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 The Sustainable Sun Devil will be on hiatus during winter break; look for our next issue on Jan. 28. In the meantime, you can catch up on environmental news at Grist.org.
BAILOUT FOR BROKE BIKERS
ASU Bike Co-Op keeps students green and moving
Ever feel like you're competing in the Tour de France as you just try to make your way to class? That's because more than 15,000 ASU students pedal their bikes to campus every day. These greenies save commuting time, gas money, and tons of dirty carbon emissions. But bicycles cost money and they occasionally need repairs that can flummox cash-strapped commuters. That's why the student-run ASU Bike Co-Op was founded. Located in the back of the Student Recreation Complex, the Bike Co-Op offers ASU students low- or no-cost bike repairs and free bike rentals. And now, with new funding from USG, it's ready to expand. Hear more about what the Bike Co-Op can do for you, and find the Co-Op on Facebook.
 FREE RIDES FOR U
Light rail hits the track for holiday grand opening
Commuters all over the Valley of the Sun have long been waiting for their chance to get on board with METRO light rail. Now the grand opening hovers just days away. On Saturday, Dec. 27, METRO light rail will kick off with a day of music and festivity at stations and park-and-ride locations up and down the 20-mile route. As part of that celebration, all rides are free until Jan. 1, 2009. Afterward, regular fares take effect for most commuters. But ASU students can continue to ride gratis if they just get their free U-Pass from any ASU Permit Sales office or at the Commuter Options office at the Tempe campus. This is especially important for downtowners because METRO light rail will replace the Tempe-Downtown intercampus shuttle. Questions? Ask the Commuter Options office.
 A DEVILISH ROLL-MODEL
Refurbished green ride drives recycling into the future
ASU's greenest new idea -- commingled recycling -- now has a cool ride. The "Green Devil" roadster is a rolling exhibit that will help get out the word on recycling at ASU. This vintage cart with emblematic eyebrows and horns is itself a product of recycling fever. Bonny Bentzin, director of University Sustainability Business Practices, found the old buggy on Craigslist and purchased it with funding from APS Energy Services. Then craftsmen from ASU's paint, carpentry, and sign shops took over to give it new life. Using leftover shop materials, they brushed on green skin, reupholstered seats, created flame decals, and constructed horns, tail, eyebrows, and mouth. Look for Green Devil's tracks all over campus and experience recycling with a distinctly devilish personality.
GIVES A NEW MEANING TO ROCK ART
Sculptor uses reclaimed materials to make art more sustainable
Recycle. Reclaim. Sustain. It's the stuff of sustainability. But can works of art follow this sustainability credo? You can see for yourself this month by visiting Concretion -- the sixth element, the latest installation by sculptor Steven Biltz, MFA alumnus of the ASU Herberger College School of Art. Biltz has become known for his large concrete sculptures made from reclaimed materials, which have previously been exhibited in art museums and at Sky Harbor Airport. His new work will be featured until the end of December at ASU's unique off-campus Night Gallery, located in the Tempe Marketplace, 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe. Hours are 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays, and admission is free. While visiting the gallery, you can also view art created by other ASU graduate students, faculty, and alumni.
» The above content is provided by ASU's Global Institute of Sustainability
HAPPY HOLIDAZE
Ask Umbra's video advice for simple giving
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WII CAN ALL DO OUR PART
Video games are a big energy suck -- but they don't have to be
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Video game consoles in the United States consumed some 16 billion kilowatt-hours last year, or about enough juice to power the city of San Diego for a year, according to a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council. However, cutting down video games' impact is relatively easy since the three most popular video game consoles -- Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft XBox360, and Nintendo's Wii -- can significantly reduce their power suckage if players simply switch them off after use and activate their already-existing power-saving features.
sources: Los Angeles Times, Natural Resources Defense Council
 WORTH THEIR SALT?
A taste test of seven 'natural' frozen dinners
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Don't always have time to cook a full meal? We taste-tested seven "natural" frozen meals, from organic mac 'n' cheese to Indian tofu. They're not the TV dinners of old, but are they worth choking down? Find out.
new in Grist: Worth Their Salt?
 I SPY SOMETHING GREEN
A climate activist talks about being spied on by the cops
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Commit any acts of terrorism lately? Mike Tidwell hasn't either, but the leader of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network was spied on for months by the police following a peaceful protest urging climate action. Tidwell details what it was like to learn he was a "suspected terrorist," and points out that the real threat is global warming.
new in Grist: I Spy Something Green
 PICTURE THIS
Show us your hopes for 2009
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We're hoping 2009 will be a great year for the planet. In that spirit, we're collecting photos documenting green hopes for the new year. Check out examples from Grist staff, and then send in your own. We'll feature the best ones on Grist in January.
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