As an avid runner, I’m always thrilled when drivers of cars going by give you that extra bit of space…you can almost always tell the drivers that are runners themselves, by the degree of latitude (courtesy) they provide - and likewise for courtesy and safety as well, I try to keep to the sidewalk or roadside as much as possible when cars approach.
Well if you are training for the LA Marathon, or plan to attend the race or events related to it, you can now find other like-minded individuals to carpool with to get there via the LA Marathon and LA Roadrunners custom PickupPal Rideshare Groups pages on PickupPal.com.
Running in California sounds pretty nice right now, particularly when my 10 mile training run on the weekend involved freezing sleet and high winds…
Thanks LA Marathon folks, for carpooling with PickupPal - great way to make getting there easier and more eco-friendly for your racers and volunteers!! We wish you every success as the race rapidly approaches. Only 75 days to go!
The CFL is dedicated to making the annual Grey Cup game more eco-friendly, through their Green Drive initiative.
Of course at PickupPal we strive to connect like-minded people who wish to reduce their carbon footprint while making it easier and more fun to get where they are going.
So whether you are planning a cross-country tour to get to Calgary for the game or a cross-town adventure, do it the eco-friendly way and use PickupPal to share a ride:
In a positive move for the environment, and drivers of hybrid and electric vehicles, the Ontario Government has introduced a new green license plate signifying that the owner can drive in HOV lanes without the need for passengers:
Electric vehicles with the plates will be able to travel in the province’s carpool lanes until 2015 — even if only one person is in the vehicle.
Owners of eligible vehicles can also use recharging stations at GO Transit and other provincially owned parking lots. Owners of those vehicles will also have access to special parking spots at University of Toronto, some Wal-Mart locations, and at other private companies.
There have been great debates in the U.S. and Canada over the costs/value/usage of HOV lanes, and over the best way to administer them for maximum effectiveness in terms of reducing traffic congestion and encouraging more eco-friendly travel.
The facts are clear though. There are approx. 500 million cars on the road in North America, generating upwards of 1 billion trips per day. More than 75% of those trips are single occupant. And the worst part? The resulting traffic congestion costs the U.S. over $200 billion per year in lost productivity due to the 3 billion+ hours a year we all spend sitting in traffic, making loving gestures at each other.
Our habit of driving alone has made traffic rapidly outstrip our capacity to build infrastructure to support it.
We live in an incentive driven world, and with the proper incentives, HOV Lanes are a great way of modifying our behaviour to make life easier, more productive and more eco-friendly.
While I applaud the government for pushing a green agenda with this move, the onus is now on those hybrid and electric vehicle drivers to share some seats in their cars and help to reduce traffic congestion as well.
PickupPal is thrilled to be associated with Sierra Club’s newest online initiative, Climate Crossroads.
The Sierra Club, as the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization in the U.S. (with more than 700,000 members), has a very long and proud history of protecting and sustaining our eco-system.
Here is a description of this innovative and very useful service:
ClimateCrossroads.org fuses social-networking opportunities with fresh environmental journalism and authoritative global warming expertise — giving it the ability to connect users with a wealth of multimedia information, expert opinions, and each other. ClimateCrossroads.org, created by the Sierra Club, is the go-to site for people eager –after eight years of inaction on global warming — to share ideas, information, opinions and opportunities to make real and urgent progress on climate change.
This Saturday is the International Day of Climate Action. Lets hope it is a day that will long be remembered as the time when science and society finally acted in unison to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere!
Scientists say that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity. We are above that level now, and need to act together globally to reduce it.
350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis–the solutions that science and justice demand.
On October 24th, groups of people around the world will gather to act on climate change - rallys, biking, walks, school projects etc.
We hope if any of these International Day of Climate Action events involve driving, that 350.org event organizers will organize a carpool for it. Easy to do at PickupPal Groupshttp://groups.pickuppal.com
Having just completed the 300 mile Brita Climate Ride, which finished in Washington, D.C., I can tell you that it is one of THE most amazing cities to bike through! The combination of Rails To Trails routes and monumental buildings left me awestruck.
Here is a message from one of our partners:
“Bike DC is a noncompetitive bike ride held on Saturday, October 17, 2009. It is your one opportunity each year to enjoy our Capital, our community in a very special way by bicycle on car-free streets. See the expected in a new light: the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the White House, Embassy Row, the Pentagon, the Marine Corps and Air Force memorials. And explore the unexpected: the George Washington Parkway, Twin Oaks Estate, the Whitehurst Freeway and much more.
Join with your family and friends through a car-free District of Columbia and Arlington. There is a family friendly 12 mile route and a more challenging 25 mile option. Kids under the age of 15 ride for FREE!
