After my short spell of being bummed out, I returned to the concert to witness some awesome stuff.  Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. got up and gave a kick-a$$ speech (some clips are included in the video below).  Melissa Etheridge played an awesome set, too.  I grabbed a bite to eat and came back in time for the Dave Matthews Band and Smashing Pumpkins, who also played great sets.

(There was a weird montage of young kids telling us how the planet is endangered and how we need to change the way we live.  Although the spirit of the video was good, it was a little creepy in a Hitler Youth Camp/brainwashing sort of way)

(the stage lights always look cooler when the sun goes down!)

After the Pumpkins, I charged myself with the duty of quenching my thirst before the last two sets.  I went down to the MSN hospitality tent to score one last beer before it closed up its bar - but alas! alack! No more beer was to be found!!! 

Dumbfounded and a bit discouraged, I stood outside the tent kicking a rock (metaphorically speaking) when I just happened to bump into one Mr. Tratt from the MSN/Live Earth PR Team.  He inquired as to whether I had been backstage yet today, and I humbly informed him that I had not! 

He immediately tossed a Live Earth Staff badge over my neck and whisked me off backstage, where I found my way over to the corner of the front row!  I met Mike Hedge there, who had also obtained a photo badge, and soon enough I was down in front of Roger Waters for the second-to-last set of the night! 

(Roger Waters was the creative force behind Pink Floyd's albums Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall!)

(The ever-resourceful Leslie Gant was already down in the photo section!  That's Alec Baldwin behind her in the blue shirt)

(A giant pig balloon emerged from stage left during a tune from Dark Side)

I fully enjoyed the close proximity to the performers afforded by the staff and photo passes, and got to see Cameron Diaz introduce the Police (who played a few little tunes) and the Police introduce Al Gore and Al Gore say goodnight to all, and to all a goodnight. 

(The Police are playing on stage behind me)

Come on my ride through the better half of the NYC Live Earth Concert by watching the video below!

I realized that if it weren't for my appreciation of beer, the nectar of the gods, I would never have been backstage and so close to the action for the last two sets of the show!  A wise man once said, "Beer:  the cause of and solution to all of life's problems" (Do you know who?  Scroll to end for the answer).

Thanks to my fellow teammates as well as Jordon, Sam from Mr Youth and Marty from Microsoft for helping make the Eco Trip happen.  Thanks to all the great people on both coasts and in between who helped create our adventure by providing such great Green Challenges for us.  And thanks to all of you who have logged onto our site and my blog to keep abreast of our adventures.  Although this seems like the end, it's really just the beginning.  The rest of the adventure is up to you.

*                    *                      *                   *

answer: Homer J. Simpson

As we got off the bus at the Meadowlands, we were sucked into the vortex of Live Earth!  The crowds were gathering, getting funky, and making their way into the venue.

(making out way into Giants Stadium on 07/07/07)

We were fortunate to have access to the MSN hospitality tent (as well we should!) where we were able to stay cool and have a drink and a snack before heading to the nosebleed section of the stadium.  Yes, it's true:  Live Earth is so big, even the Eco Trippers could only score upper deck seating.

(above: the MSN hospitality tent.  Can you say "open bar!" I can! below:  my view from section 323 early in the day.)

Knowing that the show was going last over eight hours, I paced myself and tried not to get too excited too early.  Although I am not an avid hip-hopper, I appreciated the energy Ludacris and Kanye brought to the stage.  Since I play guitar, I admired John Mayer's facility with this classic rock and roll instrument.  Later in the day, Melissa Etheridge would come to the stage and tear it up.

And although the concert was pretty rockin, I felt this nagging feeling that something was wrong with the whole scene...

Click below to join the journey:

Come back soon to reach the peak in Part 3: The Green Lining.

Seven-seven-o-seven was a bit relentless!  Marshana and I made it to do an early morning interview with WABC - channel 7 here in New York.  More than past segments, this one really focused on our "eco tips" to help people reduce their waste and use of pollutants. 

(Above: WABC is a real New York City news room! Below: Marshana waits in the Green Room.  I love that they call it that.)

We brought in a variety of props and talked through them.  First, we displayed the blue tote bags that are quickly becoming America's favorite way to replace plastic shopping bags. 

Second, I told them all about the neat corn plastic (PLA) containers that biodegrade.  To my surprise, the hostess asked me how long they take to decompose.  Also to my surprise, I knew the answer! (in "industrial composting conditions" - 140 deg F + 90% humidity - it takes about 90 days. In your backyard compost pile? I have no idea). 

Lastly, we showed off our collection of "green" household cleaning products.  Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, and Shaklee all make great products that use vegetable-based surfactants rather than petroleum-based.  They are also biodegradable and tend to use natural scents and no dyes.  I highly recommend the first two brands (I use them myself!) but haven't had experience with the third, although it does have a good reputation. Of course, cleaning your floors with warm water, some lemon juice and baking soda does the job, too!

