Courtesy Brita Climate RideHow far would you go to fight climate change? How about 300 miles? Hundreds of cyclists will pedal from New York City to Washington, D.C., in late September to do just that.

The Brita Climate Ride is a multi-day bicycle ride that raises money and awareness for climate change action. The riders will depart New York City on Sept. 26 having raised $2400, the proceeds of which will go toward three climate/bike advocacy charities: Focus the Nation, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and Clean Air - Cool Planet.

During their five-day ride, they'll hear from experts like climate scientist James Hansen, No Impact Man Colin Beavan, Lazy Environmentalist Josh Dorfman, and Friis Arne Petersen, Denmark's ambassador to the U.S. and the host of the COP15 U.N. Climate Conference in Copenhagen this December.

On Sept. 30, they'll cycle past the Washington Monument to arrive on the steps of the Capitol building. Once there, riders will have a chance to sit down with their senators to discuss what they learned on the Climate Ride and why they want to see them supporting climate-change legislation.

But the Climate Ride isn't meant to be all pedaling and politics. Along the way, riders will be joined by The Great Salt Licks, the first bluegrass band on bicycles. They'll also have the chance to hang out in a solar-powered eco-lounge each night and check out a sculpture made from empty plastic bottles, which will be towed by one team for the length of the trip.

Want to make change while changing gears, to add some power to your pedaling? Join the Climate Ride -- there are still 40 spots left!

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Would you trade your car for a bike? That's what the folks behind the Tour de Fat want to know. New Belgium Brewing's now-annual cycle celebration is pedaling to Seattle this Saturday -- and they'll be taking a car off the hands of one (lucky?) local driver and handing him a cool commuter bike in return. (Patrick explains why he wants to reduce his wheelprint from four to two.)

So what else does the Tour de Fat offer aside from the car/cycle swap-o-rama? A six-mile bike parade leaves Gas Works Park at 11 a.m. -- think Solstice cyclers ... but more fully clothed. Beginning at noon, festivities will include musical and circus acts, dance troupes, and drum corps.

All the while, the New Belgium beer will be flowing (Fat Tire, natch), and all proceeds go toward local bike advocacy programs. The closing ceremony will celebrate the courageous car swapper as he signs over his pink slip to charity.

Check out a short video from a previous Tour de Fat in New Belgium's hometown of Fort Collins, Colorado:

Three years ago, we featured an essay from a suburban mom in Normal, Ill., who went carless. And the Tour de Fat team seems to think just about anyone can do it -- so how about you? Would you trade your car for a bike?

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The best part about World Naked Bike Day: No awkward spandex shorts. The worst part about World Naked Bike Day: No awkward spandex shorts.

(Click below to see the next item in this week’s Grist List—or view them all on a single page.)

Photo: Paul-in-London via Flickr

No scoop for you!
Finally, the perfect icebreaker for those awkward climate-change conversations with your kids: Snow Cones Are Forever (or are they ... mwahahaha!).

Photo: Elvis John Ferrao via Flickr

Lambor-greenie?
Question: Does driving a hybrid Lamborghini make you more or less pretentious than a Prius driver?

Photo: Heidi KenneyPlush delivery
If a stitch in time saves nine, think what 20 "fiber artists" can do for the Arctic ... Talk about fancy, Schmancy!

True story
"Now you can finally enjoy reading e-books without giving up the smell you love so much. With Smell of Books™ (a revolutionary new aerosol e-book enhancer), you can have the best of both worlds: the convenience of an e-book and the smell of your favorite paper book."

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CPSC.govKnow what’s awesome? Bike sharing.

Know what’s not awesome? Bike sharing programs that get wrecked by theft and general disregard. As many of them seem to do.

But let’s hear it for optimism: Check out this editorial in the daily paper of the University of Iowa. It lays out plans for a bike-sharing program based on those that have gained speed in cities from Paris to Portland—but says the smaller size of Iowa City would mean less velo-vandalism:

Iowa City’s population hovers around 80,000, a good portion (say, half?) of whom are students, faculty, and staff at the university who need easy and available modes of transportation. If there were around 3,000 free bikes at hubs distributed around mostly downtown — some placed near the farther facilities and dormitories — all provided for the day’s use completely free of charge, what’s the point in stealing one? There’s another just up the street. We are perfectly sized for an operation like this, and beyond its plain convenience, there are other benefits.