Bike DC’s principle beneficiaries are the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and the American Heart Association. To register, visit the website www.bikedc.net”
So far the greatest thing about this 300 mile trek to Washington, DC has been meeting SO many dedicated, smart people who are committed to interesting and valuable projects in sustainability.
Today riding through Amish country I think everyone was struck with a couple of thoughts:
1. How does the climate change msg get effectively communicated to such a wide variety of people and cultures in the world so as to compel people to action?
2. We all can take a page out of the Amish book and simplify our lives by reducing our consumer appetite, even in small ways.
Here are some of the many many interesting people actually on the ride who are doing amazing things:
David Kroodsma - biked 21,000 miles from US to southern tip of South America to raise awareness for climate change and experience first hand those changes.
Elliott May - with Reverb.org, the non-profit environmental organization that helps musicians green their concert tours all across North America, significantly reducing their carbon footprint.
Fernando Migliassi - startup venture in the area of Biochar - more updates on this to follow, something completely natural that could replace synthgetic fertiizer.
Alison Gannett - extreme skier and founder of Save Our Snow, taking the climate change message around the world, having experienced first hand retreating glaciers and what that means to our worlds water supply.
Roz Savage - ocean rower from the UK who has solo rowed across the Atlantic and took a break from her journey across the Pacific to Australia to join the Climate Ride. She is taking her life-changing experience and compelling others to action all over the world.
Kristen & daughter Isabelle riding a tandem bike - what a phenomenal way to broaden the perspective of your early teens children!
Overriding messages:
1. Small things matter - individuals can do so many no cost or low cost things to make a positive impact.
2. Corporations are slowly turning the sustainability corner - smart ones realizing there are huge cost savings or profit opportunities to be realized, but consumers still not pushing them hard enough through educated choices.
The good news for PickupPal and Dave Matthews Band fans everywhere just keeps on coming!!!
Subway Restaurants and Coke have combined forces to sponsor PickupPal ridesharing to the Dave Matthews Concert at Tinley Park on September 26th.
Here is the official statement:
“Coca-Cola, Subway and Dave Matthews Band invite you to Eat Fresh and Live Green. You can go green and meet fellow Dave Matthews Fans at select Subway locations in the Chicagoland area to share a ride to the September 26 Dave Matthews Band Concert at First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL!”
CLICK HERE to sign up for the PickupPal DMB ride share program.
SPECIAL OFFER:Those who meet at participating Subway Restaurants are entitled to a Regular 6″ Fresh Value Meal for $5 (regular 6″ sub, 21oz fountain drink or FUZE tea and chips or 2 cookies).
PickupPal is committed to creating partnerships such as this that bring value to our community including PickupPal users and partners.
Yes, it’s true! PickupPal is a ridesharing partner for the Live Nation U2 360° Tour. PickupPal created a site for the Tour, so that anyone going to show that does not have access to public transport can now easily hook up with others and share a ride to help reduce emissions and limit traffic congestion. Sign up and share a ride to the Live Nation U2 360° Tour at: http://U2.pickuppal.com
PickupPal is working with Effect Partners, the greening organization selected by Live Nation to analyze the carbon footprint of the tour and provide the band with recommendations on how to best reduce and offset CO2 generated by the Tour.
The band plans to offset all CO2 generated and is already implementing measures to help reduce it as the Tour progresses, including the use of carpooling with PickupPal.
“Actually the majority of the carbon footprint of a huge tour like U2’s is from all the fans that travel from all over the Earth to see them. Sure the band has a footprint but we all do if we are living. At least they are trying to do something about it. What are you doing if you are a fan?”
Well said! We’re absolutely thrilled to be a part of this monumental show as one of the “rubber hits the road” greening initiatives!
Brent
PickupPal Business Development
brent at pickuppal.com
It is almost soul-stirring when you look at the innovation that has gone into the building of Independence Station, described as “The World’s Greenest Building”.
I immediately thought of the International Space Station when I first heard about this project by Aldeia Development, based in Independence, Oregon.
Why?
Because of the ingenuity, collaboration and iconic view of the future that they both represent.
Aldeia set out to use every available green building technology in order to make Independence Station the greenest building, according to the LEED rating system. They are targeting to achieve a rating of 64 to 66 points out of a possible 69 when the building is completed in 2010.
In addition to solar panels, the 57,000 square foot mixed use facility uses radiant floor heating & cooling, a rainwater catchment system, and even re-uses an old tugboat engine for backup power purposes (runs on vegetable oil).
And yes, Independence Station also offers PickupPal, as an Alternative Transportation method (qualifies for LEED credit!) for it’s residents and workers.
We wish Aldeia every success as they complete this project in 2010. They are clearly a leader in green building and in the New Space Race: The race to put our perceived limitations aside, and work together to embrace the green innovations and technologies that are rapidly emerging.
Brent
PickupPal Business Development
brent at pickuppal.com
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