Green Streets Initiative

May 29, 2009 Walk/Ride Day Newsletter

Here is a summary of our most recent edition of our newsletter! You can view the articles in full and all of our upcoming events here.

May 2009 Update    Dear Green Streets friends,    This is a great time of year to get out of your car! Even if you are not in an area with formal Walk/Ride Day celebrations, you can celebrate them on your own or start them in your own community. To motivate you, here are a few quotes from notable bicycle enthusiasts:   "To get to know a country, you must have direct contact with the earth. It is futile to gaze at the world through a car window."                         --Albert Einstein   "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride."                         --John F. Kennedy Celebrations come in all shapes and sizes. The key is to celebrate those people who go green already while enticing those who don't to join in. We can help you figure out simple and fun ways to introduce Walk/Ride Days to your community, workplace, school or retail establishment. Harvard Square's Patios in Bloom This Walk/Ride Day is also the Patios in Bloom event in Harvard Square! You can walk your way to good food and special deals at a number of Harvard Square restaurants! Some of the participating restaurants also offer Walk/Ride Day incentives! Participating Walk/Ride Day sponsors include Grendel's Den and Veggie Planet. The event will run throughout the day on Friday, so come for lunch or dinner! Check the Harvard Square website for more information.   Boston's Bike Friday's Start This Month! Boston's signature summer bicycle activity -- Bike Friday -- will be kicking off on the May Walk/Ride Day! This is a great opportunity to give bike commuting a try if you live and/or work in the Boston area. Escorted bike convoys will depart from points outside Boston and descend on City Hall Plaza for free breakfast and entertainment at 7:30 am. Registration is free, but you must register ahead of time for convoys. And stop by the Green Streets table to paint cool stencil designs on your own clothes or bags!   The next Bike Friday Walk/Ride Days are July 31, August 28, and October 30. (There's also a Bike Friday on June 19.)   It's Not Too Late to Receive Zipcar Cash When You Donate to Green Streets!! Don't miss the opportunity to get Zipcar Cash for your donation to Green Streets in the month of April! New Zipcar members receive a dollar-for-dollar match of their Green Streets donations of up to $75 in Zipcar credit, and current members receive up to $50. You can make donations to us on-line, by mail, or in person at the Walk/Ride Day Big Green Party in Harvard Square.    Walkable Cities and Suburbs Would you be willing to get rid of your car in order to live in a special community? That is exactly what some families of Vauban, Germany did! This suburban community is proving that you don't need to own a car in order to live outside of the city. You can read the full article and interesting responses in the New York Times here! You don't have to pack up and move to Germany to find a walkable suburb! You may even already live in one. Click here to read a recent article in the Boston Globe on walkable Boston suburbs!   Please Check In on Walk/Ride Day! Here are some of our recent raffle winners:   Susi Ecker was entered in the Walk/Ride Day Raffle by checking in through our web site. Susi bikes 25 miles a day for her commute to and from work. She takes her bike on the T and even on a recent trip to Portland Oregon! Susi was the recipient of an EMS gift card.   Chris O'Connor was also the lucky recipient of an EMS Gift Card. Chris participated in Walk/Ride Day by walking the 2 miles of his daily commute.     Catherine Allen was the winner of a Green Streets T-shirt. Catherine walked four miles to get to work on Walk/Ride Day.   Beverly Neugeboren also won a Green Streets T-shirt by checking in on-line. Beverly walks to work everyday!   Don't miss out on your chance to win prizes like these as well as many others! Check in here for the May Walk/Ride Day!    And let us know how it goes!!! With best regards, Janie Katz-Christy, Director Green Streets Initiative, Inc. www.GoGreenStreets.org walk-ride-days@comcast.net

April Newsletter #2!

Here is a shortened version of the most recent edition of our newsletter. You can read the articles in their entirety here!

April 2009 Update #2    Dear Green Streets friends,    Happy Earth Week to everyone! Though our April Update went out last week (you can still read it here!), we have a few things to remind y'all about, and some fun news!   Remember to Donate to Green Streets In the Month of April to Receive Zipcar Cash!! Don't miss the opportunity to get ZipCar Cash for your donation to Green Streets in the month of April! New Zipcar members receive a dollar-for-dollar match of their Green Streets donations of up to $75 in Zipcar credit and current members receive up to $50. You can make donations to us on-line, mail them to us, or in person at the Walk/Ride Day Big Green Party in Harvard Sq.   Check-In Online and Join Our Roster of Raffle Winners! Here are just a few of our previous On-Line Check-In Raffle winners:  Tammy De Sola and her son are  won 2 passes to the Omni Theater at the Museum of Science. Seth Molloy won a gift card to Eastern Mountain Sports. Seth traveled by bike on Walk/Ride Day. Rebecca Wish Esche also was the recipient of an EMS Gift Card for entering the Walk/Ride Day On-Line Raffle!      The Healy School Kicks off Walk/Ride Days! The Healy School in Somerville celebrated its first Walk/Ride Day last Friday! The weather was beautiful and everyone was excited to be outside. Two "walking school buses" started from opposite ends of town and made stops along the route to pick up other people. The event was featured in USA Today (click here). Thanks to Shape Up Somerville Coordinator Nicole Rioles and Tufts Tisch Scholar Laura Bernescu, and all the other parents and city staff and others for helping get the event started! Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Holds Environmental Fair  The Green Streets student coordinator at CRLS organized an Environmental Fair in April to help raise awareness on what students can do to help the environment. Green Streets brought paint and supplies for students to decorate their clothes, book bags, and more.

