Policy and a Pint: No Impact Man
Colin Beavan tried to live for a year without making an impact on the environment: all in the heart of New York City with his wife and toddler!  Hear him and Steve Seel (DJ from 89.3 The Current) discuss his “no impact year” and hear how he thinks it made his life better.
Sept 17, 5:30-7pm
UBS Forum at Minnesota Public Radio, 480 Cedar St, St Paul
$10/$5 for students w/ ID

Image: Flickr/zappowbang

8th Annual Minnesota Tile Festival
The MN Tile Festival is part arts festival, part trade show and brings together 40 of the most talented tile artists in the country. Be sure to bring your Blue Sky Guide coupon to receive one FREE admission with the purchase of one at full price (http://www.ecometro.com/twincities/location/Minnesota-Tile-Festival/988/).
Sept 19, 10am-5pm
American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave S, Minneapolis

Woofstock
Woofstock is a day of special deals at local stores, agility demonstrations, dog-friendly exhibits, live music, a scavenger hunt, the Pooches' Promenade and the annual Dog Trick Contest.
Sept 19,10am-3pm
Linden Hills Business District, 43rd & Upton, Minneapolis, MN More...

This morning, I took a train to Seattle to teach at a conference. It is one of the joys in life. I bike to the train station, work on a crossword as the scenery passes by, and then bike around Seattle which, by the way, seems to be made entirely out of hills.

Today, I entertained myself with a new distraction, the subtle art of the roll up. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a “roll up” is when a cyclist folds, or in some way “rolls” up, his or her pant leg to avoid it getting caught in the chain. Roll means fold. It’s so clear. A thoughtfully folded pant leg is a style I don’t often sport because my bakfiets has a chain guard. However, today I took a commuter bike on my trip to Seattle, and with 3 hours to kill on the train, I mastered some pretty awesome roll ups. Check them out. Let me know what you think.
 
TRADITIONAL: Nothing fancy. Textbook functionality for keeping the pant leg out of the chain assembly. The style most often used. More...

Several years ago, when I first got a call about working here at Celilo Group Media, I had just torn the carsharing coupon out of the book that very day (it's called Chinook Book in Portland). Had I heard of the book? Of course I had! Did I ever redeem the coupon...er, no.

It wasn't just calculating the cost of gas, insurance, and upkeep that finally made me take the leap and sell my car--it was realizing that I drive so infrequently that spiderwebs connected the window to the steering wheel like something out of a cartoon. My bike was carrying me a dozen miles a day for free while I paid for spiders to practice tightrope walking between leather and glass. I sold the car and patted myself on the back (plus bought a pair of new shoes). And then, immediately, I missed an opportunity because I didn't have wheels. More...

The Wheel American Family explores living by dutch bike with three children. In this installment, the kids point out that it takes friendly drivers to make Portland a biking mecca.

A few days ago my eldest son, Kael, turned to me on our commute home and said, “Have you ever noticed how nice the bus drivers are?” I asked him what he meant. Kael went on to say, “Whenever we are at a super-duper busy street, they always stop to make sure we can pass.”

He’s right. They do. This is especially true when we are trying to cross Killingsworth. The traffic is so steady that a space rarely occurs. But just wait for the timely Tri-Met bus and we’re off. I spent the next few days attuned to my son’s observation and it was clear—the drivers in city vehicles are marvelously nice. Do they take a driver’s courtesy course to get employed by the city of Portland? I wonder.

Following are some examples of friendly moments that make the jungle more livable. More...

It was last week. I was making my way to teach my night class, my legs pumping strong and powerful, cruising over the pavement. I felt the crisp fall day coming to a close as the sun set. I heard the familiar Zzzzzhhhh of my tires on the road.  However, I did not see the cafeteria tray-sized pothole in the road.

The front tire went in, klunk-pop, and due to my speed, the back tire followed right in, kerchunk-pop! Two flat tires. And quite jarring to boot. I hit the pothole hard.

Every biker is bound to encounter a flat. Here's how to be prepared, cope, report the pothole, and continue on. More...

This morning the League of American Bicyclists awarded EcoMetro city Portland with platinum level recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Community, rising from the previous gold level status. The only other city in the US with platinum level recognition is Davis, California. No cities in Minnesota have applied for the Bicycle Friendly Community ranking, you can start the application process for your community here. Keep reading for our local biking resources and coupons. More...

It's bike commute month nation wide, and this week is Bike Walk Week for us! Win prizes, group together with colleagues, and spread the word. If you've been thinking about biking or walking to work, this is the month to do it. You can also register for Metro's Commuter Challenge, which has another slew of prizes and local goodies. Sign up now and read on for our local biking resources from the 2008 Blue Sky Guide.

Bike commuting is a mental and physical challenge, and it’s also a great way to work exercise into your day and avoid the cost of commuting. More...