My bike has a flat

I was bummed last Saturday when I was not able to attend the International Climate Action Day Chicago Bike Ride because my bike had a flat. And although I own a helmet, lights, and a bike pump..I don't own a flat repair kit. If that's even what its called. True cyclist probably own four or five of them. And because I didn't prep for the event the day before, it was too late for me to find a bike shop to have it fixed in time to meet up with the group. Insert sad face here.

I found out yesterday I have this weekend off from rehearsal at Winter Pageant at Redmoon because they have a HUGE GIANT EVENT going on at the "buzz buzz buzz..." I can't really say but rumor has it that its at the ........ (click the little dots and find out where since I can neither confirm nor deny it).

Anyways, I have this weekend off so I will look for a bike shop to have my flat fixed, amongst other things. Because if you have ever seen my bike, you would know it is the baddest bike in the city!

Do you see this red bike in the front of the pack with the huge handle bars...that low riding baby is my bike. I bought it off craigslist from a lady.

(On a side note...I love craigslist. I purchased my amazing bistro table, living room furniture, box spring, brand new laptop, bike and other endless wonders from craigslist. Some things new and some lightly used. That's a green thing. Even if the seller is in the suburbs, I rent a zipcar and drive out to the burbs to purchase something used, thus extending the life of something and keeping it out the trash.) Have you ever used craigslist? Sometimes, its hit or miss. More often than not, I get amazing hits.

This summer I used my bike a lot of ride to my beach volleyball games and to ride to rehearsals on the weekends. I think I made it home a lot faster than if I had taken the bus. Plus I was making a lower carbon impact on the earth by doing so.

My bike isn't that great for riding in the city though, because it's really big and takes up space (although its light), so I am currently searching craigslist for a much skinner city riding bike.


Anyways....really, I just wanted an excuse to feature my bike. I just need to add a basket to it and I'll be all good.

Granola Happenings

One of my granola goals was to become more active in sustainable community events and activities. I realize that in just over a week, I've already started to work towards those goals.

Tonight, I will be attending a speaking engagement and reception hosted by Blacks in Green where Dr. Greg Watson will be the guest speaker. Dr. Watson is the Senior Adviser for Clean Energy Technology within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Vice President for Sustainable Development with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative...amongst many other things.

Photo Credit

In order to promote awareness about 350, tomorrow afternoon I will be participating in the Chicago 350 International Climate Action Day bike ride. The group will cycle around the city riding past many of the other 350 action day events. I'm hoping that this event will spur me to ride my bike more often...even to work.

Also...I've been telling everyone about the International Climate Action Day and I have a colleague that's going to be joining me for the bike ride!!!!

Photo Credit 

This weekend I will also continue to make my homemade body products including a face cleanser, toner, exfoliating scrub and mask.  I recently made a Coffee Brown Sugar Body Scrub and can't wait to try out some new recipes. I will also be tracking the cost versus what I normally spend at the Body Shop and hopefully there will be some savings. (I'm assuming so, since all the ingredients were products I readily keep at home except for the Witch Hazel.) I can't wait to tell you about what happens.  I am researching recipes for shaving cream, shower gel, and body butter too. What other things should I make? I suppose once I run out of my green cleaning products, I can look into creating my own. I'd need an all purpose spray, a glass cleaner,  and a disinfectant cleaner. I'll also poke around under my sinks and see what else I keep in there.

my homemade Coffee Brown Sugar Body Scrub

This weekend...tonight actually after the Dr. Watson event, I will be making a vegan black bean soup. Now I realize many of the meals I eat are vegetarian with a high percentage of them even being vegan. Therefore I'm on the right track. But what i want is to be more intentional about making vegan meals. And after calculating  my carbon diet I'd love to steer more towards a vegan approach to life with hints of raw food. Therefore I'm going to start using some of the recipes in four interesting cookbooks that I own. 

Raw: The Uncook Book.

The Voluptuous Vegan 

The Yoga Cookbook: Vegetarian Food for Body and Mind

Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy and Creative African-American cuisine

This weekend I'm also looking forward to posting an interview with my granola friend Sam as well as starting to process how I can become an eco-conscious theater artist and what that means for me as a writer and stage manager.

What are you doing intentionally to become more eco-conscious?

Do you know of any other events or things in the Chicago area that I could be a part of?

350 - International Day of Climate Action

I recently signed up to participate in the International Day of Climate Action, also know as 350.
This is all being done to build up awareness and action in regards to the Climate Change Conference being held in Copenhagen hosted by the United Nations. I had no clue what 350 meant in regards to global warming but I found a simple explanation on their website.

350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in "Parts Per Million" in our atmosphere. 350 PPM—it's the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change.

 So what is to do done? Well all across the world various events are taking place as a way to build up awareness and to spur action from those in positions to enact legislative change on an international level.

On the website I found two things I was interested in participating in. I've RSVP'd for both events.

While I'm still in the process of formulating how I as a Theater Artist and Stage Manager can exemplify sustainable behavior, I find it easier as to work on as a Writer and Collage Art Journaler.

One of the events calls for 350 poems to be written by October 24th. I wish I had known about this sooner. The poems are to be 3 to 5 lines long. This is so simple and the length allows for me to muse on my small thoughts as a writer. I keep trying to figure out one act plays I can write on the subject matter and I find it challenging. Creating all sorts of short poems however is a more manageable feat. If Tennessee Williams serves as inspiration, those poems can grow into stories which can grow in to plays. (Just about ever one of his full length plays actually began as short stories. I recommend reading his short stories!) I digress. I've submitted two quick poems for now and my goal is to submit 35! (I know. Crazy right!) I encourage you to participate too. All poems should be send to 350poems at gmail dot come, so they can be featured on 350poems. If you do submit poetry, go back to the 350 website and register so that your participation is noted.

 The Unknown

my sister, having been raised in Texas

has never known snow.

i wonder, what else will she never know.

The Sun

The sun will rise

of that I am sure

shall we experience its glory?

of that, I do not know.

(I just reread the rules of the poetry submitted and its NOT 3 to 5 lines, its suppose to be 3.5 lines. I'm going to keep my poems above but for the future ones, I will pay attention to their request.)

Photo Credit 

The other event that intrigues me is the Chicago 350 International Climate Action Day bike ride.

This event will take place on Saturday from 12pm to 4pm. This group event will cycle around the city riding past many of the other 350 action day events. The will be meeting at Daley Plaza, on Dearborn and Washington. The organizer of this event wrote....

We'll ride all over Chicago, first going to the Fisk Coal Power Plant on Cermak, where Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, among other organizations, have organized a protest against this plant, one of the dirtiest coal power plants in America. From there we'll ride on, covering as much of this city as possible, spreading the message behind the International Day of Climate Action.

This will be good for me. A four hour bike ride all over the city. Perhaps it will spur me to ride my bike more often...even to work. Especially considering that thus far the most challenge part of the No Impact Project has been decreasing my climate footprint through transportation.

I encourage you to look through their website and find events and actions that interest you the most. Sign up for them. RSVP. and then DO something!