Okay, okay, on with the show:  After a nap back in Queens, I took our good old public transportation system into town to meet my colleagues so we could get underway with the concert festivities.  But then, this video can speak for me:

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Live Earth experience.  It gets better and worse and better again.

Live Earth Concert blog and three part video series from my personal footage of the event coming soon...

Check back throughout the week for updates!

Peace,

MM

I think a lot of us understand "doing the right thing" cerebrally but sometimes lack a direct connection to the value of our lives.  There's an obese alcoholic man down the block who seems to be standing in the same place panhandling every time I walk down Queens Blvd.  I don't have any animosity toward him but I don't feel that he's using his gift of life very well.

I went out for a run Thursday evening after our green challenge.  It was raining but still hot outside.  Although I was initially hesitant to go and get wet, I immediately changed my mind once I set foot to the pavement.  I can't express what a glorious, invigorating sensation it was to know run through the streets and to be alive and to feel the big drops of rain pelting on my hot skin.  I was totally in the moment and felt a heightened state of awareness for those twenty minutes or so.  I felt like I would really miss that physical sensation after I die.

Sometimes it hits me how insignificant one human life is in the scope of the universe.  One human's 80 years in comparison to the 4.5 billion years our planet has been around is like a drop of water in the ocean.  Yet sometimes a single person can destroy countless others (Hitler), inspire the world (Gandhi), or discover a breakthrough that helps all of humanity (Jonas Salk).  So even though a lot of people (sometimes myself included) feel like their efforts don't matter, we cannot write off any single person.  Never underestimate the impact one person with a vision can have on the world.

We've all been given time on this planet - some more than others.  It's up to each individual to decide how to use it despite the economic, racial or educational cards we've been dealt.  For me, I feel best - the most "whole" - when I live according to my convictions.  And having run through Mother Earth's rain, I know I need to keep that rain pure and our earth healthy, so I'll keep doing my damndest to tread as lightly as possibly and convince others to do the same.

And if you're reading this and not feeling inspired to live bigger, please ask yourself this: If I die tomorrow can I look back and be proud of what I did with my time on Earth?

I hope the answer is yes.  If the answer is no, that's great too.  There's time to turn it around.  But that time is now.  Carpe diem.

It was oddly uplifting to come back home to New York.  Usually I find this city too aggressive, noisy, and dirty to be enjoyable.  But there was something about its diverse, funky beat that made me feel at home when I arrived a couple days ago.  For a while, at least.

(Left: My stop on the #7 train in Queens.  The tall spike in the distance is the Empire State bldg.)

We visited our east coast headquarters-the Mr. Youth office in Chelsea- for a quick meeting before our next Green Challenge: getting New Yorkers to bring their own coffee mugs instead of buying (and throwing away) a new cup each time they visit their favorite multinational coffee retailer. 

(L: Hedge and Leslie chat eco strategies in the Mr. Youth conference room; R: Fellow actor and environmentalist Barbara Seifert sports her new Eco Trip mug)

I am glad to say the mugs went quickly, and I even ran into my friend and colleague, Barbara Seifert, doing her thing with Environmental Action - a group pressuring 2008 presidential candidates to pledge to increase fuel economy.  I signed up and pledged $20 to the effort.

We finished our day sharing our "Eco Tips" cards with the public near Union Square, chatting people up about the Eco Trip and Live Earth. 

ECO TIPS: 1) Wash and rinse in cold water.  2) Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.  3) Drink from reusable glassware.  4) Maintain properly inflated tires.  5) Walk, bike, and carpool. 6) Turn your thermostat up when you leave home so your air conditioner isn't running all day.

But it wouldn't be a real day in New York without some authentic east coast surliness.  While handing out mugs, a man told Leslie "get the hell away from me."  Another guy in Union Sq shouted (to no one in particular) "You f***ing wh*res!" 

(above: A surly New Yorker gives me the evil eye.  R: This guy's hat says "Don't ask me for S***" and he's wearing a shirt with the flag and statue of liberty.  Ah, the land of freedom.)

Is that what you'd call a rugged charm?  It's a novelty the first few times but living in that every day is too much for me.  I prefer a friendly "how do you do?" and "top of the morning."  Call me old fashioned, I guess...

Our final and biggest day in DC was Monday, July 2.  We kicked off the day by visiting the local Fox News station (yes, even Fox news cares!). 

 (L: a sticker I saw on a newspaper stand; below: I and Leslie prepare to chat green living with reporter Allison.)

Leslie and I gave a short interview that actually produced a fan who tracked us down at the National Mall where we were displaying posters with eight "shocking environmental facts" (video coming soon).

It was a very hot day (especially after biking several miles to get there), but we tried our best to chat up the tourists and locals and inform them about Live Earth.

(L: Marshana stakes out our claim in front of old Abe; David and John from KC, MO sport their new eco trip T-shirts.  They BOTH drive hybrids!) 

We reached a diverse audience (including this nice couple from rural Quebec - good thing I speak some broken French!) and found most people there to be open to chatting with us and interested in our message of sustainable living.

