Giorgio Residori’s Lifelong Commitment to Cycling and Environmental Advocacy

A life on a bicycle, driven by the belief that environment and nature must be protected “from the disasters caused by cars”. Retirement from teaching has not affected Giorgio Residori, 66 years old, who relies on his bike pension; regardless of weather and at any time, the two-wheeled vehicle has always served to reach his intended destinations: the high school where he taught, even when he was in Verona, or at least the station when weather conditions did not permit punctuality at school.

The passion for cycling and ecology

“I think there’s little that’s strange,” says Residori, “the fact is that with everyone’s complicity, we are destroying everything; the car, broadly speaking and not just as a vehicle, was supposed to free humanity and make us all brothers, but that hasn’t happened, and we are paying the consequences.” Residori graduated in engineering, but ecology, he explains, “comes before mathematics; it has always been that way for me, even when there were few environmentalists.” School was a equally strong choice, born from the conviction that we must focus on young people to hope for change.”

“An inversion of trend is needed, and even if I consider it difficult, a bit of hope can only be fueled by young people.” Mayor of the town from 1979 to 1983; 25 years as a blood donor, he continues his volunteer commitment in the area, where he is still actively involved.

Social commitment and the decline of a historical heritage

His presidency, now more than twenty years long, of the Sala storica society is part of this picture, which has taken on a tone of pessimism since the decision of the auction of the Palazzina Storica was announced. “People used to say that thinking badly never leads you astray,” he concludes with a smile, “and unfortunately, I don’t see many ways out that would keep the palace in the hands of its rightful owners, the citizens of Peschiera and the whole nation.”

Giuditta Bolognesi