Green Streets Initiative

August 2010 Newsletter

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AUGUST 2010 UPDATE   Dear Green Streets friends,   We hope you're being active and enjoying the green transport opportunities that abound in our communities, whether at the beach, in the city, or in the country! We've been on trains, bikes, buses, all kinds of scooters and boats, for fun, sustainable, community-building transportation!   THANKS TO ALL OF YOU: COORDINATORS, ADVISORS,  DONORS, SPONSORS, AND PARTICIPANTS! Thank you all for your involvement and support. We have great news to share with you in the coming weeks, including details of some major grants. In the meantime, please keep spreading the word about Walk/Ride Days in your schools, offices, religious organizations, and elsewhere. We hear from folks from across the country, and beyond, who are interested in doing the same! TIPS FOR SITE COORDINATORS As you plan for your upcoming September kick-offs of Walk/Ride Days, here are a few tips from some of our most successful Walk/Ride Day sites: 1. Get support from the top 2. Include everyone 3. Reward some 4. Do surveys 5. Have fun 6. Don't worry about perfection 7. Keep it up Read more here, and let us know your thoughts! NEWS FROM CAMBRIDGE "10 in '10" Cambridge Bus Challenge Continues! Coordinators across the city are invited to spread the word about this fun challenge! Ride 10 of the 30 MBTA bus lines that are in or pass through Cambridge in 2010, record them online or in our printed "Bus Passports," and join us for an awards celebration in January 2011. Often, those who live near MBTA bus routes don't even know where the buses go! Once people find out, they ride buses more frequently. Click here for more information and for the 2-for-1 Walk/Ride Day incentive! NEWS FROM SOMERVILLE Somerville has completely revamped its Somerville Avenue artery, and the city has created updated maps that families can use on Walk/Ride Days. The maps will be available online in time for September's Walk/Ride Day! Also, more Somerville schools will be celebrating Walk/Ride Days in the 2010-11 school year. Click here to get involved in the fun! THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING DONATIONS! From Tufts University's Child Development Association to bat mitzvah kids, from the online "BuyWithMe.com" to local merchants, to supporters in other states, all kinds of people have been supporting Green Streets through their individual contributions, funding our outreach, and enabling us to continue spreading the word about Walk/Ride Days. WISE ARTICLE ABOUT SHARING THE ROAD Click here to read a good article about motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists sharing the road. Steve Miller, a former Green Streets board member and ongoing advisor, offers his insights. Click here here to read yet another article about how public transportation makes you skinny! THIS MONTH'S RAFFLE CHECK-IN PRIZE If you participate in this week's Walk/Ride Day and check in online or sign in at one of Green Streets' visibilities for this Walk/Ride Day, you will be entered into a raffle for a $40 gift card at Eastern Mountain Sports.   Pictured at left: Amy Lewis, July Walk/Ride Day check-in winner of a Petsi Pie. Amy is Senior Manager, Web Marketing, at Forrester Research in Cambridge, MA. Read more here. A Reminder: Please check in now or on Walk/Ride Day! If you already check in regularly, thank you. If not, please do. It lets us, and those who help us, know you're out there. And don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas while you're at it!   Thanks! Janie Katz-Christy, Director Green Streets Initiative, Inc. www.GoGreenStreets.org walk-ride-days@comcast.net

July 2010 Update and Newsletter

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JULY 2010 UPDATE 

Dear Green Streets friends,

We have been feeling the heat this steamy summer and it is inspiring to hear your stories and green "escape routes" to ponds, rivers, and the ocean by train, bus and bike. Start planning your August routes and keep sharing your stories. We look forward to celebrating this Friday's Walk/Ride Day with our friends and fellow travelers! Visit our website and find new sponsors, ideas, challenges, and events, plus our latest news. We look forward to hearing from you!

WALK/RIDE DAY SPREADING...

This month, Green Streets founder and director Janie Katz-Christy has been doing some family train travel, meeting new friends and sharing the green message of Walk/Ride Day with people from all over the world and communities across the Amtrak span. So many have been intereted in joining and expanding the Walk/Ride Day / Green Streets efforts already taking place in the Boston area, ME, NH and the UK!

NEW MONTANA SPONSOR!