(In French, people from Quebec are called les Quebecoises)

After a hot day's work, I treated myself to crab cakes and a beer back in Georgetown.  Ahh....

NEXT: LIVE EARTH CONCERT in NEW YORK CITY!!!

I had a full day off on Sunday, July 1, and was privileged to spend that beautiful day with friends in the DC area.  Drew Vidal, an actor/fight director (who will be assisting Fight Choreographer David Leong at the Shakespeare Theatre this fall) has a really cool girlfriend, Elaine.

Elaine's cool dad (Frank D.) and uncle (Bob) invited me out for a day on the Potomac River for a day of wind-powered leisure.

Thanks to the Deichmeisters for their hospitality!

Photos:

L: Bob, Drew, Frank, and Elaine; R. Frank eyes the horizon as Elaine works on her tan.

 Drew and Elaine listening to a tale of seafaring adventures.

The scurvy crew with yours truly in the foreground.

Returning to port.

Saturday was a long busy exciting day.  Marshana and I got up before 5am to head to a live interview with DC's local CBS station, 9 News Now.  They have a really nice studio run by pleasant, helpful people. 

(above; 9 News Now anchors live and on the air! below: Peggy, me and Marsha - Marsh - "MarshANA" after our interview)

After the interview, I headed to the metro (DC's subway) and went downtown to grab some breakfast before our second interview of the day at the National Press Club.  Leslie and I went there to do a satellite interview for The Weather Channel, which was recorded in Atlanta via satellite and will be shown on the air soon.

(photos: 1) Nat'l Press Club lobby banner; 2) Leslie gets wired up; 3) They have a press room named after Ed Murrow, the subject of the Oscar-nominated film "Good Night, and Good Luck starring David Strathairn)

After stopping back at Union Station to see if Amtrak had a box I left on the train (I lost my checkbook and all my receipts!  boo!), I again took the metro  - which by the way is immaculate, comfortable and easy to use - out to meet the gang at the East of the River Eco Expo. 

(Mike's Metro Series - UL: The DC underground; UR: I hear the train-a-comin'; LL: You could eat off that floor! LR: Coushy seats, too)

The Expo was organized by the Sierra Club and featured booths with around 40 different clubs, businesses, city agencies and NGOs.  See pics and captions below to learn about the interesting people I met and their activities:

Ed Bruske represents D.C. Urban Gardeners, a citizens' group helping to beautify and educate the community in a sustainable way.

Nina Albert helps ensure a cleaner Anacostia River (and hence a cleaner Chesapeake Bay by working with the Anacostia Waterfront Corp to develop real estate under strict environmental guidelines.

Breana Behrens works with ForestEthics to put the pressure on companies to use recycled paper for their catalogues.  And with a smile like hers, who could refuse? Fun fact: The catalogue industry sends 20 BILLION cataloges/year, and 97% are thrown away!  Gee whiz!

The ladies on the left work with the Dept of Housing and Community Development to help people acquire housing.  Their developments are built to be efficient and eco-friendly.

Claudia and Norma will GREEN - CLEAN YOUR HOME using a variety of environmentally - friendly cleaning products.  Check them out at www.ecocleandc.com to learn about and book their services.

Judging by all the neat stuff we encountered at the expo, it is easy to see that 1) there is a lot of eco-activity going on in Washington, and 2) there are lots of opportunities to GET INVOLVED.  Whether your skill is gardening, computers, banking, real estate, or law, there are many ways to apply your talent in helping to make DC a greener, healthier place.  Look around and get involved!

By the time we headed back across the city to Georgetown, we were all pretty wiped out despite the cheerful smiles the girls display below.

INCOMING:

Our trip from Cleveland to Washington DC was pretty weird.  Our 2:15am train was delayed so we got aboard around 4am and I fell asleep around 5am.  When I awoke around lunchtime, we were in the hills of Pennsylvania and/or West Virginia.  I'm not sure!  I couldn't really tell.

 (bagged and tagged)

(getting cozy in the sleeper car)

 Either way, it's a beautiful part of Appalachia and I always enjoy returning.  I have rafted on the New River in WV twice in the past and it's the bomb. 

(above: view from a train #637:  somewhere in Appalachia; below: more natural beauty courtesy of the eastern US)

We made it DC and biked across the city to Georgetown.  I hadn't been to this part of town before, so I was pleased to see the neat old buildings and the colonial/European style to the neighborhood.

UPCOMING:

I will write about yesterday's (Saturday 6/30) events in a separate blog, but I also wanted to let the DC folks out there know that we will be out by the reflecting pool in the National Mall on Monday. July 2 with an array of poster boards displaying EIGHT SHOCKING ENVIRONMENTAL FACTS as part of our Environmental Truth Campaign. 

(above: M street in Georgetown, Washington DC; below: Wisconsin Ave scenes)

If you're in town and not working, please drop by to say hi, take a photo with us, and maybe score a sweet organic cotton Eco Trip t-shirt!  See you then.

