One Person’s Trash is Another’s Treasure

It is not uncommon to spot many bikes in deep disrepair clogging our bike lots. Donnovan Yisrael, is a Stanford well-being coach by day and bike repairman by night. Inspired by his climate anxiety, Donnovan collects unusable bikes from across campus and fixes them for international and FLI (First Generation and/or Low-Income) students - patching and inflating flat tires, sewing torn seats, replacing sticky grips, mending broken chains, and more. 

He’s been doing this for a few years, giving away about 10 bikes every quarter. Rebuilding bikes from the ground up is not only Donnovan’s happy place, but it’s also a great way to help students avoid expensive bike fees, and it keeps bikes out of the landfill. Donnovan believes that to contribute to a sustainable world it is all about finding a tangible- even if it's a small- thing to do. He proudly represents a drop in the bucket toward a sustainable future. After all, many droplets can fill a bucket to the brim.