If you get the chance to visit beautiful, big sky Montana, please stop in to say hello and get a Walk/Ride Day reward from the lovely family-owned Wolf Point Café, the Rocky Mountains’ first Walk/Ride Day supporting business.

NEWS FROM BOSTON 

Celebrate July's Walk/Ride Day all day (and night) long!

Start off with a free breakfast at City Hall Plaza (and say hi to Green Streets folks who will be tabling), get rewarded all day at many new sponsors (listed below), visit us and get a bike tune-up at the Ashmont T Station farmer's market, and top it off with a free movie!

End your day at the Boston Harbor Hotel where, at 8:00, you can take in their Friday Night "Movies By Moonlight" series. This Walk/Ride Day, see Billy Wilder's classic, Some Like It Hot, which the American Film Institute has ranked as the greatest American comedy film of all time. Film is free and under the glorious harbor sky. It is a quick walk from either the Aquarium T stop or South Station T stop.

 

During the day, visit some of Boston's many new -- and our ongoing -- Walk/Ride Day sponsors. Visit our website for the full list, and here are some of the new ones:

Lorenz Island Kuisine -- a great Jamaican restaurant in Codman Square is offering 10% off for Walk/Ride Day. 

South Boston Running Emporium 10% off. 

Stitch House in Dorchester: A free Stitch House measuring tape is avilable to all Walk/Ride customers.

Back Bay Bicycles offers a generous 20% off all accessories on Walk/Ride Day. Just go green, wear green, and mention this newsletter.

O2 Yoga: Free yoga class on Walk/Ride Day (Also in Somerville!)

3 Million Dollars For Boston Bike Share Program! U.S. Department of Transportation will fund a new bike share system in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville. Read press release for details. Thanks to Nicole Freedman of Boston Bikes and congratulations to us all!

NEWS FROM CAMBRIDGE

Plans are in the works for a wonderful Walk Ride FOLK DANCE FRIDAY on August 27th in Harvard Square. Join the Folk Art Center of New England for free instruction and dancing on Forbes Plaza, Holyoke Center 1350 Mass. Ave from 7:30 – 9:30 – additional Walk/Ride Day treats to be revealed soon!  Please visit www.harvardsquare.com for more info.

Thank so much to our friends at Greenward and BuywithMe.com, who donated $300 to Green Streets from a recent joint promotion. Walk/Ride Day participants in Newton can continue to get rewarded from BuyWithMe.com & Gymnasium. Check it out here.

 

NEWS FROM SOMERVILLE

Youth Films for  Active Transit! Shape Up Somerville, Groundwork Somerville, and SCAT are teaming up this summer with Somerville teens to make youth-produced documentary short-films; each segment will promote walking, biking, and other forms of active transit in the community to inspire more independence, movement, activity and experience among their peers. You can see their progress here and we’ll be sure to link the film footage in time for August Walk/Ride Day.

Somerville's third SomerStreets celebration on July 25th was a big success, with hundreds “going green” all afternoon: walking, dancing and cycling down East Broadway. Catch up on what you missed, here. 

New Sponsor: There is a new breed of Walk/Ride Day fans in Somerville walking on all fours, thanks to new sponsors at Stinky’s Kittens & Doggies Too.

PIE IN JULY! THIS MONTH'S RAFFLE CHECK-IN PRIZE

If you participate in this week's Walk/Ride Day and check in online or sign in at one of Green Streets' visibilities this Walk/Ride Day, you will be entered in a raffle for a $20  It will be a sweet end to the month.  Raffle prize for July 30th Walk/Ride Day is a $20 gift certificate to Petsi Pies.  With a Somerville and Cambridge location it will be easy to walk, bike or take the T to pick up your pie--choosing a flavor may take a little more time!

GREEN STREETS' RAFFLE WINNER 

Walk/Ride Day Winner: David Clemens

Cambridge resident David Clemens was picked as this month’s Walk/Ride Day raffle winner and he is choosing the MassBike membership has his prize. At first learning that he won, David felt a bit guilty because: “I take the T three stops every day-- all I have to do on Walk/Ride Day is wear green and tell people about it.  But of course it doesn't have to be a sacrifice to be green! Living in Cambridge makes it so much easier...” Read more about David Clemens...

PERSPECTIVES

"Getting Slim Just By Riding the Subway" by Susan Dominus: Click here to read about how switching to using public transit leads to weight reduction.

