Mid November

I've reached 125 bike commute roundtrips this year now today. Feeling pretty good about it, I think I'll continue for at least a while longer.

This week the plastic trash blowing off the Kroger lot is getting notably worse, as the windy weather comes through. I can only imagine what it was like last year before we started trying to do something to curtail its passage into the creek. This morning I picked up about 12 plastic bags plus lots of paper ad circulars that were temporarily hung up in vegetation near the trail at the top of the creek bank, and in the greenway trail area that passes back by the store's dumpster. On the way home I retrieved another 8 plastic bags plus 7 beer and alcohol bottles, 3 snack bags and more paper at the same locations. Oh, and also on my way home I picked up about 8 election signs (4 for Coleman, 4 for various city council candidates) which had been knocked down by someone, but not picked up. They went into city trash cans.

I am really getting concerned about plastic accumulating in the marine environment after reading two articles last week. One in Orion magazine entitled Plastics Are Forever
and the other in the SF Chronicle. The "Garbage Patch" in the Pacific Ocean at the North-pacific gyre location is apparently 1000 miles in diameter, twice the size of Texas, and growing by leaps and bounds each year. It's being studied by the Alagita Marine Foundation.

The Orion article says there are 6 of these plastic islands of flotsam in our global seas. The amount of plastic there is mind boggling, as is the longevity of it in the environment. The effects on over 200 marine species are no big surprise, but I was taken aback to learn most of the junk appears to be sourced from continental urban runoff and river discharges, rather than, say, seagoing ships.

If today's experience for me is typical, and 10-15 plastic bags (but for my intervention) would have gone straight into this river from this one local grocery store, I can only imagine how many other similar sources are adding to the plastics eco-mess globally on a daily basis. Heaven help us. Or, better yet, education and proactive best management practices need to be taken now to control this pollution. Banning plastic bags like San Francisco has done, is starting to sound like a worthwhile option. I'd also like to see more trash excluding controls at storm drain inlets. Wider natural vegetated buffers along the rivers, like the 150 feet recommended here locally, would be another good start. Here's a link to a .pdf fact sheet with more tips and info. (requires Acrobat Reader )

Bike Commute Goal Exceeded

Today, Halloween-- I managed to exceed my goal of +50% more bike commuting roundtrips in 2007 vs. 2006! My total today reached 118. With any luck I can get to 125 or more this year yet. Today was 36 degrees F in the AM and 63 in the PM. Quite a contrast.

The past two days I've tried wearing some earmuffs and these convertible glove-mittens called "wombat gloves" from Descente. Both seem to help ease the cold wind factor. As I get warmed up I still need to ventilate to keep a heat balance internally... Riding with lights in the PM is helping me feel safer on the streets.

I'm still thinking of various winter bike options ranging from singlespeed (I have something worked up on an old 26 inch MTB frame) to something else that I don't own yet, a steel or ti 700c cross bike. I know I need room for fenders... not an option with my standard roadbike really. Maybe I'll go back to my last-year's ride, an aluminum rear-suspension 26 inch cross bike. First I need to fix its flat tire. :-( no big deal, just need to get it done.

I'm continuing to pick up at least 10 pieces of trash per day. Today on the way into work I had about 3 aluminum cans, a beer bottle, some plastic bags, and a shopping cart (which I towed back about 4 blocks to the Kroger store entrance). Oh, and a leather baseball in great shape from behind a tree by the ballfield-- I gave this to my co-worker Chris for his kids to play with. On the way home, I ended up with about 8 aluminum cans, a couple plastic bottles, a McDonalds bag and cup with plastic lid, and about 12 plastic bags that blew off the Kroger lot into the trailside areas near the creek behind the store. Got two at the top edge of the creek bank, others near the back of the building that had apparently been there for a while. Thankfully, the chain link mesh fence installed this summer by the CRPD at the edge of the parking lot for the Kroger, does seem to be greatly reducing the amount of this trash moving toward Alum Creek. Hmm, it seems like I'm closer to 30 today than the minimum 10 items. Well, winter and dark days will make it hard for me to keep this up indefinitely.

Blogger Buzz: Environmental Blog Roundup

Blogger Buzz: Environmental Blog Roundup

Biking to work

Today was commuting round trip number 112 for me this year. It's been great so far and I'm pleased with the exercise and experience of traveling under my own power on a daily basis. Except for 3 flat tires, all on the rear wheel, at various times... those were inconvenient. I am presently on track to exceed last year's total of 78 round trips, by 50 percent more!

The days are getting shorter, and I added a headlight and taillight to my bike this week. The Blackburn LED headlight and Mars taillight are quite nice functionally, very bright and several options for flashing/steady etc. I am also getting some extra reflective tape to put on some key points to enhance visibility of the bike from behind.

I recall reading that bikes were the most efficient human powered form of transportation. Except for maybe ice skates... Anyway, I'm convinced bicycles are an important part of a sustainable lifestyle. No doubt I will have more to offer on this subject in future posts.

Step One

Going Eco is something I've been working at for a while. It is a direction more than a destination. I hope you'll join me on this road! How far will it take us? Only time will tell.
This is a first entry.

I wanted to share a picture of a special place for me: Alum Creek, our local river in the watershed I live in here in the corn belt section of the high-lime till plains ecoregion of Ohio. It's the best we've got for nature, a corridor of living diversity passing through the city and bringing everyone who encounters it into a bit closer touch with the planet and the water that sustains life on it.

The suspension bridge in the photo was built in 1922, the flapper era. The abutments on each bank ooze with Art Deco style. The bridge is part of the Alum Creek Greenway Trail.