on Instagram
“What happens when the kids get too big to ride back there?” you ask. Easy: they get to ride their own bikes alongside Mom!
Hat tip to Han Broekman for sharing.
Category Archives: Biking/Walking
Hudson River Ramble activities: bike, hike, boat, play, sightsee
16 years of fall activities bring thousands out to enjoy the Hudson River Ramble and Hudson Valley in southern New York State. Take a look at through the activity choices in the website and Guidebook and head out to enjoy the culture and natural beauty of this region. There’s truly something for everyone.
Every September, participation continues to grow. ‘Ramblers’ come not only from the Hudson Valley region and New York State, but from other regions of the country as well to discover the riches our Valley has to offer. Whether you are interested in a challenging hike, bike ride or paddle, an inspiring walk through the grounds and homes of some of the Valley’s most notable artists, authors, and Great Americans, a trip back in time to experience the significant role the region played in the Revolutionary War, or a family-fun festival or river exploration event, the Hudson River Valley Ramble truly offers something for everyone!
What is polluted urban air doing to exerciser’s bodies?
New York metro environmental specialist Dr. Ana I. Baptista muses, “This story and study on how much air pollution we take in while exerting ourselves raises interesting questions for EJ communities.”
From the WNYC article on air pollution and exercise:
Fine particles, many of which are made up of black carbon, are linked to a wide array of heart, respiratory and other health problems. Using statistical models, city health officials estimate fine particles cause more than 2,000 premature deaths and 6,000 emergency room visits and hospitalizations each year. Most of those are in vulnerable populations: the very young, the very old, and people with conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease and hypertension.
But actually measuring fine particles, particularly at the level of specific streets, is tricky. Measuring how many of them get into the lungs is even trickier. And linking that exposure to health outcomes is trickier still.
If you’re interested in participating in the WNYC – Columbia U exercise study on this health issue, sign up here.
Menstruation Activists spread the word: healthy menstrual products are also eco-friendly
Would you believe there’s something called Menstruation Activism – and that women who promote it via Sustainable Cycles are cycling across the United States to bring awareness to women everywhere about menstruation products that are healthier for us and better for the environment?
The Guardian report on menstruation products shares excellent information on what’s being done around the world to bring this universally taboo subject into the light. It should be easy to discuss and address the health and environmental concerns that are associated with ‘female hygiene’, as it’s a subject that affects 50% of the world’s population directly … and the environmental problems caused by unsustainable products affect everyone.
What a revolutionary idea. I love it!
Should Bergen County’s Bike Path be useful for commuters? Comments now being accepted.
ESPAÑOL (English below)
Los municipios adyacentes a la Ciclovía de Bergen County están creando un plan para conectar la vía con los destinos y municipios locales y están recopilando información sobre las necesidades de los usuarios de la vía. ¡Esto es una gran idea! Pero, la ciclovía tradicionalmente se ha utilizado principalmente para la recreación. Si usted desee que el camino también sea de gran utilidad para los que viajan hacía y desde la escuela o el trabajo ¡alce la voz! Hay dos opciones para comunicar su opinión:
- Asistir al foro público y expresar su opinión:
Jueves 16 de abril 2015 4-7 pm
Elmwood Park Recreation Center
500 Boulevard (esquina Market Street)
Elmwood Park, NJ - Usted también puede compartir información electrónicamente en http://centralbergenbikewalk.com e inscribirse en la lista de correo electrónico para recibir actualizaciones sobre el proceso de planificación. Comentários sometidos a través del 31 de mayo se incluirán en el reporte final.
- Cuando estás dibujando su ruta cuidado de no cliquear en la casilla de “Snap to Route” – como no funciona.
- Tenga en cuenta que su viaje en la ciclovía puede incluir un viaje en autobús también. Muchos de los estudiantes de Bergen Community College, por ejemplo, viajan al Garden State Plaza Mall por bus y de allá podrían llegar al college utilizando a la ciclovía (algunos buses llevan portabicicletas por delante).
- Es posible comentar en otras rutas que fueron sometidas por demás personas.
