A grassroots community bike exchange, White Bike, hits the street of Portland today with the placement of several white bikes throughout the city.

"If you see a white bike, pick it up and ride it, said John Rooks, president of Dwell Creative, a local business that helped organize the effort. "People will be able to use the bikes as frequently as they need. When they reach their destination, they'll leave the biked locked, waiting for its next occupant to unlock it with the universal code."

The universal lock combination is available at www.whitebike.org.

The group hopes to educate the community and raise awareness about decreased automobile use, air pollution and environmentally friendly transportation.