One of the most prevalent topics of idle conversation (beyond smokers’ rights, binge drinking, and violence) is the parking situation downtown. It’s awful, we all know this, and with wheels turning toward complicating the already-awkward Dubuque and Washington Street intersection, the traffic patterns will suffer that much more. Bicycle hubs would significantly reduce both traffic and parking … and all the crap we pump into the air every time we circle the block yet again in case we can grab a spot right out front.

First gay marriage, now bike sharing? Oh Iowa, we hardly knew ye.

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Today is Bike-To-Work day. If you don’t have a job and are feeling left out, you have other options. Frankly, I can’t think of a better way to wait out the recession than to take a bike tour. It’s cheap, especially if you camp. It’s the right speed to see a country. It’s carbon-free, natch. And people receive you much differently if you show up under your own power, versus hopping off a bus or train with a horde of other backpackers.

For a taste of the possibilities, I recommend Ray Kreisel’s self-published e-book, A Different Kind of Freedom, chronicling his 3,300 mile pedal across Tibet. He describes how he never feels so alive, so in his element, so ... at home as when he is rolling across the wildlands of the Tibetan Plateau. Makes me ache for the open road.

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It seems everyone’s going green these days—but some couples are doubly committed to the cause. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we take a look at 14 prominent pairs who share a certain planetary passion.

Brad and Angie
Yes, the ever-expanding footprint of this family might raise a few eco-eyebrows, but they make up for it by, oh: green-rebuilding New Orleans, funding a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia to the tune of $5 million, narrating a PBS series on green design, supporting Haiti’s Clean Streets Project, partnering with an eco-cosmetics company to raise funds for charity, and buying an organic winery (OK, that one’s a glittery indulgence). Angie reportedly ate organic to get back into shape after having the twins, and buys bamboo pants for her kidlets too! How do we get adopted?

Photo: Jerry Bauer

Michael Pollan and Judith Belzer
Let’s say you’re the country’s leading voice on food politics and sustainable agriculture. Wouldn’t it be convenient if your life partner were not, say, a PR flack for Big Ag, but a landscape painter? Indeed it would, which is why it’s lovely that Michael Pollan is married to Judith Belzer. The college sweethearts, who met in 1974, have pursued their overlapping passions through a 22-year marriage, several moves, and Pollan’s rise to fame. No slouch herself, Belzer landed solo exhibitions in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston while Pollan kept himself busy writing eye-opening titles like Omnivore’s Dilemma. As she wrote in one artist’s statement, “No one view of nature prevails because nature itself—not just the observer—is constantly changing.”

Portia and Ellen
Amiable talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres is, along with her partner Portia de Rossi (also known as “Really? Wow, good for her!”), raising awareness of a lifestyle that’s often marginalized by the mainstream. Yeah, we’re talking about veganism. After celebrating their marriage last year with a vegan ceremony, the two have apparently converted to a 100 percent vegan diet. De Rossi is designing a vegan shoe line, and DeGeneres promotes vegan companies on her show. Over the years, she’s also hosted eco-guests ranging from Al Gore to a six-year-old recycler from Columbia, S.C. Plus, did you see her dance with Obama? Maybe teh veganz are OK after all.

Ed Begley and Bill Nye
No, they’re not technically a couple. But thanks to their neighborly eco-spats, the actor and science guy have become nearly inseparable—in the media, at least. Taking the idea of “keeping up with the Joneses” to fierce new heights, Ed and Bill have made improvements to their respective homes that include solar panels, rain barrels, and recycled-milk-jug fencing—and broadcast their story every step of the way, to outlets ranging from USA Today to PBS. Skinny white homeowners unite!

Photo: Joli

Eddie Vedder and Kelly Slater
Another eco-bromance we’re wild about: the sun-and-fun-and-sustainability relationship between musician Vedder and pro surfer Slater. Besides frequently catching waves together, the two pair up to raise big bucks for reef protection and environmental awareness through the Kelly Slater Foundation. Vedder, in between songs at a benefit show for the foundation last year, explained his motivation: “Half of every song I’ve ever written was written in the ocean, so that’s sort of my way of giving back.”