ENGLISH
Municipalities around the Bergen County Bike + Walk Path are creating a plan to connect the path with adjacent local destinations and towns and they are collecting user input. This is a great idea! But, the path has traditionally been used mainly for recreation. If you believe the path should also be highly useful for commuters traveling to and from school or work, please make your voice heard. You can do this in two ways:
- Attend the Final Open House meeting and voice your opinion on:
Thursday 16 April 2015 4–7pm
Elmwood Park Recreation Center
500 Boulevard (corner of Market Street)
Elmwood Park, NJ - You can also give input electronically at http://centralbergenbikewalk.com and put your name on the mailing list to receive updates. Comments received through May 31 will be included in the final report.
- Please note that giving input requires registration (e-mail and username only). Also, make sure not to click the “snap to route” box because it doesn’t work right.
- Remember that you might want to ride the bus to Garden State Plaza Mall, for example, and bike from there to Bergen Community College, the Golf Course or Paramus Catholic High School. A growing number of buses have front-mounted bike racks.
- You can also comment on routes drawn by other people.
Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossom Festival is now!
The 39th Annual Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival will be highlighted by the planting of 1,000 new cherry blossom trees, solidifying Essex County’s position as having larger and more diverse collection than the national display in Washington, DC. The festival begins with the Cherry Blossom Challenge Bicycle Race on Saturday, April 11th and concludes with the bus tour’s final trip through the park on Wednesday, April 22.
“The colorful display of the cherry blossoms throughout Branch Brook Park will be greatly enhanced with the planting of an additional 1,000 trees. When we started our replanting program seven years ago, it was always our goal to have our collection reach 5,000 trees. This will make the transformation each spring more dramatic and ensure the Cherry Blossoms remain a feature of Branch Brook,” County Executive DiVincenzo said. The project is being funded through the Essex County Capital Budget.
The Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival includes the following events:
Cherry Blossom Challenge Annual Bike Race
Saturday 11 April 2015
7am – 1pm
Essex County Branch Brook Park
Heller Parkway, Newark NJ
Race through Branch Brook Park in the Cherry Blossom Challenge, a competitive New Jersey tradition, or cheer on the cyclists while enjoying a day in the fresh, spring air. Various races occur throughout the morning, with the first race at 7am and the last race at 12 Noon. Registration fees apply to racers. It’s free to enter the park and watch.
Cherry Blossom 10K Run
Sunday 12 April 2015
Registration: 8am
10K Race: 10am
Race for the Disabled: 10:10am
Essex County Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossom Center
Mill Street, Newark NJRun through the historic cherry tree groves in this race that is sanctioned by the USATF. A portion of the race proceeds benefit the Special Olympics. Online registration can be done at www.compuscore.com. Same day registration begins at 8am Advanced registration is recommended. Race starts at 10am Disabled Run starts at 10:10am It’s free to enter the park and watch.
1-Mile Fun Run and Walk
Saturday 18 April 2015
8am Registration
10am Race
Essex County Branch Brook Park Southern Division
Prudential Concert Grove, Newark NJ
Celebrate the arrival of spring and get fit with your family or friends. Children are encouraged to run individually or as a member of a school team. Schools and groups must register in advance by calling 973-268-3500. This is a free event. All participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt.
Essex County Family Day
Saturday 18 April 2015
11am – 3pm
Essex County Branch Brook Park
Southern Division, Prudential Concert Grove, Newark NJ
The public is encouraged to come out and enjoy an afternoon of family-fun with a variety of events including live performances, children’s activities, a fishing derby and more. Bring your own picnic lunch or purchase food from vendors who will be on site and enjoy the picturesque views overlooking the lake. Admission is free but food and other merchandise will be for sale.
Bloomfest
Sunday 19 April 2015
11am – 5pm
Essex County Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossom Center
Mill Street, Newark NJ
Enjoy a family day in the pink park! A packed schedule of events includes cultural demonstrations, children’s activities, live music, a crafter’s marketplace, food and more. Winners from the “Why My Essex County Park is Important to Me” essay contest for 4th graders and “Cherry Blossom Poster Contest” for 6th graders will be recognized on stage. Admission is free; food and merchandise will be for sale.