Newsletter: April Vacation Edition

Here is a summary of our most recent edition of our newsletter! You can view the articles in full and all of our upcoming events here.

April 2009 Update

  

Dear Green Streets friends, 

 

It has only been a couple of weeks since our last update, but with School Vacations approaching, we wanted to make sure that everyone got our updates before vacation sets in.

 

Great Big Green Party in Harvard Sq.

Celebrate the culmination of Earth Week with the April Walk/Ride Day Great Big Green Party in Winthrop Park and Winthrop Street in Harvard Square from 11 am - 4 pm... with a "Spring Clean" at 1:00pm.

 

Green Streets will also be on hand with stencils and paint for anyone that wants to decorate their shirts, bags, hats, socks, bike flags, etc. with Walk/Ride Day themes. Give life to old clothes and create a one-of-a-kind look! 

 

The full event details are available on the Harvard Square Business Association web site.

Want to Help?

We need people to help staff the Green Streets table during this event. If you are available to volunteer, please send an email to leah.berger@gmail.com with your availability. Even if it is just during your lunch break, all help is greatly appreciated!

 

Receive Zipcar Cash When you Donate to Green Streets In the Month of April!!
The generous people at Zipcar are teaming up with Green Streets to offer ZipCar Cash to each person that makes a donation to Green Streets in the month of April! New Members can receive up to $75 and Members can receive up to $50 in Zipcar Cash. You can make donations to us on-line, mail them to us, or in person at the Walk/Ride Day Big Green Party in Harvard Sq.

 

Boston Bike Fridays are Coming!

Bike Fridays will be kicking off on the May Walk/Ride Day this year, with July and August Bike Fridays also scheduled for Walk/Ride Days. These escorted rides are a great way to try out bicycle commuting or to meet new people if you're already an avid bicycle commuter. Learn more at Bike Fridays,and click on "Event Details".

Last Chance to Start the '9 in '09  Challenge

The April Walk/Ride Day will be the last chance to get on board with the Challenge if you haven't already done so. Don't miss out on your chance to celebrate active transportation with the Mayor and be entered in the raffle for a new bike! Check In online every month!

 

Go Green During School Vacation

No matter where you are next week on Walk/Ride Day, try to encourage your family to ditch the car! Plan an eco-friendly day of exploration wherever your travels take you. Or if you are taking a "staycation" enjoy a car-free day of commuting.

 

March 2009 Update

Click here to read the March 2009 Newsletter in it's entirety. Below is a preview of what is featured in this month's Newsletter.

  

Dear Green Streets friends, 

 

With the first day of spring just a few days ago, we are happy to share our March news!

 

Decals And Flyers

Green Streets is blooming with new communities popping up and our new decals going up in store windows in the US and the UK. Greenward Eco Boutique was the first to put it up in their window!

In addition to our decals, we have many versions of flyers (see website) available. A Green Streets donor has offered to print flyers for participating businesses and schools. Let us know if you are interested!

Summer Walk/Ride Day Events

With warmer weather just around the corner, Green Streets is planning some exciting late Spring/Summer Walk/Ride Day events. Here's a sampling:

• Walk/Ride Days in the Park: Celebrations in neighborhood parks throughout our host communities are being planned for summer Walk/Ride Days. Please let us know if you'd like us to spread the word about your event!
  
• Patios in Bloom: For May Walk/Ride Day, we will be partnering with the Harvard Square Business Association to hold a progressive event that will lead you to various restaurants and stores in Harvard Square!
• Bike Fridays: Three of this summer's four Bike Fridays are scheduled for Walk/Ride Days: May 29, July 31, & August 28. On Bike Fridays, escorted bike rides from around the Boston area convene on City Hall Plaza for fun free breakfasts. Let us know if you would like to represent Green Streets at these events.

February 2009 Update!