The Eco Trippers made a splash at the Great Lakes Areas of Concern conference here in Cleveland at the Hilton Garden Hotel. GL-AOC was a high-level ecology and restoration strategy conference held by the Great Lakes Commission, Ohio EPA, Ohio DNR, US EPA, and the Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan (RAP). As you can glean from the names of these organizations, I learned a lot of acronyms over the course of the day!

(signs for the conference)

The conference focus was "Achieving Restoration Targets and Sustaining Stewardship."

Members of many organizations were in attendance, especially folks from the US Army Corps of Engineers (who have identified the 26 "areas of concern" in the Great Lakes), EPA, and lots of regional environmental groups. By my estimates, around 150 people were at the conference.

(above: the USACE's Great Lakes Areas of Concern Map. Below: My concern! - my hometown river is on the map! I fished bass and walleye in the Menominee River for years!)

I attended two breakout sessions - the first on raising funds for fish and wildlife preservation (with a number of case studies presented), and the second on approaches for developing restoration targets for fish and wildlife.

Since the material was pretty in-depth, I won't get into too many details except to say that the emphasis on applying for grants seemed to be in partnering with other organizations and having scientific measurements in place to track progress on restoration efforts (such as tracking water chemistry, numbers of 'macroinvertebrates,' etc). In other words, making sure there's not 280,000 pounds of chromium (like they removed from the Detroit River) and seeing big insects survive are good ways to indicate a healthy lake/river.

Some resources for organizations looking for funding for their Great Lakes restoration efforts are the US Dept of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Nat'l Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The latter resource is the easiest to navigate; for the others, I would check out www.grants.gov and search for opportunities that way.

(Left: USACE engineer Jan Miller presents; Keith Bowers, President of BioHabitats prepares his power point slides.)

The second session I went to on developing restoration targets was a seminar on ways various groups look at their wetlands and harbors and come up with strategies to improve the health of these areas. One Univ of Minnesota - Duluth professor uses a complex computer modeling system called ArcHydro to calculate water flow, runoff, and consequences of altering a watershed.

Another group that works in the Detroit River does hands-on studies testing water samples and catching species in different areas of the river to create a sort of aquatic census. They offered a variety of approaches to assessing restoration projects in order to attract support and achieve specific goals.

I met a friendly, brilliant man named Carl Anderson, the co-chair of the Ashtabula River RAP. He has been working on cleaning up the last two miles of the Ashtabula River (which empties into Lake Erie) since 1972 and formally since 1988. In 1994 he helped form the Ashtabula River Partnership and has since raised a great deal of money and awareness for the cause. When asked what inspired him to devote so much of his energy to this effort, he said that he grew up boating on the area's lakes and rivers and one day in the early '70s he saw some river rats whose fur and eyes were bleached out from all the poisons in the river, "and that was about enough."

The humorous and insightful author Jerry Dennis (The Living Great Lakes), who spoke during the lunch hour, postulated that we come to love things with which we are familiar. It makes sense that people like Jerry and Carl (and myself) who grew up in the outdoors have developed a passion for preserving our natural places. But today's society is the first culture in history in which most of our population now lives in cities rather than rural areas. By this logic, fewer people are experiencing the beauty and awe of the great outdoors, so I think that means we need to develop more opportunities for urban dwellers, especially kids, to experience forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife firsthand.

(My train ride through Colorado passed places like this!)

If more people develop a bond with nature, more people will take on the responsibilities of stewardship and create a greener world for us all.

On this note, consider donating to the Fresh Air Fund, which brings thousands of inner-city youth out to the country each year. Or better yet, start a similar group yourself and open up the doors of nature to those living in the urban jungles of America.

The conference ended with a nice reception where I got to chat with Jerry, Carl, and some others.

(post-conference reception in the Carnegie room)

It was an overwhelming and inspiring event - I felt pretty naive compared to the experienced engineers and ecologists in attendance - I was probably the youngest guy in the room - but at the same time happy to be around so many passionate, smart people who are helping to keep our Great Lakes "Great."

Can the production of over 1000 SUVs per day be environmentally friendly?!

I went to the GM assembly facility in Janesville, Wisconsin - my home state, mind you - with as much skepticism as any environmentalist would (or should) muster at such a proposition.  I winced when our hosts pulled up in their GMC Yukon to drive us to the plant.

(a GM SUV on the assembly line)

After arriving at the factory and beginning our tour, I decide to suspend my judgment, keep my eyes open and learn.  The first things that softened me up were signs on the wall that displayed the facility's goals to reduce energy and water use as well as landfill waste.

(a fully restored, working GM vehicle from 1923)

On the tour, I was impressed by the efficiency of assembly line production and the massive size of the facility.  It seemed very well organized; one large, fluid machine.  Our host, a retiree who serves as a tour guide, pointed out some energy conservation measures, such as keeping the robot-driven production areas unlit.  I also saw numerous, clearly-labeled recycling bins throughout the plant.

After the tour, we were escorted to a conference room where a group of managers representing the facility, the United Auto Workers (UAW), and a marketing rep from the GM Corporation gave some presentations.

