights for those on two wheels, and are wide enough to allow cycling side by side and overtaking.

Even before they can walk, Dutch children live in a world of cycling. As babies they travel in special seats on bikes. As the children grow up they ride their own bikes. And, as the Dutch are not allowed to drive until 18, cycling offers teenagers an alternative form of freedom.

The state also plays a part in teaching, with cycling lessons a compulsory (必修的) part in Dutch schools. All schools have places to park bikes and at some schools 90% of pupils cycle to class.