Click here to read entire newsletter!
February 2009 Update

Dear Green Streets friends,    The winter weather continues here in New England, and the Walk/Ride Day message continues to spread! Mayor's "9 in '09" Walk/Ride Day Challenge: Month Two Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons announced her  "9 in '09" Walk/Ride Day Challenge at last month's Walk/Ride Day Breakfast in Harvard Square, and it's not too late to join! Participate in 9 or more Walk/Ride Days in 2009 and join the Mayor for an awards reception with prizes, recognition, and more. Individuals and corporations are invited. Information, forms, and on-line check-in can be found here!   Thanks to Our Wonderful Walk/Ride Day Breakfast Sponsors! Many thanks are due to all the great sponsors that donated tasty food and beverages for last month's Walk/Ride Day Breakfast in Harvard Square! Last month's breakfast was a great success with huge turnout, despite the freezing temperatures. Participating sponsors were: Au Bon Pain Boloco Crema Cafe Dunkin Donuts Finale Desserterie & Bakery Fire & Ice Henrietta's Table JP Licks We would like to extend additional thanks to MassBike, Zipcar, Artist George Lynde, Harvard Square Business Association, Harvard Real Estate Services, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and Mayor E. Denise Simmons.   If you were not able to attend the breakfast, check out the piece Cambridge Community Television created here!   Green Streets Is Spreading Green Streets has experienced a surge of growth recently, as we have been featured in several national publications. We are getting inquiries from across the country and across the ocean!   Walk/Ride Days are being kicked off at Newton North High School by one of the school's seniors. Click here to read her AP Biology paper and her challenge/invitation to our fellow citizens to "Go Green".   The British Consulate in Boston kicked off Walk/Ride Days last month. The Consulate asked employees to "go and wear green," and even brought in locally produced food for employees to enjoy. Read the entire story here.       Wainwright Bank to Carry GS Buttons The new Green Streets buttons were a popular item at the Walk/Ride Day Breakfast last month and now Wainwright Bank in Harvard Square will be selling them at their One Brattle Square branch. Other locations will carry them in future months. If you're a retail sponsor interested in carrying Green Streets buttons, let us know!  More New Walk/Ride Day Sponsors! There are several new retail Walk/Ride Day sponsors, including restaurants, vintage bike stores, book stores, tax prep offices, yoga retreats, sports clubs, and car sharing services. Be sure to check our web site often for the new listings!   Boston Globe Article Click here to read an interesting article by Derrick Z. Jackson in February 24's edition on the value of public transportation.   Stay warm and stay in touch!   With best regards, Janie Katz-Christy, Director Green Streets Initiative, Inc. www.GoGreenStreets.org walk-ride-days@comcast.net

January 30, 2009 Walk/Ride Day, Free Breakfast in Harvard Square and Update

Click here to read whole update!

January 2009 Update

  

Dear Green Streets friends, 

 

The new year has started with a bang here at Green Streets, and we have a lot exciting things to share with you.

FREE WALK/RIDE DAY BREAKFAST IN HARVARD SQUARE! THIS FRIDAY, January 30, Holyoke Center and Forbes Plaza, 1350 Massachusetts Avenue (near Au Bon Pain), 7AM - 9AM. Indoor and outdoor! Special goodies and raffles for those who go green and wear green (but open to all)!

 

This event, enthusiastically sponsored by the Harvard Square Business Association, is the first of its kind. The HSBA would like to sponsor additional Walk/Ride Day events throughout the year.

• Spread the word with your preferred method.  Download a flyer or blurbs to use in your listserves, in-house emails, or newsletters.
  
• Make arrangements to bring family, meet friends, colleagues at the event! Dignitaries from the city and Green Streets patrons will be there -- it will be a wonderful, festive event, whatever the weather!

January 10th Meeting A Huge Success

Green Streets Meeting Notes

January 10, 2009

Thanks to

• extremely generous donations from Pemberton Market, Iggy's Bakery, and and the new Zing Pizza for providing delicious food for the meeting!

• Cambridge Cohousing for opening your doors to Green Streets!

• generous raffle donors: Urban Adventours, EMS, Sam Davis, and Bonnie's Landscape!

• And to Nicole Rioles for these notes.

Attendees

Aviva Argote
Pixie Christy
Bob Cowherd
John Cuetara
Nicole Rioles
Hilary Celentano
Lucy Edmondson
Paul Elwood
Mark Gottlieb
James Gray
Tamar Haber-Shaim
Lauren Hefferon
Trish Hogan
Jane Irwin
Janie Katz-Christy
Molly Katz-Christy
Sam Katz-Christy
Bruce Kulik
George Lynde
Trish Marti
Katie Matthews
Alan Moore
Patty Nolan
Madhvi Patil
Rob Riman
Laura Smeaton
Amy Tighe
Peter Traversy
Anita Yip

Discussion

Green Streets is growing: new activities in: West Bridgford, Nottingham, UK; Portland, ME; and in regional cities in MA, including Stoneham and Newton. Many other towns also quite interested.

