Day 3- spring city, PA to holtstown, PA

Woke up stiff and sore from yesterday's long ride. It was very cold in the morning but it didn't want to have to carry layers so I wore my normal biking get up.

A beautiful ride, but the "rolling hills" of Pennsylvania made this far from a 'rest day'. Riding through Amish country is charming, kids were all at home helping their parents on the farms. I could see something's I reviewed in class, how modern builders sell the ideal of a farm lifestyle to normal families. There were no businesses in sight, so people must buy these homes and drive long distances in order to get to work to afford to keep them. Interesting to see the reminder up close.

A few hills today have made me less confident about finishing tomorrow, which is supposed to be the hardest day. I'm just trying to remind my self I've already done this- 165 miles, raised nearly $2500, and raised awareness for some spectacular organizations.

(A woman from the nj bike and ride coalition gave me a sweet patch today, can't wait to pin it on something important!)

Well kids, time to go to lobby training then bed! (here's a quick pick from lobby training- trainers with their thinking caps on!)

Peace,love, bike.

Comments

Eating Garbage

Garbage is Beautiful. And let me tell you why. In 2010, the EPA estimated the US produced over 240 million tons of municipal solid waste. That is over four pounds of garbage, per person, per day. We travel through our day throwing things ‘away’. But where do they go? Does your trash go to a landfill, incinerator, or Waste to Energy Plant? Currently in NJ, thirteen counties have solid waste landfills and five counties have resource recovery facilities (incinerators). Of the five counties with resource recovery facilities, three also have landfills to receive waste that cannot be burnt. Eight counties have awarded waste disposal contracts and require that all waste be sent to one facility for disposal. The remaining thirteen counties have a free market system and transporters may send waste out of the county or state. The majority of us don’t know information like this, and don’t care as long as we don’t have to look at it. But if we were forced to look at the garb...

Breaking News- Renewable Energy can STILL power our planet!

Yesterday, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released an exciting report about the potential of Renewables and the world energy market. Over 120 world experts produced a scientific document over 1,000 pages long that provides a solution to 'business as usual' carbon emissions. They believe that we could meet the globe's energy needs with 80% renewable energies by mid-century . This would be a socially, politically, and physically strenuous task. If we eliminate all the complications and shift our paradigm, we still have issues like that which Ramon Pichs, Co-Chair of the Working Group III, added: “The report shows that it is not the availability of the resource, but the public policies that will either expand or constrain renewable energy development over the coming decades. Developing countries have an important stake in this future—this is where most of the 1.4 billion people without access to electricity live yet also where some of the best conditi...

Embarking on a Climate Ride...

Well, it's about 5 days until I leave for my Climate Ride. Getting nervous to ride these 300 miles in 5 days. I've been riding, but just have been unable to force myself to do 70 miles on my own. And I've never done a 300 mile bike tour before. I got bike shoes and clips, have fallen over a few times but am getting the hang of it. Packed plenty of muscle wraps and aleve, udder butter, sunscreen- I think once I get moving I'll be just fine, but until then I will be a nervous wreck! It helps knowing all of the support I have from friends, family, and teachers. Whether they donated to support me, or the cause I'll be thinking of all of you on the ride! Each night, we will hear from speakers and get some lobbying training which I truly hope to use at a meeting down in DC- as of now, the staff haven't been able to confirm a meeting so I really hope I get one! If you haven't checked out the Climate Ride organization, or haven't made a donation ...

Building Alive, Designing to Thrive

Search This Blog