scoop!

I just want to be known that the "White Pelican" scooped all other Green Bay news sources in terms of how fast we had our story about the green bikes press conference out there. It looks like if you really want to stay on top of what goes on around here you have to read the "White Pelican." By the way, fortunately, the seagulls were napping during the press conference.

Green Bikes!

Today 20 green bikes were released to the streets of Green Bay with hopes to encourage environmentally friendly travel for quick meetings in and around downtown Green Bay, as well as recreation and health. Mayor Schmitt held a press conference in front of the historic Bellin Building just outside of the Daily Buzz to kick the program off right. Jeff Mirkes, Executive Director for Downtown Green Bay, Inc. & Olde Main Street, Inc. spoke on the benefits to the downtown business community and downtown residents. Kevin King, from the Neighborhood Division at City Hall highlighted the partnerships that were created with various bike shops in the community who donated time to get the bikes ready for the streets. All in all, this is a great step for Green Bay and it goes to show just how progressive and cool this community really is.

So, as of today, you can pick up a bike at any of the six locations (Daily Buzz, City Hall, Brown Co. Library, Neville Public Museum, Green Bay Metro and the Admiral Flatley Park - see map) for a spin around the city.

So drop your keys and take a ride - a bike ride!!

For more info about Mayor Schmitt's Sustainable Greater Green Bay Task Force check out the website.

bus ridership and Green Bay green burials

There are two interesting articles in today's Press-Gazette. (Sometimes, I will read this rag, so that you don't have to.)

Skyrocketing gas prices fuel bus ridership
-Kudos to Holly for giving up her car and for trying not to be in such a hurry!!

Green caskets, burials a growing business
Local Green Bay funeral homes are offering green burials! Even though anything that involves embalming, cremation, or concrete grave liners is not truly green, these burials are greenER and are a step in the right direction. There is a group out of Madison that is organizing an effort to offer green burials that really are environmentally correct. Basically, they want to purchase land, conservancy style, and just plop your body into a hole in the ground. THAT is the way it should be. Check out Trust for Natural Legacies and give them your support!

Foth Sustainability Conference

Check out the Foth website for information on all of the presentations that were given. Very intersting stuff.

http://www.foth.com/fothweb/infrastructure++environment/sustainability+conference/default.asp

June 19 - Green Drinks Report

Green Drinks this month was great, yet again! Excellent conversation, we discussed the Foth Sustainability Conference that was held earlier in the day in Appleton, as well as what the Mayor's Sustainable Greater Green Bay Task Force has been working on. We were visited by 88th Assembly Representative Jim Soletski too. It is always a treat to be able to sit down and talk with our representatives about the environment, sustainability and anything else that may come up. Shameless plug - Rep. Soletski is running for reelection this year, and just want to say he has been a great advocate of the environment.

One of our frequent Green Drinkers, Frank Ingram, has begun a Yahoo group for Green Bay Green Drinks online. If anyone is interested simply check out yahoo.com and search under "greenbaygreendrinks" and it will take you right there. There are a few steps to sign up, but it's quick and easy.

On a similar note, if anyone is interested in contributing environmental news to this blog we would love to have additional posters, simply email Rich and he will send you an invite. You can respond to this post too, and we will check back and get you signed up.

We see this blog as a great way to get additional information out there about what is going on in Green Bay because even though the perception out there is not much, there is a TON!

This has molded into more than just a Green Drinks update, but that's ok. Hope to see some new faces at Green Drinks next month! It will be held July 17th, always at Kavarna, always from 6-10 pm.

Green Bay Green Drinks! Thursday, June 19th

Green Bay Green Drinks is a monthly 'social gathering' of environmentalists. We meet every third Thursday of the month at Kavarna Coffeehouse, on Broadway.

If some people suggest that "green" is your middle name, you'll probably find value in Green Drinks Green Bay. At this monthly event, people who have a passion for anything "environmental" meet for friendly conversation. Since we started in April 2005, we've been visited by folks with a wide variety of interests: science, art, politics, music, film, health, psychology, nutrition to name a few. Many work in an environmental field as professionals, educators, entrepreneurs or neighborhood activists. You never know who will be there! If you look elsewhere on the website http://www.greendrinks.org/ , you'll see that "Green Drinks" is an international movement.

We start to gather shortly after 6pm, but don't worry if you can't show up until much later. Peak attendance has been 7:30-8:30pm so far. The hours you attend will influence who you may meet, however. People come and go all evening until Kavarna closes at 10pm. Kavarna is a smokefree vegetarian coffeehouse/restaurant that sells bottled beers and wine. Soups, salads, chai and juices are among the many other offerings. All ages welcome. Feel free to bring your kids.

See http://www.kavarna.com/ for directions to Kavarna at 112 S. Broadway, located on downtown Green Bay's near west side.Look for the group with a pile of books on the table. First-timers get a free book! Also, please let Crystal (email below) know that you would like to be added to the email reiminder list.

Hosting committee includes Rich Krieg; Crystal Osman, 920-562-2550, crystalosman20[at]gmail[dot]com; Kim Biederman 920.429.9008, Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters Institute

UPass for UW-Green Bay!

This post is a little late, but UW-Green Bay has partnered with the Green Bay Metro to give students, faculty and staff access to any bus, on any route, for free - by simply showing their University ID card.

This is a huge step in the right direction for the University and they should be proud that they are taking the responsibility and the initiative to deal with their carbon footprint. By offering this for students, faculty and staff, so many opportunities are now available that might not have been before. It is incredibly exciting!

http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/archive/2008/08-138.htm