Wisconsin Bicycling Has A $1.5 Billion Impact

Even though it’s February and my mind should be on heart-shaped chocolates, I still every once and a while remember that I made a few New Year’s resolutions.   One of them is:  “Get the courage to bike in Madison more often, and maybe even on streets.”  Maria, as you may have seen, needs encouragement when it comes to getting on the city bus.  I need encouragement to bicycle in Madison.  Sure, I’ve ridden on the Lakeshore Path on campus and have ridden way early in the morning to avoid cars, but 2010 is the year that I will become brave.  I will do my best to bike more often, and even during the daytime!

It’s not news that biking in Madison is the thing to do, but I found it shocking that Wisconsin bicycling has an annual economic impact of $1.5 billion! According to a recent Wisconsin State Journal article, UW-Madison Nelson Institute graduate students put together this report, and have said that bicycling has as much of an impact on Wisconsin as deer hunting. Wow! This report also revealed that 49% of Wisconsin residents enjoy bicycling for recreation, and that $924 million in tourism and resident spending comes from bicycle recreation annually.

I guess practice makes perfect. Maybe I’ll start riding on non-busy, non-icy streets until I feel more comfortable. I’ll look for tips and rules of the road from the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, in addition to the article on BikeSafe.com about “How Not to Get Hit by Cars.” It seems like that might be good to read…

I’m sure you will all conquer some sort of fear this year, as it seems to be the theme of our blog so far. Make sure to check out our website for more resources on how to abolish your green fears.

Wishing you well,

Melissa

Take the bus, save $10 grand each year

It’s rather ironic that I’m blogging about taking public transportation, since this is the environmental change with which I struggle the most.

This year I made a commitment to take the bus to work at least once a week. I’m keeping that vow, but only barely. All the usual excuses…it’s hard to coordinate my schedule, I have to carry outreach supplies with me, I’ve got stuff to do before and after work, blah, blah, blah. None of them are as important as the reasons why I should.

Today’s story in Tree Hugger is just one more reason why:

…The average American who takes public transit saves a staggering $9,240 a year….The finding comes from a recent study by the American Public Transportation Association, which compiled the average costs of parking, gas, and tolls each year. They’ve come up with a comprehensive savings report that shows how much a rider saves in the 20 top cities for public transit….

We had an EnAct orientation this past weekend at the Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ on Madison’s west side. We asked people what environmental actions they do that make them proud, and which ones they’d like to improve. I was inspired yet again by folks who have gone to one car or who regularly use public transportation, and I admitted my own failings. Confession, church, it just felt right.

Anyway, it isn’t always easy being green, as Kermit the Frog told us so many years ago. (Hey, did you know that there is a Muppet Wiki? But I digress.)

I’m going to keep trying to get my butt on the bus. Because, really, couldn’t we all use an extra $10 grand in our pocket at the end of the year? I thought so.

Be green. Have fun. Get on the dang bus! (That last sentence is directed to me.)

Maria

Environmentalism=Marital Bliss?

Every green geek I know is passing around this New York Times story, “When Trying to Save the Planet Strains the Relationship“.

Here’s a quote that sums it up:

“As the focus on climate increases in the public’s mind, it can’t help but be a part of people’s planning about the future,” said Thomas Joseph Doherty, a clinical psychologist in Portland, Ore., who has a practice that focuses on environmental issues. “It touches every part of how they live: what they eat, whether they want to fly, what kind of vacation they want.”

While no study has documented how frequent these clashes have become, therapists agree that the green issue can quickly become poisonous because it is so morally charged.”

Based on my completely unscientific poll of my office mates, 100% have had this come up with their partner or their immediate family.

I have a friend who almost had a relationship-ending fight with her future mother-in-law over her desire to have a sustainable wedding and only serve vegetarian food. The MIL told everyone she’d invited to eat before the wedding, because she was convinced they’d be hungry without meat at the meal.

In my house, I’ve brought my formerly ungreen husband around to my way of living and together we’ve made more lifestyle changes that I probably would have on my own. I’m a vegetarian and he’s the chef extraordinaire. From our very first meal together (mushroom risotto), he’s come up with a huge repertoire of tasty veggie food that he cooks at home. When we’re out for a meal, meat is usually his first choice, but he is now much more committed to eating locally. It helps that we live in a place with great access to farmers’ markets and to shops that have local foods. (Check out this “Eat Well” section of the Madison Resources page on our website for more details.)

When I visit my parents, it’s a different story. They don’t want to talk about where their food comes from or what chemicals are in the products they use. For them, those decisions are made on a upfront cost basis and purchased at the cheapest outlet. On the plus side, they grew up during the Depression, so turning off lights, driving less, and only buying the necessities is second nature to them. My staunchly right-wing parents inadvertently raised me to be a very left-leaning person, thanks to their ingrained and frugal habits.

I try to be evangelical rather than judgmental when talking with others about living a green life. When we host a dinner or drinks party, I mention where the food came from and hope that they can taste the difference. When I have people in my tiny (and yes, somewhat uncomfortable) car, I say something about my 35 m.p.g.  When I travel or go to meetings, I proudly plonk my supercute waterbottle on the table.

Even as I’m typing this, it sounds self-aggrandizing. Maybe I am an environmental high-priestess and I don’t even realize it? Or maybe the guy who called his wife that in the article needs to cut her some slack? I guess I should ask my husband to weigh in on this post!

Have fun. Be green.

Maria