Mark Jenkins told us about the diversified energy sources that power GM's latest and forthcoming vehicles.  These sources include E85 (85% ethanol/15% gasoline) for their Flex-Fuel engines (cars that can run on unleaded gas or E85), gas/electric hybrid technology, and for the upcoming Chevy Volt, a battery array that is rechargeable by plug-in with a backup fuel tank for long distance trips (this is expected to achieve up to 150 mpg).

(Mark showcases an E85 flex fuel sedan; "live green, go yellow" refers to corn as the primary source of US ethanol fuel)

Mr. Jenkins also hinted at the company's long-term interest in developing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the consumer market as a way to "take the car out of the [environmental] equation" since the only by-product of hydrogen combustion is water vapor.

But here's where a few concerns arose.  First, GM had an electric car that was functioning and on the road in California within the last ten years.  This car was not for sale, available only by lease.  After California repealed its zero emissions mandate, GM recalled all of the cars, often against leasers' wills, and destroyed them all. 

(some EV1 leasees held a "funeral" for the EV1 electric car)

While GM Chairman Rick Wagoner told the Detroit Free Press that eliminating the EV1 was his biggest mistake, the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? makes some darker insinuations about GM's profit-motivated actions.  Nevertheless, Electric Car Director Chris Paine supports GM's new Chevy Volt and hopes to see it on the road soon.

Additionally, I am not fully convinced that GM's long-term goal of producing hydrogen fuel cell cars is a solution to the environmental puzzle.  To make hydrogen for a fuel cell engine, one must use electricity to separate water molecules.  

(a hydrogen separation display I saw at NREL in Golden, CO. An electric current passes through water and oxygen and hydrogen gas molecules form at the electrodes and are collected in separate tubes)

Since most electricity is produced by coal-burning plants, it means that we're just substituting one fossil fuel for another (unless of course the necessary electricity for hydrogen production was generated by wind or solar power). 

I expressed these concerns in our meeting, and acknowledgements were made that the concepts aren't perfect, but hopefully steps in the right direction.  Either way, so much money is being put into this research that I expect hydrogen will be marketed as "the answer" when it is available for consumer use.

Despite my cynicism about hydrogen and GM's electric car games, I give them credit for exploring different approaches to making their vehicles more efficient, especially for their E85 line.  Ethanol (the same alcohol in your martini) can be made from grain and plant matter, so not only is it renewable (and a bit more efficient than gas), but its production also supports our domestic economy  since our supply comes from US corn growers (thanks, tariffs!) and will reduce our dependence on foreign oil - and oil in general!

Another 'technological marvel' of some new GM autos is a computerized fuel management system that, in an eight cylinder vehicle, will determine how much energy is needed at each moment and switch between 4 cylinder usage and 8 cylinder usage so that lighter loads and coasting will burn less fuel.  That's just smart.

The meeting continued on to inform us about the Janesville facility's specific efforts to reduce it environmental impact.  The engineers gave a truly impressive presentation showing how the GM plant has decreased it electrical usage year after year while maintaining its production rate to the extent of a 30% decrease in the last five years - this is thousands of MEGAWATTS of electricity we're talking about! 

(this massive solar array produces 1 MW of electricity. photo by AZ public service)

Also, the plant has eliminated (or is very close to eliminating) its dependence on coal for their boilers.  They have switched/are switching to natural gas, which will greatly reduce the toxic emissions (such as sulfur dioxide - a major factor in creating acid rain) into the air. 

The Janesville team also displayed its numerous awards (including the state's Energy Star award for the last four years) for their commitment to energy conservation.

Their paper handouts were printed on both sides.  They work with local environmental groups (including the WI chapter of one of my favorites, The Nature Conservancy).  They are trying to recycle EVERYTHING in the plant and eventually eliminate garbage cans all together (though they may need to start a big compost pile for its 2900 employees' food scraps!). 

At the end of the day, I was truly impressed and inspired by the devotion to efficiency at the GM assembly plant.  Yet, one nagging question remained, so I politely voiced it:  Isn't it ironic that the facility is taking great strides to reduce its environmental impact but producing some of the biggest cars on the road?  After a silent moment, it was explained that the facility doesn't choose what kind of cars they make; that public demand for the SUVs is what prompts GM to make more. 

So that's where YOU come in:  If people stop buying big cars, they'll stop making them.  So it's up to YOU to exercise your conscience as a consumer and buy according to your ideals.  Check out an E85 flex-fu

el vehicle, a hybrid, use biodiesel....or better yet: ride a bike!

At the end of the day, I was proud to walk out of the plant because it's the people from my home state who run the most sensible, efficient company with a proven dedication to conservation that I have ever seen (after the Solar Living Institute, anyway).   

(an employee bike used for getting around the plant)

Hopefully they will start getting orders for electric cars sometime soon and I will be even prouder to be from Wisconsin.

 (Marshana, John, Mark, Leslie, Me, Mike, Tom, and Mary at the Janesville GM Assembly Facility in Janesville, WI.)