 

Safer Roads for All: Click here to read about current efforts in MA to clarify how to share the roads and to reduce urban speed limits.

A Reminder: Please check in now or on Walk/Ride Day! If you already check in regularly, thank you. If not, please do. It lets us, and those who help us, know you're out there. And don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas while you're at it!

Thanks!

Sincerely,

Nicole Rioles, Somerville Walk/Ride Day Coordinator and  Coordinator of Shape Up Somerville (Guest Writer, substituting for Janie Katz-Christy, Director)

www.GoGreenStreets.org
walk-ride-days@comcast.net

June 2010 Newsletter

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JUNE 2010 UPDATE 

Dear Green Streets friends,

Happy summer! Once again, there is so much happening with the Walk/Ride Day program, Green Streets, and active and green transportation in general this month! Celebrate it all on this Friday's Walk/Ride Day! Visit our website for many new sponsors, challenges, and events, plus our latest news. We look forward to hearing from you!

CAR-FREE BOSTON-AREA SUMMER DESTINATIONS

From islands and beaches to woods, lakes, and ponds, we keep hearing about wonderful car-free traveling destinations. There is the Amtrak Downeaster to Portland and the Casco Bay Islands, buses to Acadia and all parts of Maine and New Hampshire, and many other local ones. Click here for some more ideas! 

NEWS FROM CAMBRIDGE

"10 in '10" Cambridge Bus Challenge introduced in public schools. All others invited! Combine car-free summer trips with participating in the Cambridge "10 in '10" MBTA Bus Challenge! "Passports" were distributed through the city's public schools last week. They are now available online and at a number of community locations including the Multi-Cultural Arts Center, the YMCA, the Family Resource Center, the Multi-Service Center, the Cambridge Public Libraries, Magic Beans, Leader Bank (Central Square), Twinkle Star Baby, Henry Bears Park, Porter Square Books, and more! Click here for more information, including our new 2-for-1 deal on Walk/Ride Day! (Each bus line you ride on a Walk/Ride Day counts for two rides in the Challenge!)

Walk/Ride Day sponsor, Greenward, is planning a promotion to support Green Streets by selling coupons at www.buywithme.com. Greenward is a business on Mass. Ave between Porter and Harvard Squares that stocks a variety of products to support Sustainable Living.

Each coupon offers 1/2 off ($30-for-$15) on Greenward products and makes a $1 donation to The Green Streets Initiative. The offer will start June 24, and will be vaild for one week, including this coming Walk/Ride Day!

NEWS FROM SOMERVILLE

Walk/Ride Days Expanding Somerville is celebrating Walk/Ride Days in more and more parts of the city! Check out the city's many new Walk/Ride Day sponsors here and here for ongoing sponsors! And check out this article on last month's Healy School's Walk/Ride Day bike-to-school train celebration! Click here to volunteer there or with other schools. Also note that Somerville's third SomerStreets celebration will take place on July 24.

NEWS FROM BOSTON

Walk/Ride Days kick off in Dorchester! Not only can you celebrate Walk/Ride Days at Boston Bikes' wonderful BikeFridays, and many of the city's sponsors, but members of Healthworks at Codman have special incentives awaiting them. Click here for more information. Expect more  Boston-based community organizations to start recognizing and encouraging greener transit on Walk/Ride Days in coming months, and let us know if you and/or your organization would like to join in!

THIS MONTH'S RAFFLE CHECK-IN PRIZE If you participate in this week's Walk/Ride Day and check in online or sign in at one of Green Streets' visibilities for this Walk/Ride Day, you will be entered in a raffle for an annual membership at MassBike and a Green Streets Bike Safety Vest. If you are already a member of MassBike, we will replace your membership with a set of six of our popular Walk/Ride Day buttons!

GREEN STREETS' DONOR RAFFLE WINNER

We would like to thank the many newsletter readers and friends of Green Streets who have made generous contributions to our organization. All those who donated by May 11 were entered into a raffle for a $100 gift certificate to Urban Adventours. George Lynde, of Newton, Massachusetts, was the winner. We congratulate George and welcome you to read a little about him here.

A Reminder: Please check in now or on Walk/Ride Day! If you already check in regularly, thank you. If not, please do. It lets us, and those who help us, know you're out there. And don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas while you're at it!

Thanks!