Photo: TheHundreds.com

Erykah Badu and Jay Electronica
Soulful singer Badu, who’s been a vegetarian for 20 years, converted to veganism two years ago and has taken her family along for the ride; in one interview, she referred to her children as “vegan vegetarians, organic babies from birth.” Her charity organization, Beautiful Love Incorporated Non-Profit Development (BLIND), focuses on building culture and community in her hometown of Dallas; in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, she sponsored programs for young evacuees. On top of it all, Badu and her rapper boyfriend tweeted the birth of their child this month—think of all the paper they saved on birth announcements.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Margaret Kirkpatrick
The dreamily progressive, bow tie-sporting Congressman from Oregon is known for his vocal support of sustainable development, energy efficiency, clean water, and public transportation. His contagious enthusiasm has convinced fellow pols to join the 160-member Congressional Bicycle Caucus, which he founded upon being elected in 1996. And his wheel-vangelism apparently extends to his personal life: His wife “frequently bikes to work,” he told Outside Magazine last fall. Her job? She’s an environmental lawyer and VP at Northwest Natural Gas Co., vice chair of the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission, and co-chair of the American Wind Energy Association Siting Committee. Now that’s a power couple.

Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton
When the actress and her playwright husband took over as artistic directors of the Sydney Theatre Company in 2007, they made greening the facility a priority. While it’s no small undertaking, the pair has made some headway—printing brochures on carbon-neutral paper and reviewing the waste-management contract—and still hopes to undertake a massive solar installation and water-system overhaul. The couple reportedly put $1.5 million into eco-renovations at their own home in Sydney, and Blanchett has been involved with Earth Hour and the Walk Against Warming. “As I see it,” she said in a 2008 interview with Marie Claire, “there’s no greater challenge we face as a species than dealing with climate change and its effects.”

Laura Dern and Ben Harper
The eco-leanings of this actress-rocker duo seem to have expanded with the addition of their two children, now 6 and 3. Dern is an active spokesperson for the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition, spreading the word about household toxics and how to avoid them. The two drive a hybrid (OK, two hybrids); Harper has also been spotted bike-hauling his daughter home from school. On the road, he tours in a biofuel bus, and his most recent CD was packaged entirely in recyclable materials. As committed as he is, Harper admits that his spouse leads the green charge, and told one interviewer, “She’s my environmental hero.”

Brian and Nancy Schweitzer
As governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer has earned kudos for his ability to address environmental issues without sounding like some kind of—how to put this?—East Coast weenie. Since being elected in 2004, the gun-lovin’ former rancher has hit the national scene by talking up clean energy and staring down climate change. Back at home, he and his wife, both scientists by training, have launched an initiative to get the state’s children engaged in science, both in school and through programs like roadside signs, trading cards, and a youth forest monitoring program.

Pierce Brosnan and Keely Shaye Smith
There’s more to this green couple than their splashy Golden Globes arrival in a hydrogen-powered Beamer. The former James Bond met his future wife, an environmental journalist, while participating in an eco-campaign in Mexico. Since then, they’ve been actively involved in marine conservation, as well as fighting a proposed salt factory in Baja California and the LNG terminal off of Malibu. The couple has donated money and time to several green groups over the years, and taught their kids to compost. “I continue to be a student of the world,” Brosnan told [PDF] Bon Appetit last year when asked how he got interested in eco-causes—then listed his wife among the people who inspire him.

Barbara Kingsolver and Steven Hopp
The couple bared all in 2007’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, in which they chronicled a year of growing and locally sourcing food for themselves and their two daughters. But the book was no dilettantish dip into the eco-well. Kingsolver’s best-selling novels feature natural themes, and Hopp is an environmental studies professor with a vireo fixation. The “Hoppsolvers,” as they’ve jokingly referred to themselves, moved from Arizona to their farm in Virginia to escape the eco-unreality of a desert existence. They continue to blog about life on the farm, and retain a down-to-earth attitude. As Kingsolver puts it, “I’m sort of allergic to sanctimony.”