As you may or may not know, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is located on the shore of Lake Erie here in Cleveland, OH.  Although I was bound to make a pilgrimage to this cultural institution, I first had to address some Green Challenges.

Hedge and I rode out to Ohio City (the west part of Cleveland and found EcoCity Cleveland, a non-profit environmental think tank and public outreach organization. 

We met its web editor, Marc Lefkowitz, as well executive director, David Beach.  

(left: Marc and McGuire check out the rooftop garden; below: Hedge chats it up with Mr. Beach)

Marc shared some time showing us around their green building (which houses several other environmental non-profits) and talking to us about EcoCity Cleveland's initiatives.

ECC disseminates its message through all areas of life in the region, from the arts to transportation.  Check out their online community, Green City, Blue Lake to read their blog, follow links to their network of local organizations, and check out their event calendar for ways to get involved in community activities. 

(a rooftop solar array [left] and geothermal cooling system [right] are two of the building's green features)

The next day's challenge was to promote REUSABLE shopping bags.  God knows I'm sick and tired of grocery store workers quadruple bagging each banana I buy! 

(two plastic culprits hiding against the wall)

In fact, San Francisco has even passed a measure banning the use of plastic bags (New York may follow suit) because they're not recyclable with other #2 plastics, they get caught in trees, clog up landfills, and use petroleum!

We were stoked when the Clevelanders near the Tower City Center snatched up all our Eco Trip tote bags.  We made sure to impress upon them the need to reuse bags when they shop.  Incidentally, Melissa and I bring our own bags when we go grocery shopping and it is great!  Not only do you spare yourself a closet full of wimpy plastic bags, but you set an example for other shoppers and the store workers, too.

(Left: It's a carry-all!! It's European!  Right: Swarmed by the masses!)

So after these challenges, I rewarded myself with two things: a (second) lunch at a great Cambodian/Vietnamese restaurant on W. 25th St, Phnom Penh (it's Zagat rated, inexpensive, and delicious!), and second - 

a trip to the Rock Hall!!!  It's such a cool place, not only because of the neat films, collections, and memorabilia, but because you can follow our recent history by tuning it to rock music over the course of its evolution. 

(the famous flying hotdog used by the band Phish to make their entrance at their 12/31/04 concert at Madison Square Garden)

(exterior funkiness of the rock hall)

I also noticed the Science and Technology Center next door, which makes use of a large wind turbine and photovoltaic array!  When it comes to promoting sustainable living, Cleveland rocks!

We spent our second full day in Chicago visiting the Greenmaker Supply store - a green building supplies vendor on Chicago's north side.   

Greenmaker is the leading supplier of eco-friendly building products in the city, and probably the Midwest. 

They sell everything from recycled glass tile to energy star windows to hemp twine, as well as compost bins, low VOC paint, and various biodegradable detergents.

Co-owner Joe Silver took time on Saturday to give us the personal tour and tell us about his company.  He was fortunate to have had lifelong exposure to the building supply industry through his parents' (and grandparents') company, and now is expanding upon their vision by going green.  Joe speaks: (click image below to play video)

It was neat seeing all the products his store offers (and at some of the lowest prices in the country, apparently), and we got the sense that he's motivated and excited to expand his company's reach.  Look for them in the August issue of Entrepreneur Magazine.

If you are hungry for some green supplies or just curious about various products, stop by Greenmaker (2500 N. Pulaski Rd) or visit their web site and check out their eco-friendly offerings.

The Eco Trip team made it safely to Chicago (the ride back from Janesville courtesy of Lauren Hall and the Janesville GM Assembly plant). 

In Chicago, I met up with a college friend and actor/filmmaker/rock singer Mason Hill and his fiancee, Kelly that evening.  Though it was primarily a social visit, we talked about the eco trip and environmentalism in the Chicago area.

Although Mayor Daly is pushing himself as a "green" mayor, some residents feel that his actions are mainly for enhancing his image and less about environmental solutions.  A drive through this vast, sprawling metropolis and it suburbs gives one a sense of the enormous amount vehicle traffic in the area.  

Downtown, I did not find a single recycling bin or public service announcement regarding any of the city's green initiatives.  Actually, that's not completely true.  On Sunday, I saw a recycling container strategically placed - in the middle of nowhere.  

(This friendly neighborhood recycling bin and fellow trash can look lonely in Lincoln Park!)                        

Mason and Kelly collect their own recyclables (and sometimes those of others) and drive to one of the city's 15 recycling drop-off points when their pantry gets full. Although their conscientious efforts are wonderful, I only hope other Chicagoans are as committed to doing their part.

(The Hills' Recyclable Collection)

Most people I met along the way seemed interested and excited about the eco trip and our activities. 

For instance, we were invited for a live interview at NBC 5 on Sunday morning.  The hosts, Rob and Zoraida, and floor director Bill were most courteous.  The interview went well (Marshana and I did the on-camera portion), and we even got to chat with the crew and talent after the broadcast.  Head to our main spaces page to see the video!

