Do you "Bike in Style"?

Donny and I ride our bikes on the weekend almost exclusively. Getting dressed for riding bike is no different than figuring out what to wear to work or going out to a nice restaurant.

There are times where we take 4 hour long rides to/fro Redondo Beach and on those occasions it makes sense to wear something in the neighborhood of my converse sneakers, comfy shorts and a tank top or t-shirt plus lots of sunscreen. Often times I'll bring a simple hoodie if its windy. On other days we will casually ride to the farmer's marke

t on the Promenade or go to a friend's house for brunch and then I might sport some cute flats and a summery dress. We've also been known to hit up a fancy dinner at Via Veneto on Main Street. On those nights I like to get really dressed up in a party dress and wedge heels.

Fortunately nutcase has come out with some very cool helmets that could go with any attire; not only for biking - they've got water & snow helmets as well. (see below for the checkerboard helmet I picked up at LA Brakeless recently.)

I am not ashamed to say that for all occasions I like to look stylish, but also be comfortable as to not impede from riding fast.

And just today it has come out that Louis Vuitton's own parent company may launch some pieces/line for those looking for more out of active bike wear.

LVMH, the luxury brand that brings us Pucci, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, set a "Bike in Style" challenge for some Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) students in New York City. They asked the students to create "stylish, practical and affordable bike clothing & gear" in support of Mayor Bloomberg's bicycling and green initiatives for the city. Specifically they were asked to design a set of biking essentials: a poncho, a jacket and a travel bag for both men & women. Not exactly biking essentials for SoCal, but it's a start.

The winner, Jessica Velasquez, was announced today (see her winning drawings above). The designs will debut at Summer Streets; a series of (3) August Saturdays when Park Ave and connecting streets (from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park) are closed to motor vehicles.

Financially the "challenge" was supported by a grant from LVMH to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.

What are kids learning about the environment?

I don't have any kids and I've never lived with a kid, so I don't know that much about raising them. I can guess that if a tween hears something from one of their role models they might listen. Miley Cyrus has a new video out called "Wake up America", which is loosely about going green. It's an interesting video and I'll leave my thoughts about production value aside. What I'd like to comment on is the content and what she is telling kids to do.

See below for Miley's suggestions followed by what I think of them.

1) Unplug your cell phone once it is fully charged. It's a good thought, but the charger still uses electricity when it's plugged into the wall. Semantics, but these kids need to know exactly what to do.

2) Recycle books and magazines, give to friends. This is a great tip for kids, but its funny she didn't mention sharing music with your friends. She's okay with her fans re-using US magazine, but not okay if they burn her cd.

3) Tan green. Solar powered tanning booths. No chemicals or lotions. Why are we even talking about 15 year olds and tanning booths? Plus, and I haven't done much research on solar powered tanning booths, but does that mean you're just under the sun? Because I can do that on my roof and it doesn't cost me anything.

4) Take showers instead of baths. Also a good tip, but how many kids over the age of 5 take baths? My boss' 9 year old daughter likes to wash her hair once a month. Maybe Miley should do that, so she can conserve water.

5) Keep plastic water bottles. Don't throw them out. Recycle later. Take it to a restaurant and ask them to refill it. This is my favorite one. First off, I'd love to see a picture of Miley at The Ivy with a plastic bottle asking for a refill. Second, plastic bottles are meant for a one-time use only. After a few days chemicals in the plastic start to break down and will leach into the water. Also, bacteria can form in the water bottle. Not to mention just manufacturing plastic comes from a non-renewable resource. If you throw out the bottles instead of recycling them they will not biodegrade in your lifetime. Aluminum and stainless steel reusable bottles are options everyone should consider using.

6) Plant a tree. Reduces um, um, carbon dioxide. Good tip, but all I have to say is, practice beforehand. The kids believe you less if you don't know the important words.

7) Shop online. No car trips means no pollution in the air. If you buy online that means you are potentially using more packaging material. Plus, I'm not sure how the clothes arrive to Miley's house, but if I buy something online, the fedex guy usually shows up and he's driving a truck. That truck produces a lot of pollution, if not more than my Mini Cooper. And not to state the obvious, but if you walk or bike to a local shop to buy local products, then you will really be cutting down on the pollution.

My only suggestion for Miley is to consider an alternate form of transportation.

Check out the video for yourself.

