Van Jones Says: Come to PowerShift ‘09!

In the middle of our new administration’s first 100 days, Power Shift 2009 will bring 10,000 young people to Washington to hold our elected officials accountable for rebuilding our economy and reclaiming our future through bold climate and clean energy policy.

Here’s more info from their website:

From February 27th to March 2nd, 2009 young people from across the country will converge on Washington D.C. to take a message of bold, comprehensive and immediate federal climate action to Capitol Hill. We will leverage the momentum we have built through the Campus Climate Challenge, Power Shift 2007, and our election campaign Power Vote to pressure our politicians to take the action our generation demands.

Sounds like a great initiative to us. If you’re still not convinced to make the trek out to D.C., here’s Van Jones encouraging the youth of America to attend:

Al Gore to Host Green Inaugural Ball

Al Gore may not be an official part of the Obama administration, but he’s going to be hosting an inaugural ball in Washington D.C. this January all the same. No, not the official inaugural ball –  a separate one called “The Green Ball: Inauguration of a New Green Economy”, to be held January 19th at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.

From The Washington Times:

A draft version of the invitation, obtained by The Washington Times, urges people to join Mr. Gore to “bring together a diverse coalition of environmentally-forward organizations, entrepreneurs, scientists and advocates, celebrating a commitment to growing the New Green Economy.”

More than two dozen environmental organizations are listed on the invitation.

It also features a green-shaded image of Mr. Obama, along with a quote from the Democrat’s interview with Time Magazine from the fall.

“There is no better potential driver that pervades all aspects of our economy than a new energy economy. … That’s going to be my No. 1 priority when I get into office.”

And that’s not even the only “green inaugural ball” in the works.  On January 17th, Event Emissary – a DC-based event planning company – will host their own ‘Green Ball’ at the Andrew W. Mellon auditorium with organic catering, LED lighting and local floral arrangements. All food waste and flowers will be composted and the group will pay for wind power offsets and carbon credits to make the event carbon neutral. The purpose of the ball, according to Event Emissary, is to inspire the official inaugural committee to incorporate similar plans into their events.

A green collar economy is certainly something to celebrate, though – and Gore has already been discussing energy policy and how climate change efforts can create new jobs with Obama and Biden.  Can’t wait to learn more about this event.

Link [The Washington Times] via [The Huffington Post]

Awesome News: America Catching On to the Bike-Sharing Coolness

America lags behind Europe in so many ways, and bicycle use is just one. But now Washington DC is starting a bike-sharing program, allowing people to rent out bicycles whenever they want with the swipe of a membership card.

The New York Times has it:

A new public-private venture called SmartBike DC will make 120 bicycles available at 10 spots in central locations in the city. The automated program, which district officials say is the first of its kind in the nation, will operate in a similar fashion to car-sharing programs like Zipcar.

The district has teamed up with an advertiser, Clear Channel Outdoor, to put the bikes on the streets.

“There’s a lot of stress on our transit systems currently,” said Jim Sebastian, who manages bicycle and pedestrian programs for Washington’s Transportation Department. Offering another option, Mr. Sebastian said, “will help us reduce congestion and pollution,” as well as parking problems.

Rentable bicycles are a great transportation option for college students, getting them to and from important destinations like school, their dorms or apartments and the dive bar down the street that doesn’t check ID’s. While you can still get ticketed for riding a bicycle drunk in some states (a B.U.I.?), it’s definitely a safer route home than getting in the car, even if you do wake up to find asphalt and bike tire tread marks on your face the next day.

Bicycles for rent is already a big trend in cities like Amsterdam, Paris and Florence. When I was in college, I would read longingly about an art student exchange program in the latter city and the romantic descriptions of grabbing a bicycle off a public rack downtown to grab lunch from the corner market and enjoy a picnic on the steps of the Uffizi. Of course, that was before I actually visited Florence and realized people drive like insane sign-ignoring speed demons. At least in America, you’re not as likely to be clipped in the ass by an impossibly tiny car that goes by so fast you can barely catch a glimpse of it.

Link [New York Times]
Photo credit: Flickr user ark