Cherry Blossom Guided Trolley Tours
15 through 22 of April on the hour
No tours will be given on Sunday, April 19
Depart from: Essex County Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossom Welcome Center
Mill Street, Newark NJ
Have knowledgeable guides take you on a 45-minute journey and point out 120 years of history hidden within Essex County Branch Brook Park’s structure and design. Tours leave from the Essex County Cherry Blossom Welcome Center on the hour. Tickets are $5 person and can be purchased at the Welcome Center on the tour dates. Space is limited – first come, first served. Call 973-268-3506 to inquire about group tour bookings.
Cellphone Tours – free and on demand with your own cellphone
Visitors to Essex County Branch Brook Park can enjoy a self-guided tour by dialing 973-433-9047 and following the prompts or by using their Smart Phone to scan the bar codes at each of the 72 locations to connect to a short history of the park and horticultural information.
More Information
History, driving directions, a complete list of activities and a web cam where the public can monitor the cherry trees for the peak of the bloom season can be accessed by visiting www.essexcountynj.org and clicking on the Cherry Blossom banner at the top of the home page or call 973-268-3500. General information about the park lives at the Branch Brook Park Alliance website.
The Essex County Park System is the first county park system in the country. It is the thought child of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted – who created Central Park in New York City – and was designed by his sons, the Olmsted Brothers.
December 2013 Green & Sustainable Activities in NNJ
Donate your junked cellphone to a victim of domestic violence
1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence. You can help change that. Just mail in a junked cell phone by Thursday, January 9. It’ll raise funds to help survivors of domestic violence.
Green Drinks Newark 1st Mondays | 7-9pm
December: 02 Dec 2013
Agave Mexican Restaurant
118 Pacific St, Newark, NJ | 973-732-4168
Street parking
Green Drinks Hackensack 2nd Mondays | 7-9pm
December: 09 Dec 2013
Villa de Colombia
12 Mercer Street, Hackensack, NJ
Parking if restaurant lot is full:
Weekdays after 7 across street in jewelry business parking lot
Weekends in Salvation Army lot on the corner of Mercer & State Streets
Green Drinks Clifton-Paterson (this location has no fixed monthly date or spot for now)
December: Tues 17 Dec 2013 | 7-9pm
Sultan Restaurant
429 Crooks Avenue, Clifton NJ (on the Paterson border)
Safe street parking
New Jersey Safe Routes to School Coalition/NJ Network meeting
Tues 10 Dec 2013 | 10am – 12pm
Bloustein School in Room 113 | 33 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ
Please RSVP
WILMA SUBRA on Gas Infrastructure at Ramapo College
Wed 11 Dec 2013, 9:30-11:30am
RCNJ in Friends Hall
More and parking pass
Like The Greenwei on Facebook!
Green Drinks in 3 No Jersey enviro justice cities in December. Come talk sustainability!
Green Drinks are not a type of drink – that’s just our name! Green Drinks meets monthly in three north Jersey cities – we hold informal gatherings bringing people together to chat over food about green and sustainable issues relevant to our lives and communities. Green Drinks meetings are open! Everyone is welcome and there is no admission fee. Pay for the food and drinks you order at the restaurants where we meet – each location serves good food at moderate prices.
Discussion themes this month
- Replacing New Jersey’s climate change denying congressman – Scott Garrett
- Collecting toys, clothing, coats and money for holiday gifts
- Alternative fuel vehicles for personal and municipal use
- Growing the Green Drinks community in 2014!