(The Eco Trip Team at Chicago's NBC Channel 5; Hedge is behind the lens)

Later that day, I spoke with a local entrepreneur and his family while visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo.  We talked about sustainable living and raising a family in the Chicago area.  Amanda and Tony Mars committed to eating organically grown foods for their personal health and the health of the environment.  Click on the image below to hear Amanda's thoughts on organics and family health:

Tony also pointed out that "organic" food was the norm for previous generations, and only with the advent of commercial farms and the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers have "naturally raised" foods become a minority on market shelves.

(Left: Tony and Alex Mars play in a fountain; Right: Amanda coaxes Alex into trading his rubber tiger for an organic strawberry)

Tony and Amanda hope people will educate themselves further on what they are eating.  And that's a good idea.  Seriously, how many people even know what partially hydrogenated oil is?  (click that phrase to find out)

Just some food for thought. ;)

Our first Green Challenge in Chicago was to distribute several hundred 'plastic' containers.  Sounds strange?  Here's the hook: the containers are made from PLA - polylactic acid - which comes from corn! 

These containers, which resemble your average plastic deli salad container or restaurant take-home box, come from a natural, renewable resource and require less energy to make than their petroleum-based alternatives.

We persuaded individuals, restaurants, and cafeterias into using these items.  The folks to whom we spoke were very interested in its biodegradability (clearly marked on the boxes), implying that it would break down naturally like food waste when composted.

(Leslie does her eco hokus pokus on a willing restauranteur)

It was great to reach out and meet people around town (especially the folks at the Tribune and Su Casa restaurant) as well as to inform them about our adventure.  However, it wasn't until the end of the weekend when I realized I was unknowingly misleading people about these products!

While they are renewable and made from the fermentation of corn sugars, a natural process, the containers are only biodegradable in "industrial composting conditions."  Though the details of this process varied slightly between two different reports I read, both articles maintain that PLA requires a constant temperature of 140 degrees F for at least ten days (and possibly as many as 90 days) as well has 90% humidity.  One eco nonprofit located only 113 facilities in the entire country that provide this service, and only a handful of those accept "food waste" from the public. 

I referenced a great article by Smithsonian Magazine describing corn-based PLA and its pros and cons.  Please do the same if you want to learn more about it the product.

Here are some links if you wish to explore corn PLA products for your home or business:

http://www.cornplastic.kelseypromo.com

http://www.biodegradablestore.com

http://www.ecoproducts.com/

While I regret inadvertently omitting some details about the product's environmental friendliness, I still support it because it's definitely an improvement over petrochemical products and it supports our domestic economy.  Another "baby step," I guess...

My favorite part of the Nebraska trip was to spend time with Melissa (thanks Dad and Carolyn!). Our Green Challenges were not as demanding as in other cities, so I found myself with some personal time.

While Leslie and Marshana visited Rosenblatt Stadium to hand out our tip cards and organic cotton eco-trip shirts, I drove our Eco Mobile (the Chevy Aveo) to be returned at Omaha's airport.

(the Eco Trip's Chevy Aveo, soon to be retired!)

On Monday, we ventured out with some folks from the city's parks department for what we expected to be a park clean up. However, our only activity was to plant one lone oak tree at Miller's Landing, a park area along the Missouri River.

While it was a nice gesture to arrange this planting, I was a little disappointed that we didn't have more to do. We could have planted 20 trees if they had them for us!

(Marshana and Melissa sit by our tree, which we named Marty after Eco Trip inventor Marty Collins)

On the bright side, we were covered by the local Fox News station, and were glad to have another outlet with which to spread the green word.

Melissa and I had a lot of fun with her relatives at her uncle Lanny and aunt Jeanie's house in Omaha. Melissa's cousins are fun, too.

(Upper Left: Uncle Lanny and Aunt Jeannie Nearman; Right: Melissa tosses a frisbee to Alex and McKenzie; Lower Left: Jason, Alex, and Laura Rohe, Melissa, McKenzie Rohe and Jessica Nearman)

It was refreshing to be in another familiar place, but at the same time I felt that we could have had more impact with better planning for our stop in Omaha.

Our Friday was a heck of a day.       (getting packed and ready)

As I was packing to leave Denver, I got a call from Avishay Artsy, a news producer with Nebraska's public radio (NET Nebraska/NPR), and did a phone interview about the Live Spaces Eco Trip, which turned into a story on Friday's afternoon news broadcast (he heard about us from TreeUtah's Rachel Mueller in Salt Lake City, his high school friend).  Mr. Artsy did a nice, succinct piece about our trip and our planned activities in Nebraska.

After temporarily losing our bike rack and four bikes while driving down the interstate (yikes!), we recovered and made it the rest of the way to Omaha.   

(I dash to collect our bikes and rack!)

(Marshana reports our crisis to our coordinator in New York!)

That night, some kind souls took pity on us when they discovered that our hotel only had one of our two (reserved) rooms available, and let us stay in their extra room which would serve as their Bridal Suite that Saturday night!  Thanks Tim and Chris!

