Brita Climate Ride California - Sept. 21-25, 2010 - 5 days - 320 miles

In this issue Read Climate Ride coverage in the blogosphere: Treehugger, 1Sky, The Lazy Environmentalist The Seaweed Rebel and Top USGS Climate Scientist Join the Ride Learn more about our unique Expert Speaker Series.  It's one thing to sit in a conference, it's another thing to RIDE in one!   It's July.  Can I still sign up? Want to help?  Check out our Wish List!	Can I do one simple thing to help Climate Ride?  Yes! Forward this message to a friend! Things are heating up in the Climate Ride world (but in a good way!).  Blake, our ride director, is hosting a training ride in San Francisco this weekend (click here for details).  Inspiring speakers are coming on board.  Not only do they "walk the walk" in the world of climate and energy, they RIDE the RIDE!  Remember, the ride is limited to 150 riders!  Click here to get your spot on Climate Ride.
David worked as a war correspondent in Northern Ireland and Central America, covered a range of issues from military science to the AIDS epidemic, and reported from every continent including Antarctica. An award-winning journalist, he produced more than 40 broadcast documentaries for PBS, The Discovery Channel, and others. His print work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, LA Times, Smithsonian, Popular Science, Sierra, and The Nation.	The Original Seaweed Rebel, David Helvarg, to Speak Considering our ride location along the prolific Pacific coast, the future of our oceans on a warming planet is a looming topic.  We are honored to welcome David Helvarg, president of the Blue Frontier Campaign and the author of four books: Blue Frontier, The War Against the Greens, 50 Ways to Save the Ocean and Rescue Warriors.   He's the editor of the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide, organizer of several ‘Blue Vision' Summits for ocean activists, and winner of Coastal Living Magazine's 2005 Leadership Award and the 2007 Herman Melville Literary Award.
Dan helped establish the Western Mountain Initiative, a program to tie mountain science across different areas, and is active in several international science networks that address mountain issues.  He recently received the Director's Award for Natural Resource Research from the National Park Service and serves on the Montana governor's advisory board for climate change.	Renowned Glacier Researcher to Join Climate Ride!   Dan Fagre is the Research Ecologist and Climate Change Research Coordinator for the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center of the U. S. Geological Survey.   He's worked for the past 15 years in the Northern Rocky Mountains to understand how global-scale environmental changes will affect our mountain ecosystems.   His diverse research programs have addressed glaciers, avalanches, amphibians, alpine plants, paleoclimates, snow chemistry and ecosystem dynamics of bioregions.
	Ride News "It's July! Can I still sign up, fundraise and train?" Yes you can!  The ride is 2 1/2 months away.  Most of our riders are signing up now.  Have a question or concern?  Email Geraldine, our fountain of rider support and Climate Ride concierge (LOL)! Check out our Wish List!  Do you live in the Bay Area and want to donate your hybrid, bike racks, big coolers, fresh-baked goodies etc.  Contact us to make gear loans or donations.  Every bit helps!
Many thanks to our title sponsor Brita and the Filter for Good campaign! This charitable ride benefits Rails-to Trails Conservancy, 1Sky and Green America.



So we first went to a village called Arctic Village, which is inland in Alaska, and visited the Gwich’in Indians.  They have been around thousands of years and have settled in different areas around Arctic Village.  The village consists of 160 people and has for most of its time there.  The Gwich’in people live off of the Porcupine Caribou Herd that travels by their home in the winter.  They catch as many as they can, to last them throughout the year.  But Shell oil is proposing to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where the caribou have their calves.  If they did so, the herd would change its course, and not stop by Arctic Village. Then the Gwich’in people would not have their food supply, and suffer greatly. 

As we were talking to many elders in the village, they all noticed changed in the land, because of climate change.  Since the weather was warmer, the river that they live by is depleting.  Also, the warmer climate is bringing in different plant, tree, and bird species that normally would not be there.  There are taller trees growing around where the caribou come by, which makes it harder for them to hunt and see the caribou.  There are many crucial aspects of their lives that are changing the lifestyles of the Gwich’in. When we went visit the temperature was in the 70’s, which was odd for that time of year.  As you cans see, the weather is still currently getting warmer.

The second village we went to was called Kaktovik. Kaktovik is an island in the Arctic Ocean, which is in the Arctic Circle.  The people who live there are Eskimos called the Inupiat.  The main source of food for them is whales, they also eat seal and duck, but whale is the majority of their diet.  Shell Oil proposed to drill off shore this summer, but thankfully Obama put it back a year because of what happened in the Gulf. When we were up there talking to the people, they said that Shell Oil was going to come up and answer any questions the Inupiat people had about the drilling.  We were fortunate enough to attend that meeting and even ask questions!  At first Shell did not want us to talk at all, but some of the elders told them to let us talk.  So other classmate and I challenged the ideas of Shell and even debated with them.  Looking at the spill in the gulf and how much damage its doing, it pains me to think that something like that, might happen in the Arctic.  If it did happen, the whales would be hurt, and then move their migration so the Inupiat people would not be able to hunt them, the polar bears and seals would struggle, and all of the ducks would not fly to that area any more. It would be quite a production. That is why it is so important to stop that from happening.

When we were up there, we saw and heard how much the elders cared about their land and their culture.  They brought us into their homes and just wanted us to listen to their ideas, problems, or life.  It was incredible being able to spend such a long time with them and live their ways for a week! I was a vegetarian before I went up to Alaska, but I knew that I would not get very far living like that up there, and I support the way that they hunt, by catching their own meals, gutting it, cooking it ect.  I had the opportunity of plucking and roasting ducks that I saw being shot down, and I got to skin a caribou leg that we would eat that evening.  I learned a lot about their culture and hopefully I will be able to go back again! 