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck
Their eco-efforts first struck us as modest: Yeah, Jennifer was spotted shopping at a farmers’ market. OK, Ben dressed up as an ear of corn for a flex-fuel film! (Don’t watch it. Seriously, you can’t get that 5:31 back.) And fine, Jennifer and Ben made PSAs for Live Earth. But then we read that The Dimpled One campaigned against former California Rep. Richard Pombo in 2006. “Our fight to unseat Richard Pombo is ... a fight for the ecological preservation of the United States,” Garner said at the time. “It’s a fight for the world I want my little girl to inherit.” Yes! Only now it’s little girls, plural—congrats, you sorta-committed cuties.

Michael and Mary Brune
As executive director of the Rainforest Action Network, Mike Brune has helped convince major companies including Home Depot and Goldman Sachs to change their business practices, protecting millions of acres of rainforest along the way. On the Huffington Post and in his recent book Coming Clean: Breaking America’s Addiction to Oil and Coal, he works to raise awareness about energy and conservation. Meanwhile, Brune’s wife Mary is an activist in her own right: she co-founded and is the director of Making Our Milk Safe, a member organization created in 2005 to raise awareness about industrial pollutants in breastmilk. The Brunes live in California with their two children; after having the first, Mary remarked that “we hope that she’ll be one more soldier on the front lines who’s going to fight for the Earth when she grows up.” With genes like this, the chances seem good.

Bono and Ali Hewson
In 1975, Paul Hewson met a girl and joined a band. The girl would become his wife; the band, U2. Over the years, the eco-causes taken up by Bono and Ali Hewson have included anti-nuclear activism, poverty and AIDS relief, and fair trade. In 2005, they launched EDUN, an eco-clothing line whose goal is to support sustainable business in the developing world.

Courtesy of New Belgium

Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan
We love a good love story, especially when it involves beer. In the early 1990s, Lebesch and Jordan turned a curiosity about amateur ale-making into New Belgium Brewing, the county’s fifth-largest craft brewer. The company is partially wind-powered, makes organic varieties, and gives bikes to its employees. Before going commercial, the Colorado couple hiked into the Rockies to write their mission statement; one of the 10 items is “honoring nature at every turn of the business.”

Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim
The co-creators of the Forum on Religion and Ecology, an international, multifaith organization that explores the connections between faith and environment, are giving voice to a key constituency in the green conversation. The Yale-based brains have edited several books on ecology and spirituality; Tucker is also a member of the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment at the United Nations Environment Program.

Photo: Bart Nagel

Kit Crawford and Gary Erickson
Seventeen years ago this month, Gary Erickson debuted a snack that became a household name: the Clif Bar. He and his wife, who both grew up camping and hiking, now serve as CEOs of the company; they count “sustain the planet” as one of the five tenets of their business. Now living in Napa Valley with their children, they’ve branched out into the wine business, with a focus on organic and sustainably farmed grapes.

Photo: Ode Magazine

Jurriaan Kamp and Helene de Puy
This Dutch duo co-founded Ode magazine in the mid-1990s, with an eye toward telling the other side of the news—the side that shows social, environmental, and economic promise. Since then, their publication for “intelligent optimists” has found an audience of 100,000, and in 2004, they moved to California to launch a U.S. version. Recent topics have ranged from green search engines to sustainable banking.

Photo: greencouple.com

The Green Couple
OK, it’s not exactly a business, but we couldn’t resist: these kids are young and in love—and in love with the planet. The self-dubbed Green Couple blogs from the heartland to show others that it’s possible to care for each other and the earth without spending a ton of money or getting overwhelmed. NSFW, but only if your boss doesn’t like hope and earnestness bleeding from the page.

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A proposed rule change at the U.S. Interior Department would make it easier for individual national parks to open existing trails to mountain biking, a move opposed by some conservationists and hikers who argue mountain biking can speed erosion and disturb the national-park experience for other visitors. For their part, mountain-biking advocates say that greater access to trails in national parks could, among other things, spur more young people to visit the parks.