Janie Katz-Christy, Director

Green Streets Initiative, Inc.
www.GoGreenStreets.org
walk-ride-days@comcast.net

May 28 Update

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MAY 2010 UPDATE

 

Dear Green Streets friends,

 

Active and green transportation are everywhere this month, culminating this Friday on Walk/Ride Day! With so many new sponsors coming on board, it's hard to keep count! Visit our website and check it out.

 

SPREAD THE WALK/RIDE DAY MESSAGE AND GET A GREEN STREETS BUTTON

Earn yourself a beautiful and fun new Walk/Ride Day button for spreading the word about Walk/Ride Days! Buy yourself or your friends a few more! We have 11 cool designs. They are $2 each, or 6 for $10. See all the designs and more details here. And email us for bulk sales and sponsorship information.

 

NEWS FROM CAMBRIDGE

"10 in '10" Cambridge Bus Challenge Unveiled! Ride 10 of the 30 MBTA bus lines that are in or pass through Cambridge in 2010, record them online or in our printed "Bus Passports," and join us for an awards celebration in January 2011. Often, those who live near MBTA bus routes don't even know where they go! Once they find out, they ride them frequently. Click here for more information.

 

New Walk/Ride Day Wallet Cards! These are just in, with many new sponsors and dates for the rest of 2010. We plan to deliver them in the coming weeks to all of our current sponsors, so keep your eyes peeled for them! And please let us know if you would like to receive them immediately!

 

NEWS FROM SOMERVILLE

Walk/Ride Days Expanding

Walk/Ride Days -- and green and active transit, in general -- have been expanding in Somerville! This month's Walk/Ride Day will feature three police-escorted bike convoys to the Healey School. Two additional Somerville schools will start celebrating Walk/Ride Days in September! Click here to learn more and to volunteer.

 

Somerville Citizen Recognized for Checking In Online  As promised, a Somervillian was selected randomly from all those who signed in, and will be profiled in the Somerville Journal, given a certificate from Shape Up Somerville and will win a gift certificate. More details forthcoming! Please follow his lead and check in every month -- every person matters!

 

SomerStreets Somerville is closing roads to cars this summer and opening them up for biking and walking. Click here to learn more!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS!

Thank you to all of those who gave so generously to our request for donations! If you have not given yet, there is still time. We very much appreciate your gifts. As we mentioned last month, we are very hopeful about a pending state grant that would multiply your donation five-fold. The proposed project would spread Walk/Ride Days to many more communities in the Boston region. Click here for details on how to donate. Thank you, in advance.

 

LAST CALL ON A WALK/RIDE DAY BIKE RAFFLE!

Cambridge Montessori School welcomes outsiders to enter its Walk/Ride Day Raffle of a Birio bicycle from the Bicycle Exchange. Tickets are just $10 each and you don't need to be present to win. Click here for more information.

 

COOL VIDEO

This just in from a friend of Green Streets who used to live in the Netherlands: a cool (speeded up) bike video from Utrecht in Holland. Watch the buses and trams go by, too.

 

THIS MONTH'S RAFFLE CHECK-IN PRIZE

If you participate in this week's Walk/Ride Day and check in online or sign in at one of Green Streets' visibilities for this Walk/Ride Day, you will be entered into a raffle for a $40 gift card at Eastern Mountain Sports.

A Reminder: Please check in now or on Walk/Ride Day! If you already check in regularly, thank you. If not, please do. It lets us, and those who help us, know you're out there. And don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas while you're at it!

 

Thanks!