Founding member of Transition Greater New Haven, which has become the 30th official transition initiative in the US and the first in Connecticut.  Transition Greater New Haven fosters local sustainability and resilience through community conversations and practical projects, including recent skill-sharing events and nut tree plantings. 

Founding coordinator of SHARE Haven Time Bank, a local currency in which members exchange time and services, while stitching communities together.  

Steering Committee member of theNew Haven Bioregional Group which connects Greater New Haveners to their “life-place.” Activities include guided excursions, community gardening, and public presentations with critical discussions. 

Member of the Hamden Energy Use and Climate Change Commission: Bernard has initiated a clean energy sign-up campaign that included compact fluorescent lightbulb give-aways.

Founding member of the board of directors of the Turtle Ridge Cooperative: this is the first cooperative in Connecticut to administer a Community Supported Agriculture farm. 

Learn more about Bernard's accomplishments here, or talk with him on Climate Ride!

Hello Climate Ride Friends,

After two years on the East Coast, we're excited to announce that we're expanding to include Climate Ride California!  Read more below and be sure to check out our new website.  

Brita Climate Ride California is a fully supported, 5-day fundraising bike ride in Northern California, September 21-25, 2010.  It's the ride of a lifetime through some of America's most beautiful landscapes. Join the community of Climate Riders for world class biking and the chance to meet and network with leaders and people interested in climate, renewable energy and environmental causes. 

All proceeds from the ride benefit three non-profit organizations:  Green America, 1Sky and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.  Learn more about what our beneficiaries are doing to advance climate and energy solutions here.

Experience Climate Ride here.  In 2009 Climate Riders represented 30 states, 12 countries and ranged in age from 12 to 82 years old.  You don't have to be a hardcore cyclist to do Climate Ride.  You just have to be ready to embark on a bicycle ride that will change your life. 

Join the National Bike Ride to Support Climate and Energy Solutions

Brita Climate Ride California:  The ride begins near Eureka in the midst of Northern California's majestic redwoods and the Avenue of the Giants.

From there we travel along the coast, soaking in expansive ocean views and coastal bluffs. On the fourth day, we pedal inland along the Russian River to cruise through California's famed Wine Country, considered some of the best cycling in the US. 

The final day is an epic ride through Marin and across the Golden Gate Bridge to reach our final destination, San Francisco. 

Register Today!  Invite your friends and make a team.  The road to a new energy future begins here.  Get on your bike and ride for the most important cause facing our generation.

Friis Arne Petersen - Denmark's Ambassador to the US, host country of the COP15 UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen

Colin Beavan - aka NO IMPACT MAN - The man who lived one year with zero carbon impact--the extraordinary movie was previewed on Climate Ride. 

Alison Gannett - Founder Save Our Snow Foundation, voted Outside Magazine's '08 Green All-Stars, US Champ Freeskier

Mike Tidwell - inspiring activist, writer and documentary filmmaker, President Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and his own home is fueled almost entirely by wind, solar and corn power

Mikael Colville-Andersen - Denmark's leading bicycle ambassador and advocate, accomplished writer, director, photographer and blogger who created the famous European blog Copenhagenize.com. Colville gives a passionate talk on cycling as an environ-mentally friendly, viable, and sustainable transportation alternative.

Roz Savage - first woman to row across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, environmental activist, United Nations Environmental Program Climate Hero

Josh Dorfman, The Lazy Environmentalist -watch his new Sundance show

Wood Turner - the one climate scorekeeper you need to know, Executive Director Climate Counts

Ben Strauss - associate director at Climate Central, founding board member of Grist.org. Dr. Strauss holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University and challenged us to think about the psychology of climate change communications.

Betsy Taylor - President of 1Sky and founder of the Center for the New American Dream

Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Oregon

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire

Senator Benjamin Cardin, Maryland

Congressman Edward Markey, Massachusetts

Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Ohio

Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Texas

Marcus Schmidt - Germany Trade and Invest

Keith Laughlin - President, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Alisa Gravitz -- Executive Director, Green America

Jason Kowalski - Policy Analyst, 1Sky

Adrien Benepe - NYC Parks and Recreation Commissioner

Mike Eckhart - President, ACORE, American Council on Renewable Energy

Janet Larsen - Director, Earth Policy Institute

Randy Swisher - Executive Director, AWEA, American Wind Energy Association

David Kroodsma - Stanford-trained climate expert who pedalled 21,000 miles to research and raise awareness of climate change.



Climate Rider David Kroodsma is currently in a voting competition to travel to Copenhagen and be the ambassador for Hopenhagen.org. David works as our outreach coordinator, and we would be excited to have him join the conference. Click on the image below to see his video and vote him a 10! (You will get sent to the Huffington Post website to vote.)

Friis Peterson, the Danish Ambassador to the U.S., joined Climate Ride and rallied other ambassadors to ride with us as well. He has written an article published today in the New York times about the upcomming climate negotiations in Copenhangen. He writes:

After the A.P.E.C. summit last weekend in Singapore there has been much writing in the American media, including in The New York Times on November 14, that the climate deal will be delayed and that the upcoming U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen — COP15 — will “punt the most difficult issues into the future.”

With the deadline fast approaching, everybody asks whether it is realistic that we can reach an agreement in Copenhagen. My answer is: Yes we can reach a strong, comprehensive and global agreement next month. . .

read the rest of the article here.