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Dear Umbra,

Here in Cleveland we recently endured the first snowstorm of winter. When I look out the window and see all that pretty white stuff, I can't help but reach for my car keys instead of my bicycle helmet. Can you offer any suggestions for safe and warm winter riding?

Jon B.
Lakewood, Ohio

Dearest Jon,

Has anyone out there tried gel toothpaste on their eyeglasses as an anti-moisture measure? It's just one of the winter riding tips I found, but I think we need to hear some testimony from the streets. If it works, a whole world will open up for our four-eyed friends -- not just while biking, but running, Nordic skiing, and even walking.

Snow falling on speeders.

My winter riding is all Pacific Northwest-based, so though I have a lot of firsthand experience with wet and mild cold, some of the following tips come from the virtual biking community. There is, of course, an avid, crazy-in-a-good-way group of bikers out there who ride in any condition (search "winter biking"). One website warns that dogsleds can come up fast and silent -- so watch out!

Safety first. Wear a helmet with straps tight enough that eating a hamburger is impossible. Make sure you have front and back lights in good working order, and consider adding a light on your helmet. Put reflective tape on your outer clothes, your bags, and your helmet. Change out your tires to wider, knobbier tires, or even studded tires -- here you will want to scout around for good recommendations for Ohio conditions. Slightly deflated tires apparently handle well in snow, according to the crazy-in-a-good-way riders. Understand how to recognize and handle frostbite (e.g., do not rub or dunk in hot water) and, if there is any remote chance you will spend a night injured and unnoticed in the snow, hypothermia.

Allow extra time to get places, especially in the beginning, when it will be smart to ride slowly and accustom yourself to road conditions. Be observant of how the road looks and how the road feels. Just as in our cars we learn to see black ice, or prepare to drive over packed snow, you will need to anticipate how your bike handles the next section of road. From what I've read, a bike on ice is similar to a car on ice, in that a slow response to slipping is better than a quick twist of the handlebars. Ride extra-defensively. The shoulder may vanish once plowing begins, and cars will not expect winter cyclists.

It's not hard to keep your body warm on a winter ride. The concerns lie in your extremities, in the wet weather, and at the end of the ride. Buy an outdoor thermometer and set it next to a window, so you know how warmly to dress before you leave the house. There's a balance between dressing warmly enough to bike and wearing so many layers that you are sweating profusely and ready to freeze the minute you stop pedaling. I think it's like Nordic skiing -- you should be chilly but not cold before you start. Certainly dress in layers, with something wicking next to the skin (no cotton). Seek out the good hand and foot casings for typical Cleveland winter weather. Mitten covers with an articulated finger may be just the thing. A thin cap worn under your helmet will help you heat right up and stay warm throughout your ride (here's a fancy example, but surely a thrift store will disgorge something just as useful).

In the Pacific Northwest, the dilemma is how to be water-resistant without excessive sweating. I have often decided against waterproof legs in favor of air circulation, but would wear a rain jacket. A fender will help keep you dry. Either keep dry clothes at your destination, or be sure to have a waterproof way to carry them with you.

If you don't mind looking kinda wacko, then your imagination will be the only limit to the perfect winter bike outfit. One of my Seattle friends wears shorts, orange leg warmers, and flip-flops.

Have a great time staying fit, warm, and gas-free this winter.

Brakely,
Umbra

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Mountain bikers will have easier access to national parks and other public lands under plans the Biker-in-Chief is trying to push through before leaving office. (Ninety-seven days!) The National Park Service said Tuesday that it will propose a rule by Nov. 15 that would speed up decision-making about mountain-bike trails by putting park managers in charge instead of federal regulators. "We are trying to give superintendents a little bit of latitude especially for non-controversial proposals for bicycling in parks," says an NPS spokesperson. (Get it? Spokes-person?) But green group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility would like to quibble with that "non-controversial" part. PEER blames bikes for increasing erosion, trampling native plants, and disturbing other trail users; it says President Bush has caved to the mountain-bike lobby, which has been advocating for a change to the rules since the early 1990s.