Janie Katz-Christy, Director

Green Streets Initiative, Inc.
www.GoGreenStreets.org
walk-ride-days@comcast.net

APRIL 2010 UPDATE

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APRIL 2010 UPDATE   Dear Green Streets friends,   Happy Spring! It is wonderful to see the crowds of people walking and riding bikes, buses, and trains! New Walk/Ride Day coordinators and sponsors are joining us and integrating new events, challenges, and incentives. If you would like help organizing an event, please let us know, so we can add it to our website and help spread the word and inspire others. FROM BANANAS AND PICKLES TO ICE CREAM AND PADDLES! Check Walk/Ride Day sponsors' listings on our website for all these freebies and more! There are free bananas in Davis, free local pickles in Kendall, and free apples and ice cream in Central! What more could you ask for? How about canoeing, kayaking, yoga, and massage -- all free or discounted! These merchants believe in our mission and want to reward you for going green. Please stop in and let them congratulate you!   NEWS FROM CAMBRIDGE, SOMERVILLE, AND BOSTON CAMBRIDGE: Green Streets had a very fruitful meeting with Cambridge Mayor David Maher (pictured here second from right, with his chief of staff Lee Gianetti, far left). Nina Katz-Christy, Sarah Fresco, and Janie Katz-Christy, all of Green Streets attended. To read more about Mayor Maher's involvement, click here. And stop by his office this Friday from 9AM to 11AM!   SOMERVILLE: Under the leadership of Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the city's Shape Up Somerville Program, Somerville has been expanding its celebrations of Walk/Ride Day. Each month, a Somerville resident or employee will be selected for special recognition. Click here for more info on this program and on upcoming Walk/Ride Day events in Somerville.   CONGRESS IN BOSTON: Beginning this month, staff at Senator Kerry's Boston Office will be participating in Walk/Ride Days. We look forward to hearing how it goes, and to seeing the movement spread to other legislators' offices! LIKE HEALTHIER AND SAFER STREETS AND BETTER PUBLIC TRANSIT? HELP SPREAD WALK/RIDE DAYS TO 12 BOSTON-AREA COMMUNITIES... If you've never given to Green Streets before, this is the time to do it! Your donation could be multiplied five-fold through a pending grant application. In the proposed project, Green Streets has a wonderful opportunity to spread Walk/Ride Days to many more communities in the Boston region.   There are other reasons to contribute as well. If you donate by May 11, you will be entered into a raffle for an Urban Adventours Gift Certificate. In addition, all donors can receive a match of up to $100 in Zipcar dollars for their donation. Plus, if you or someone you lead us to donates $500 or more, we'll thank you on our website and give you an EMS Gift Card or Museum Of Science Omni Theater Tickets. Thank you in advance! Details here.   A BIKE RAFFLE: HOW ONE SCHOOL USES WALK RIDE DAY TO KICK OFF A FUNDRAISER Cambridge Montessori School's Green Up Committee will be kicking off its first fundraiser -- to raise money for greening some of the school's power needs -- this Walk/Ride Day, by raffling off a bicycle from the Bicycle Exchange. The winner will be picked at a school event on the May 28 Walk/Ride Day! The school welcomes outsiders, as well, to purchase $10 tickets. Click here for more information.   THIS MONTH'S RAFFLE CHECK-IN PRIZE If you participate in this week's Walk/Ride Day and check in online or sign in at one of Green Streets' visibilities for this Walk/Ride Day, you will be entered into a raffle for a Taza Chocolate "Beans to Bar" gift basket! Details here. A Reminder: Please check in now or on Walk/Ride Day! If you already check in regularly, thank you. If not, please do. It lets us, and those who help us, know you're out there. And don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas while you're at it! Thanks! Janie Katz-Christy, Director Green Streets Initiative, Inc. www.GoGreenStreets.org walk-ride-days@comcast.net