Green Drinks Newark 1st Mondays | 7-9pm
December: 02 Dec 2013
Agave Mexican Restaurant
118 Pacific St, Newark, NJ | 973-732-4168
Street parking
Green Drinks Hackensack 2nd Mondays | 7-9pm
December: 09 Dec 2013
Villa de Colombia
12 Mercer Street, Hackensack, NJ
Parking if restaurant lot is full:
Weekdays after 7 across street in jewelry business parking lot
Weekends in Salvation Army lot on the corner of Mercer & State Streets
Green Drinks Clifton-Paterson (this location has no fixed date or spot for now)
December: Tues, 17 Dec 2013 | 7-9pm
Sultan Restaurant
429 Crooks Avenue, Clifton NJ (on the Paterson border)
Safe street parking
New report shows people of color want more cycling equity
The New Majority: Pedaling Towards Equity, a joint report released on May 29, 2013 by the League of American Bicyclists and the Sierra Club, shows that
85% of people of color (African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American and mixed race) have a positive view of bicyclists and 71% say their community would be a better place to live if bicycling were safer and more comfortable.
It is safer to bike in white neighborhoods than communities of color, where there is less access to bicycles and more bicycle and pedestrian crashes. The report,
… underlines stories of powerful local efforts of communities organizing to address these issues, opening up new lanes to cycling in communities often overlooked by traditional transportation planners and cycling advocates … and … uncovers stories and data that point to consistent disparities and inequities in the manner in which people of color, women and youth — including groups that are bicycling at higher rates and have more to gain in terms of bike benefits — are engaged in bicycling-related matters. For example, data gathered by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition revealed that neighborhoods with the highest percentage of people of color had a lower distribution of cycling facilities — and areas with the lowest median household income ($22,656 annually) were also the areas with the highest number of bicycle and pedestrian crashes.
Green Drinks September 2012
In September, Green Drinks discusses
- How to Save the Internet and advocate for an open internet
- Why fracking has such a disastrous impact on our national/local water supplies and why this practice should be ended
- How to build healthy, bikeable/walkable communities
SAVING THE INTERNET & NET NEUTRALITY
Open internet access is one of the great freedom fights of our time. We have to use it so we don’t lose it. This is now a standard topic of discussion at every Green Drinks 3 event. See more at http://thewei.com/kimi/verizon-wants-to-control-your-internet-keep-them-out/
FRACKING AWARENESS RESOURCES & ACTIONS
- http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/fracking/fracking-action-center/
- Global Frackdown http://www.globalfrackdown.org/
- http://shalegasoutrage.org/ NJ & Philly on 20 Sept 2012
Newark Green drinks
Meets 1st Mondays at Rio Rodizio Newark except on major holidays.
1st Monday this month was Labor Day, so we didn’t meet.
Hackensack Green Drinks
Monday, 10 Sept 2012 7-9pm (and 2nd Mondays)
At Victor’s Maywood Inn, 122 W. Pleasant Avenue, Maywood NJ
Hackensack Green Drinks will be joined by members of 350.org and Food & Water Watch who will discuss climate actions and tell us about fracking teach-ins happening in September.
Paterson-Clifton Green Drinks
Tuesday, 18 September 2012 7-9 pm (and 3rd Tuesdays)
The Sultan Restaurant, 429 Crooks Avenue, Clifton NJ (outside if the weather’s nice)
Where to find us
Green Drinks 3 http://greendrinks3.org/
Like us on Facebook https://www.fb.com/thegreenwei/
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenwei
Other events and actions
In solidarity with the Global Frackdown Actions taking place, September is Green Drinks 3 Fracking Awareness month.
FRACKING AWARENESS & ACTIONS
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/fracking/fracking-action-center/
Global Frackdown http://www.globalfrackdown.org/
http://shalegasoutrage.org/ NJ & Philly on 20 Sept. 2012
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99% SPRING GROUP MEMBERS are welcome at any Green Drinks meeting. We discuss action plans and volunteer opportunities at most Green Drinks events.
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Help Protect National Forests
America’s national forests provide essential habitat for lynx, grizzlies and other wildlife — and clean water for millions of Americans. Yet new rules could threaten the sanctity of these special places, paving the way for more logging and more destructive development on our national forests. Help protect these special places. Sign the petition online at: http://dfnd.us/vYt93D
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Prevent racism from blocking the Latino & Black vote
Watch the 4 minute video by Van Jones’ Rebuild the American Dream team
http://thewei.com/kimi/racist-romney-gop-move-to-block-the-latino-black-vote/ )
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SHOE DONATIONS FOR HAITI
Collected at Stride Rite Wyckoff location ONLY
Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm
319 Franklin Ave, Wyckoff NJ
Stride Rite of Wyckoff is accepting worn/used shoes, children’s and adults for donation. All donations are sent to Haiti. We have received hundreds of pairs of shoes to date, but the need is much greater.