I enjoyed coming into eastern Nebraska because I spent the first four years of my life here and still have relatives in the area, so it feels like home.  I saw lots of wildlife, including deer and turkeys on the ride in, too. 

(whitetail deer were numerous)

I look forward to the weekend in Omaha, seeing familiar faces (including my wife!) and new ones as we continue on the Eco Trip.

My second day in Denver was an up and down sorta thing.  We went to the 16th street mall downtown to distribute the organic strawberries we had procured the day before, but it was surprisingly challenging!  It went something like this:

Me: "Would you like a fresh organically grown strawberry picked yesterday."

Random stranger: "No thanks." (he/she walks away)

Me: "You don't  want any of my fresh, delicious, FREE fruit!? Okay, freak!!"

But I didn't really say that last part.  It was more like:

Me: (meekly)  "Okay...have a nice day."

(Leslie tempts a stranger to sample some fruit...rather biblical sounding, isn't it?)

I guess we are so inundated with stealth marketing, commercials, and internet pop-ups that everyone immediately thinks you're trying to sell them something when you approach them on the street.  It was a little depressing getting rejected when we were GIVING AWAY this wonderful locally grown produce. 

(Our sweet display on a beautiful day)

Since it took a long time to dole out the berries (yes, "BERRIES," Hedge), we started giving away larger quantities of berries - frequently accompanied by our rockin' organic cotton Eco Trip T-shirts, and that seemed to work.

The bright side of the day for me was splitting from the group to make a pilgrimage to the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) in Golden, CO.  I took a bus out to NREL and went to the visitor center.  They have a number of informative displays that break down renewable energy in its various incarnations to an easily comprehensible level.   

(The entry way of the NREL vistor center)

I spoke with Sean McVay, a volunteer, about NREL and his interests.  He is a consultant interested in promoting renewable energy (RE), and pointed out that the visitor center receives visitors of all levels of interest and knowledge regarding RE, from neophytes to experts in the field.

(Above: The NREL facility; Left: A Bergey 1500 Wind Turbine; Below: Volunteer Sean McVay assists NREL visitors)

Although I was not able to visit the actual lab (security is a high priority due to the threat of corporate and foreign spies! Cool!), I did meet an NREL staff member on the bus ride back to Denver.  Noah Weiss, a wacky young biochemical engineer, (who tests and develops biofuels like cellulose, ethane, and biodiesel) told me that decided to pursue a career in renewables after he stayed up late one night during his sophomore year of high school and chose his life path! 

Noah says that everyone needs to really contemplate his or her carbon footprint - that every consumer purchase and lifestyle decision has a "carbon tax" - and learn to adapt our lifestyles to reduce this footprint. 

In other words, we need to be more aware that every magazine we read, every shirt we buy, every bottle of water we drink produces CO2 from its production and transportation.  It's up to us to start making lifestyle choices that reduce the amount of CO2, such as biking instead of driving, drinking local water instead of imported varieties, and using more efficient appliances. 

Noah really earned a special place in my heart when he handed me a token good for a free pint of beer at the Wynkoop Brewery!  Thanks, Noah!

(I'm a proud holder of a Wynkoop "wooden nickel" good for a free handcrafted beer)

Watching the sun go down over a pint of locally produced beer was a satisfying end to a challenging but rewarding day.

I never even heard of organically grown foods until I was in high school, and I never (knowingly) bought any on my own until I was in my late college years.

Pick certified-organic produce at Berry Patch Farms in Brighton, CO.

In that light, it was amazing to see a large group of kids and many families at the Berry Patch Farms near Brighton, CO. 

(The leadership campers chat with farm co-owner, Claudia Ferrell)

In case you are not familiar with this label, "organic" certification on food means it has been grown without the use of synthetic pesticdes, herbicides, or fertilizers for at least three consecutive years as documented by an independent third party.  Being locally grown, it has the added positive environmental impact of reducing fossil fuel use for long-distance transportation.

We talked with some folks from the 100-year old Rocky Mtn. Farmers' Union who run a leadership camp that teaches about farming-related issues and practices from organic cultivation to renewable energy use.  Jennifer, Vanessa, April, and Benjamin shed some light on growing up with agriculture and being aware of healthy (family) farming practices.  They were hip, smart, everyday kids who were experienced in and passionate about sustainable farming.

(Left: Vanessa and April, Camp Leaders; Right: RMFU Dir. of Education Jennifer Bahr and Government Relations Mgr. Benjamin Waters)

We had a great time picking about 30 pounds of fresh strawberries (plus the two pounds I ate!) in the sunny, breezy afternoon.  What sweetened the deal is that my aunt Ruth and cousin Elissa of LaFayette were able to join us in the field!

(Left: Leslie, Elissa, Ruth and I ride back on the tractor; Right: Marshana samples her harvest)

We were able to catch up, pick (and snack on) delicious, fresh fruit and make some friends along the way.  For me it was an ideal Eco Trip odyssey, picking our way to a greener future.

Berry Patch Farms was a fun, wholesome and clean facility with an on-site store, wandering chickens, nice people, and great produce.