MARCH 2010 UPDATE

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	MARCH 2010 UPDATE   Dear Green Streets friends,   We had lots of great winter Walk/Ride Days, but we're thrilled that spring has finally sprung! People are out and about, trading car tune-ups for bike tune-ups! Walk/Ride Day coordinators are rolling out innovative new events and challenges. If you'd like us to help you organize an event, please let us know. And be sure to check our newly expanded website for news and inspiration. You don't need to reinvent the wheel! REQUEST FOR FEEDBACK We've heard so many great stories about how Walk/Ride Days have affected people's lives. Some have told us about getting rid of their second--or in some cases, their only--car. Others have benefited from "us time," walking or riding and talking with their kids during the morning commute. Now we'd like to hear your thoughts. What do you enjoy or appreciate most about Walk/Ride Days? Have Walk/Ride Days led you to "go green" on additional days of the month? If you already use green transportation on a regular basis, do you think Walk/Ride Days encourage others to follow your lead? How can we inspire even more people to go  green? Please take a minute to let us know. Any and all thoughts are welcome!   AWARDS THIS FRIDAY: BEST SHOVELED BLOCK We're giving out our first annual (and much coveted) BEST SHOVELED BLOCK awards during this Friday's Walk/Ride Day, March 26, 9 a.m., at the Central Square Post Office. Join our new Cambridge mayor, David Maher, TROMP Board member and radio traffic announcer Gina Tempesta, Cambridge Postmaster Kathy Lydon, Cambridge Walk/Ride Day coordinator Sarah Fresco, and many others from Cambridge and nearby cities for awards and a reception! More info and downloadable invitation here.   YOUR 15 MINUTES OF FAME - EVERY MONTH! Want to make a PSA about Walk/Ride Days? Or host a TV show about going green? CCTV has invited us to work with them, and we'd love to have your participation. CCTV offers training in camera, editing, lighting, sound, web media, and other areas. Orientation: April 1, 6:30 p.m. Special seminar on Web to Neighborhood: April 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Another possible option: a PSA about Walk/Ride Days. May 5 or May 6, various times. CCTV, 675 Mass. Ave. (entrance on Prospect St.), Central Square, Cambridge. Please let us know if you're interested. HELP SPREAD OUR MESSAGE! We need volunteers at various upcoming community events to spread the word about Walk/Ride Days. You'll meet like-minded folks, have fun, and make a difference. More details here.   PERSPECTIVES OF THE MONTH Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists are Changing American Cities, by Jeff Mapes. This fascinating new book looks at the history and resurgence of bicycle commuting, both in the US and internationally, and explores issues surrounding its growth. Read about it here.   Susan B. Anthony in 1896: "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world." -- From Walk/Ride Day sponsor * CambridgeUsedBicycles.com's website. Many of us at Green Streets adore bicycling, especially urban cycling, and would like to know more about the context of this quote. If you know, please tell us! * Cambridge Used Bicycles offers 10 percent off on Walk/Ride Days!    A Reminder: Please check in now or on Walk/Ride Day! If you already check in regularly, thank you. If not, please do. It lets us, and those who help us, know you're out there. And don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas while you're at it! Thanks! Janie Katz-Christy, Director Green Streets Initiative, Inc. www.GoGreenStreets.org walk-ride-days@comcast.net

February 2010 Walk/Ride Day Update

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FEBRUARY 2010 UPDATE   Dear Green Streets friends,   After a great kick-off to 2010 in January, Walk/Ride Days are cruising on to month two! Coordinators, now is a great time to start planning for spring, summer and fall Walk/Ride Days! Let us know if you need any ideas, materials, or other help. GOING GREEN WHEN IT'S WHITE OUT... In communities across the nation, people are exploring how to keep sidewalks, bike lanes, and bike paths clear of snow, so that they can safely be traveled by all -- young and old, pedestrians and cyclists, as well as those in wheelchairs and strollers.   Cambridge residents and others are invited to submit candidates for the "Best Shoveled Block in Cambridge" Contest by March 5. The winner will be announced and celebrated at a reception on Walk/Ride Day, March 26, 2010, at the Central Square Post Office. More details can be found here.    In the fall of 2009, Somerville created a new Snow Removal Committee, comprising people from all wings of the city government and a wide cross-section of the community. The committee's impact has already been felt this winter. Read more here.   Stoneham and other Boston-area communities are also addressing these issues, in conjunction with Green Streets, by distributing reminders to homeowners to shovel promptly after snow storms. See them here! ... AND SWIMMING WHEN IT'S NOT!   Green Streets' friend, the Charles River Conservancy, is promoting efforts to enable the Charles River to be swimmable. (Be ready to swim to work on May, June, July, August, September Walk/Ride Days!) Check it all out here! BOSTON BIKE FRIENDLY BUSINESS AWARDS Green Streets has received many requests from companies to register their staff's Walk/Ride Day participation and to receive credit from the City of Boston toward being a "Bike-Friendly Business." We are happy to accommodate these requests. Just send us a note by this Friday, February 26, indicating which staff will participate and then simply have your staff sign-in each Walk/Ride Day. There is also a flexible category, in which offering Walk/Ride Day incentives to staff, clients, or customers may qualify for additional points. Click here for more information.   GREEN STREETS AND THE MBTA Look for more children and teenagers on MBTA buses in Cambridge in 2010.  The "10 in 2010" Bus Challenge will challenge area children to ride 10 different MBTA bus lines in 2010. This is just the first of a number of collaborative ventures that the MBTA and Green Streets Initiative are planning for 2010 and beyond. In February, Janie Katz-Christy and Sarah Fresco met with MBTA managers Joe Cosgrove, Barbara Moulton, and Melissa Dullea. The MBTA is making notable improvements to bus service in many areas and is looking to increase consumer awareness of current bus service. We hope that participants in our "10 in 2010" Challenge will let the MBTA know which bus routes are working well and where improvements can be made. CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS If you want to help foster healthier, safer, and more sustainable transportation in our communities, we would love to have you involved! Volunteering with Green Streets can also help expand your skills and your resume. We have volunteer opportunities in a wide variety of areas and for all levels of involvement. Check here for details.   PERSPECTIVES OF THE MONTH Contributed by Max Katz-Christy: From How to Live Well Without Owning a Car, by Chris Balish (available at Walk/Ride Day sponsor Greenward), beautifully illustrated by Andy Singer and others.   "Things you won't miss about owning a car Rising gas prices Spending time at gas stations Sitting in rush-hour traffic Construction delays Wasting time looking for a parking spot Paying to park Remembering to feed your parking meter Mysterious engine noises... " The list goes on, for several pages! (Click here!)   And, with more great illustrations by Andy Singer, thoughts from Jane Holtz Kay on the notion of "clean" cars, here. A Reminder: Please check in now, or on Walk/Ride Day! If you check in regularly, thanks for your input. If you've never checked in before, make this your first time! And let us know how it goes! With best regards, Janie Katz-Christy, Director Green Streets Initiative, Inc. www.GoGreenStreets.org walk-ride-days@comcast.net

