Thursday, June 26, 2008 -- 7:49 p.m.
Not all athletes have several cars or jet set on private planes every weekend. In fact, there are quite a few of them who are working for the environment, not against.
Check out Grist's list of 15 Green Sports Stars to see a few of the most eco-friendly. Who knew Yao Ming was such as animal lover? Scroll toward the bottom to find a few events that think green too.
How can athletes and the leagues help sports be more environmentally conscious?
Thursday, February 14, 2008 -- 8:30 p.m.
I was pining for someone today. OK, actually something--my bicycle.
I started commuting to work on my bike last year, and I became hooked. I get to work quicker than I did on the CTA--5 miles in 25 minutes--and it's a great workout, not to mention eco-friendly. Chicago actually is a pretty bike-friendly city, aside from a few angry drivers. There are bike lanes everywhere and laws protecting cyclists, partially thanks to Mayor Daley's affinity toward bicyles.
And I fully plan on getting back on my bike as soon as it's at least 30 degrees and relatively dry outside, but I don't see that day coming anytime soon.
But there's one fantastic day I can start looking forward to right now: Bike the Drive on May 25. It's one of my favorite spring events, and it's a great way to get the message out about the benefits of cycling.
You get to ride on a car-less Lake Shore Drive, courtesy of The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation heads up this event, during which thousands of people take to their bikes and get to ride on Lake Shore Drive without any cars. You can do a 15- or 30-mile ride, which sounds scary, but it's not. In fact, you will have many older folks and very small children passing you. At least I did.
Ever since I did my first Bike the Drive a few years ago, I've been hooked ... And I've been nagging people to do it ever since. My friend Lorne, who hadn't been on a bike in 11 years, did the 30-mile ride last year and tacked on an extra 10 miles riding to and from the event. See? My nagging works wonders.
Trust me. And if the thought of a great ride with an even better view doesn't convince you, you also get a T-shirt, as many bananas as you can eat, and an excuse to chow down on whatever you want for the rest of the day.