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After Rio+20: Moving Beyond 2015
RSVP at http://j.mp/rio20plus
15-19 OCT 2012 (9am – 5pm only)
COST: FREE
Ramapo College, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ
In the campus Student Center Room SC 137
The speakers for this event series are all key players from Civil Society Organizations and from the United Nations, collectively engaged in planning for a post-Rio+20 future. The purpose of the workshop series is to lay out the framework for a road map to plan for a Global Citizens Movement to help us move beyond the major United Nations Rio+20 conference held earlier this year in June.
In this intensive workshop, the many dimensions of the UN Conference in Rio de Janeiro will be explored, and a coherent path forward will be charted.
As you may be aware, by most conventional accounts, Rio+20 was at least a disappointment, if not a failure. We argue that real, path-breaking, and innovative solutions began to emerge from the grassroots level out, and we will present many dimensions of these solutions, as well as strategize a way forward into a more sustainable future.
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Support the Ramapough Indians.
Tell the EPA to clean up Ford’s mess in Ringwood.
Journalist Jan Barry started the research on the tragic and intentional pollution of a housing development which was home to members of a tribe of Ramapough Indians in Ringwood, NJ, and collaborated with HBO to create Mann v. Ford, a moving documentary about the crushing impact this has had on the health of tribe members as well as the water source for the entire region.
The site was prematurely de-listed by the EPA from its Superfund cleanup status, and several years later became the first site to be listed for a second time. Ford has resisted taking responsibility for the poisonous effects on tribe members of the toxic paint sludge it trucked in under cover of nightfall every day for many years, and has also resisted funding the cost of cleanup.
Make sure the EPA knows you support the clean-up of the Ramapough Indians by (Action 1) signing the Change.org petition and (Action 2) sending a letter to the EPA. Petition and sample letter available at
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Click to give Hackensack Riverkeeper the chance to win a grant from Chase Community Giving
(must have a Facebook account)
Click on http://j.mp/gd4hrk2012
Click on “VOTE”
Click Accept the APP
Click “VOTE” again and a pop-up window should appear.
You get two votes, so use your second vote for any other organization
How can you get extra votes to vote for us?
• Share the special link you get with your Facebook friends – you may get an extra vote. (Make sure you use both of your original 2 votes so you can use the extra vote)
• Chase customers automatically get two more votes by logging in from the Chase Community Giving home page accessible through the Chase website
Learn more about Hackensack Riverkeeper’s amazing ecological advocacy and nature tours and cleanups at http://hackensackriverkeeper.org
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Click to give Morris County Hispanic-American Chamber of Commerce the chance to win $30,000
(You get 10 votes just for having an email address)
Click on http://j.mp/mchaccvoh
MCHACC was selected as a Voices of Health finalist for its commitment to the health of ethnic minority individuals in the northern New Jersey area. Learn more about the chamber at http://mchacc.org.
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OUR SPONSOR
MENTION GREEN DRINKS FOR 20% OFF Online or at the store
Eco Galleria at the Historic Oradell Train Station
400 Maple Avenue, Oradell, NJ
201-447-GIFT (4438)
http://www.ecogalleria.com
Eco Galleria carries fun or fine items handcrafted by artists from throughout the Americas in many price ranges. Including eco-friendly jewelry, pottery, glass, wood, fiber, watches, bags and more. Call ahead to have your gift boxed, wrapped and ready for pick-up or shop online at http://ecogalleria.com
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Interested in sponsoring Green Drinks? If you have a good cause or service, we have a contact base of about 6000 that can learn about your through our meeting announcements. Contact Kimi for information mailto:kimi@thewei.com or 862-203-8814
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