January Walk/Ride Day Reminder and Monthly Update

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JANUARY 2010 UPDATE   Dear Green Streets friends,   We're aiming to make 2010 our best year yet, and we're already well on the way. Thousands of people in the Boston area celebrate Walk/Ride Days. If your community is not yet participating, now's the time to get involved. Take note of the events and activities described in this newsletter, and adapt them to meet your community's needs. Every community and every organization is different. Whatever your vision is, Green Streets will be happy to help you make it happen! UPCOMING CHALLENGES, CONTESTS, AWARDS 2010 Walk/Ride Day Art Challenge Green Streets will be sponsoring a 2010 Walk/Ride Day Art Challenge: Document 10 Walk/Ride Day experiences in 2010 through drawing, painting, photo, video, poetry, or any other creative means...

"Best Shoveled Block in Cambridge" Contest...

City of Boston's Bike-Friendly Business Awards...

GREEN STREETS NEWS

Reception for 9 in '09 Participants

There was an enthusiastic turnout at Cambridge City Hall for Cambridge's "9 in '09" Challenge Reception. Read more about it here...

 

Thank you to our raffle donors! They included ...

Thank You to Our 2009 Donors! ...

SLOW TRANSPORTATION MOVEMENT?

At a meeting the other day, I met a number of people who are involved with the "Slow Food" Movement. It made me think...

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DECEMBER 2009 UPDATE

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DECEMBER 2009 UPDATE   Dear Green Streets friends,   Happy winter, happy holidays, and best wishes for the start of 2010! Thanks for taking time to read our monthly newsletter, and please remember to go green on this Friday's Walk/Ride Day! GREEN STREETS NEWS AND EVENTS Please check our website, www.GoGreenstreets.org, for the latest news, events, and perspectives. December 25, 2010: Walk/Ride Day! Wherever you are, go green and give the gift of a healthier and more vibrant community! If you're in the Boston area, here are some ways to celebrate: Make a clothing donation. Drop off hats, gloves, and mittens to enable less fortunate neighbors to enjoy the seasonal weather! Details here! Come skating with other friends of Green Streets. Rumor has it that some of the local skating rinks in the Boston area will be open on Christmas Day! If you would like to rendezvous with some other Green Streets folks for a spin, either at the gorgeous North End Skating rink or at the Harvard Square rink, check back here, as we confirm the rumors and set times!

January 11, 2010: 9 in '09: Did you participate in at least nine Walk/Ride Days in 2009? If so, please join in the great celebration of Cambridge's "9 in '09" Challenge. Refreshments, door prizes, and more. City Hall, Cambridge, MA 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Details, RSVP, and ways to spread the word at your office or school!

LAST-MINUTE, FUN, UNIQUE -- GIFT IDEAS!