Blue is the new Green

So I finally did it. I chose to forego my car and ride the Big Blue Bus to/from work almost every day for the last 2 weeks. I take the #2 bus, which is two blocks from house. I ride about 10 minutes to Broadway and 4^th Street, which is downtown Santa Monica by the 3^rd Street promenade. I walk across the street and usually wait a few minutes. I then transfer to the #5 bus, which is another 15 minutes to my office. It is quite easy to get the hang of, once you know where the bus stops are.

MONEY: In the short term I am spending more money, but as gas increases that margin gets smaller. In the long term I am probably saving money since I am driving my car less – about 180 miles less per month, which should translate into less repairs.
I have also read that our local transportation could possibly be hit with severe budget cuts. This could adversely affect fares, routes and availability of buses. The BBB is looking out for the well being of our community and I believe that since the senior fare rate has stayed the same since the 1960’s. The City of Santa Monica is urging us to voice our opinion to help keep state funds directed to our local transportation.*
BUS: $2.50 per roundtrip** CAR: $1.70 per roundtrip (.17 p/mile*** x 10 miles) Difference: extra .80 per day

TIME: Losing precious minutes in the morning before I leave home is a hard sell to my brain & body. I give up time in the shower, time with Donny, sleep and the chance to make a good breakfast. Once I get on the bus I'm fine and I don't even mind changing buses anymore.
BUS: 40 minutes one-way CAR: 20 minutes one-way Difference: extra 40 minutes per day

PERSONAL: Instead of walking just a few feet from my house to the car and then from my car to the office door, I walk about 10 blocks a day getting to/fro the bus stop. It’s not a huge amount of exercise, but it’s more than I was getting before. I also find that riding the bus is less stressful. Los Angeles drivers are crazy, which makes most drivers, me included, quite anxious. Aside from having to watch for my stop, I can basically just kick back and read a book or surf the internet on my sidekick, something I shouldn’t or can’t do in my car. July 1^st California drivers will not be able to use a handheld wireless telephone. By riding on the bus I can freely check my email and chat on my phone without having to worry about getting pulled over.

ENVIRONMENT: Here are some great things to know directly from the BBB: Currently, half of the Big Blue Bus fleet operates on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) which put 80% less pollution into the air. The remainder of the fleet operates on a clean bio-diesel fuel and has p-traps that capture emissions before they reach the air. The Big Blue Bus recycles everything including bus batteries, tires, plastic and paper and keeps our water clean by recycling the bus wash water and using biodegradable soaps to clean. Of course, the greatest way we contribute to the environment is through removing cars from the road by providing trips to our customers. I also recently read that by taking the bus to work everyday you could reduce 3% of your total CO2 emissions.

SOCIAL: My colleagues have had some interesting responses. “I wouldn’t ride the bus. I have a car.” or “You live that close?” or “Where are you walking from?” A possible vendor may have been placating me, but she thought riding the bus was “remarkable” and “inspiring”. The social aspect of riding the bus has been the most interesting. I enjoy being around people that are different ages, genders, races and live different lifestyles. I have always thought that the beauty of NYC is that everyone takes the MTA, no matter if you are wealthy or poor or are going to school or to a nice dinner. The Big Blue Bus has a very mixed group of riders too. Rush hour seems to be more eclectic, which is not surprising. I like listening to what people are going through or dealing with. Today the driver and a another passenger were talking about the housing market and how they knew people who lost their houses. Last week some kids were chatting about graduation and their final week of school. I’ve also seen some of my neighbors and recognized regulars who ride the same line as me everyday. It makes me feel like part of an actual community, rather than just living in a little bubble with just Donny and our close friends. It also feels good to contribute to a good company. The Big Blue Bus has been in service for 80 years and is a charitable organization. They participate in food drives, community service and were part of helping displaced people from the Katrina hurricane.

I have no doubt I will continue to ride the bus to work as long as possible. My job often keeps me at the office for long hours, but I feel pretty safe riding the bus late at night. I look forward to more exciting adventures on the Big Blue Bus.

*Please consider contacting: Sheila Kuehl at senator.kuehl@sen.ca.gov or 310-441-9084, or District Assemblywoman Julia Brownley at Assemblymember.Brownley@assembly.ca.gov or 310-395-3414

**Equal to the cost of a day pass, which is unlimited rides for 1 day.

***Figures based on premium $4.76 p/gallon and 28 MPG (city) for a Mini Cooper (manual). Premium gas required for BMW engine.