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Ever glance enviously at the cyclists whizzing past while you're stuck in traffic? Joining 'em is easy -- and it doesn't have to involve full-body spandex. The health benefits of biking to work are plenty, from helmet hair a svelte physique to breathing fewer air pollutants than those stuck in cars. Regular bikers live longer and are less likely to get depressed than non-bikers, boasts the Chelsea Green Guide on biking to work. And with fuel prices showing no sign of coming down, you can save serious bling on gas -- plus, there's that teeny detail of cutting your carbon emissions.

Employers are wising up to the perks of bike commuting, too, as two-wheeling workers are more productive and don't need parking spaces. Google gave 2,000 bikes to employees in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa last spring, and the lucky folks at New Belgium Brewing Co. receive a bike after a year of service. In addition to bike storage and showers, Seattle's Vulcan gives cyclists money for a cab if they leave after sunset -- not too shabby!

So what's not to love? Maybe the fear of getting doored, but don't let that keep you off the streets. Biking is safer than you think -- some claim it's even safer than driving.

How do you avoid the perils of the open road and arrive at the office, soy latté intact? Here's how to start.

Chart your course. If you can, get a bike map for your area so you can familiarize yourself with bike-friendly streets -- a quick Google search turned up maps for all sorts of cities, from Seattle to Tucson. You can also check out sites like Map My Ride, which help you do just that, as well as viewing routes in your area that other bikers use. While you're poking around, sign the petition asking Google Maps to add a "bike there" option to their public transportation and driving directions.

'Nuff said.

Get to the route of it. When planning your route, pick a road parallel to the main drag to avoid traffic, and be uber-cautious around intersections -- over half of bike/car crashes happen there. (Your city might even have a map of historically dangerous intersections [PDF] so you can be especially careful or avoid them altogether.) If you live too far from work to bike the whole way, look for ways to combine your ride with a commuter train, subway, bus, or carpool. For further advice, scan your office at 9 a.m. for the sweatiest co-workers and wring suggestions out of them.

Get in gear. If you've got an inclination toward perspiration and are in the market for new wheels, commuter bikes have a higher comfort factor than mountain bikes. Whether your rig is new or old, pump up your tires and check your brakes, or get a full tune-up at a local bike shop. Bike gadgets are endless, and what you consider a necessity will vary, but you definitely need lights and reflectors to be legal. You may also want fenders to keep your wheels from spraying muck on your clothes, panniers or a rack to tote stuff, a filter mask for bad air, and even a cycling cap to salvage your 'do under your helmet (you do have a good helmet, right?). A chain guard will protect your threads if you don't rock the single-rolled-pantleg look. And gloves, layers, and raingear will be essential come winter.

Riding off into the sunset.

Give it a whirl. If you're an inexperienced cyclist or it's been a while, take a safety course before heading out, or find a bike coalition or bicycle-advocacy organization in your area and ride with them. When you're ready, do a trial run to work on the weekend, keeping in mind that it'll be busier during weekday rush hour -- and see if a wheely nice coworker is willing to come along.

Once in a biketime. Pick one day a week to bike to work, and go for it, giving yourself plenty of time. Find out if your building has a bike room and make sure you have a good lock. Same for showers -- your building may have some, or a nearby gym might be willing to strike a deal for occasional use. A shower might not even be necessary, though; for those with shorter commutes, a light washcloth wipe-down and a fresh swipe of deodorant may do the trick.

Ride every day. You did it! You figured out how to get to work on a bike, and now you want to do it every day. Use this calculator to estimate your gas and CO2 savings, which can really add up. Then give yourself a pat on your ever-more-muscly back! And now that you're a bikeophile, advocate to make your community more bike-friendly.

Advice, safety tips, and info
Urban Bikers' Tricks & Tips
Chelsea Green Guide: Biking to Work
Transportation Alternatives Magazine
Why biking is safer than you think
Bike crash facts
Avoiding the most common bike/car collisions
Advocating for a more bike-friendly community
Video on the basics of commuting by bike

Biking advice from Umbra in the Grist archives
On bike commuting
On bike commuting, again
On exerting yourself in traffic
On the impacts of biking
On biking in a skirt
On transporting coffee by bike
On hauling goods by bike

Biking coalitions
Alliance for Biking and Walking
Bikes Belong
League of American Bicyclists
Adventure Cycling Association
Critical Mass
Bike for All

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