Give the gift of smart and active transportation this holiday season:

• Following the example of our friends in Portland, Make a donation to Green Streets in your loved one’s name. (If you email us their name and photo, we’ll honor them in our January newsletter!) You can also receive FREE credit for the amount of your donation (up to $75/year) from Zipcar.
• Buy your loved one an annual membership at Zipcar for only $25 ($75 value).
• Buy a "loaded" Charlie Card from the MBTA!
• Give a gift coupon to Urban Adventours, Boston's bike tour company!
  
• Consider donating or buying memberships to our partner organizations and friends at WalkBoston, LivableStreets, MassBike, Charles River Conservancy, CitySprouts, Groundwork Somerville, Friends of the Community Path, TROMP, Friends of Alewife Reservation. Check our Awesome Links page for more!
  
• And say Green Streets sent you!

FASCINATING AND FUN VIEWING

From this week's LivableStreets Alliance's Streets Headlines (You really should check it out and subscribe! It is fascinating reading about all modes of transit.) And click here or on the photo below to watch a film about Copenhagen's "Bike-Friendly, Climate-Friendly" streets!

 

 

A Reminder: Please check in now, or on Walk/Ride Day! If you check in regularly, thanks for your input. If you've never checked in before, make this your first time! And let us know how it goes!

With best regards,

Janie Katz-Christy, Director

Green Streets Initiative, Inc.
www.GoGreenStreets.org
walk-ride-days@comcast.net

November 2009 W/R Day Reminder and Newsletter!

Click here for the full, unabridged newsletter!

NOVEMBER 2009 UPDATE   Dear Green Streets friends,   Happy fall, and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the U.S. who are busy preparing turkeys, tofurkeys, and all the fixings. Thank you for taking time to read our monthly newsletter, and please remember to go green on this Friday's Walk/Ride Day! GREEN STREETS NEWS Green Streets is pleased to announce that we will be receiving a grant from the Cambridge Community Foundation for a second year! I met recently with Former Governor and Democratic Party Nominee for President Michael Dukakis at his office to strategize for continued growth of Walk/Ride Days. Walk/Ride Days drew interest from across the country when it was introduced by DOT's Kristina Egan to the Rail~Volution Conference's 1,000+ attendees during the last Walk/Ride Day. Green Streets also had the great opportunity to meet many from New England at the World Usability Day event at South Station. Read more here. Cambridge Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jeffrey Young, joined the Walk/Ride Day celebration last month by commuting by train and walking with students and parents to school. We had a great school coordinators' meeting in early November. Read all about it here, and let us know what you are thinking! Thanks to Iggy's for providing delicious bread. Join us, fan us, and visit us on Facebook! Our Facebook page is a great way to share our experiences with Walk/Ride Days. We also have a Walk/Ride Day -- Cambridge MA page. If you are looking to connect with Walk/Ride Day participants or coordinators in other areas, please form a Walk/Ride Day group on Facebook that meets your needs and let us know about it, so we can all benefit from your conversations!   VOLUNTEER OPPPORTUNITIES Click here for fun, interesting, resume- and skill-building ways to help out! And, if you'd like to learn to make a PSA or other media spot about Walk/Ride Days, come to this CCTV orientation on December 2! PLEASE DONATE TO GREEN STREETS! We're sure your mailbox is packed with requests for contributions to worthy causes, but PLEASE do consider donating to us this holiday season! We are extremely frugal with our funds, and would be glad to discuss specific funding opportunities with you. Any amount is welcome! We also welcome contributions in-kind for our monthly raffle and other events! Click here for more information. INTERESTING PERSPECTIVES Here are some research and thoughts on car ownership, independence, and public transit. (Let us know what you think!) Stalling the Dream: Racial Gaps in the Car Culture by Meizhu Lui Why I let my 9 year old ride the subway alone by Lenore Skenazy, founder of the Free-Range Kids movement And this about teaching children how to navigate, by Sarah Fresco, Cambridge Walk/Ride Day coordinator. A Reminder: Please check in now, or on Walk/Ride Day! If you check in regularly, thanks for your input. If you've never checked in before, make this your first time! And let us know how it goes! With best regards, Janie Katz-Christy, Director Green Streets Initiative, Inc. www.GoGreenStreets.org walk-ride-days@comcast.net