Walk/Ride Day is growing in communities tied to Safe Routes to School funding; Stoneham and Newton represent 2 of the 4 funded communities for this work.

Unofficially, there are members of congress who are planning to start Walk/Ride Day participation in Congress. Stay tuned!

Jan. 30^th Walk/Ride Day celebrated in Harvard Sq. with a hot breakfast from 7:30-9:00AM in Holyoke Center. Breakfast is sponsored by the Harvard Sq. Small Business Association

Idea: host quarterly breakfasts that can draw in commuters, shoppers, students into a dense square or neighborhood hub for a nice grassroots collective. W/R participants will feel part of an event or happening and local small business owners can potentially glean new/future customers through the events.

Group recommended that the Jan. 30 Walk/Ride Harvard Sq breakfast be promoted through all the schools with posters, flyers, and information. Janie promises to email flyer and poster to the group for distribution and dissemination.

Group recommended advertising in the Gazette and the Crimson- two locally circulated papers in Harvard Sq.

Janie showed the group the new decal and card designs, which everyone loved. All were designed by Colin Barr, who is fantastic to work with.

Green Streets buttons: 6 buttons have been designed with active commuting themes. Suggestions ranged from selling the 6 buttons as a group for $10 to selling the buttons online through Green Streets page and/or other sites like Cafe Press and others. They will be for sale at the January 30 breakfast.

Mayor of Cambridge has promised an award for people who participate in all 12 Walk/Ride Days throughout the calendar year. Any prizes are still undetermined, but the Mayor's office has said she'd like to have a reception honoring those who do! There was some talk about designing a t-shirts for people who participate in all 12 Walk/Ride Days.

Pete said he could produce 15-20 posters at work that could be used/reused with the dates changed for schools and others. He also said he would look into putting Green Streets stuff, including pins, onto CafePress website.

George is making a game/quiz about Cambridge's bike parking for this coming Walk/Ride Day. He made a design for bike parking display / Ferris wheel design, that he wanted to integrate with Walk/Ride Day. He was also in touch with architect Keith Moskow who designed another one, estimated at $750K and remains "theoretical." George was considering making a cardboard mock-up of Keith's design.

George is contributing to an art show (beginning April 9, 2009) at the City Hall Annex in Cambridge (Broadway at Inman) George is designing a game/poster for both events, which will look at Bike Parking.

Janie is looking for a Cambridge coordinator to take on Green Streets Initiative work 10-15 hours per week.

There will be bike parking events in Davis Square in May to promote biking and Walk/Ride Day. Theme will include prominent bike racks in key square areas, including a few on street car park spaces.

Arlington would like to participate in Walk/Ride Day with the schools but is facing challenges including the fact that biking is not sanctioned by the administration and bikes are not accommodated on school property. Arlington is looking to built political support and goodwill towards biking.

Please review these notes and let us know if you have anything to add or change. Thank you.

December (Last Walk/Ride Day of 2008!) Update

Click here to read the rest of our December, 2008 e-newsletter! Here's an excerpt:

Walk/Ride Days are spreading!

• To Newton and Stoneham, MA: Thanks to WalkBoston's Community Safe Routes to Schools Program, these two towns have agreed to participate in Walk/Ride Days. The Safe Routes Program is funded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. For more information, contact Jean Fulkerson of Newton or Hilary Celentano of Stoneham.

• To West Bridgford, Nottingham, ENGLAND! Walk/Ride Days are being planned now, with a planning meeting January 7 and a kick-off on the April Walk/Ride Day. The effort is being spearheaded by Karina Wells, of Transition Town West Bridgford

• GRANTS: Green Streets is happy to be the recipient of two recent grants. One is from the Cambridge Community Foundation. In the other, Green Streets is part of a project proposed by the City of Somerville's Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Program, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
  
• DECALS: Window decals are in the final stages of design. They'll be available early in 2009!
  
• PLEDGES, BUTTONS, SPECIAL EVENTS: These and many more will be discussed and debuted at our upcoming meeting/party on January 10 (see Calendar below).
  

November 2008 Walk/Ride Day Update

Click here to read our November news!

October Updates!

Click here to read the whole Early October Update, click here to read the later October (coincidentally on Halloween!) update and sign in here to receive upcoming newsletters!

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Early October 2008 Update

Dear Green Streets friends,

 

  EVENTS... a few we recommend!

• Next weekend: "RECLAIM THE STREETS FOR HORNS, BIKES AND FEET" PARADE! (IT'S REALLY FUN!)

October 12, 12-2PM (meet at 11:15am)

Join Green Streets, the OpenAir Circus, and other community groups, along with the Honk! festival's 24 brass bands in a massive procession from Davis to Harvard Square!  Click here for more info. And email us if you'd like to learn beforehand how to stilt!