Walk and Bike DC

Posted on by Sacha Cohen
Photo courtesy of Alex Ramsey

Lace up those sneakers, grab a reusable water bottle, and get ready for WalkingTown DC and BikingTown DC from Cultural Tourism DC.

On May 22 and 23, you can explore Washington’s vibrant neighborhoods by foot or bike, following local guides and community leaders as they share historical anecdotes, point out architectural gems, and discuss current issues in neighborhoods from Georgetown and Eastern Market to Columbia Heights and Anacostia.

With more than 100 walking tours and 11 biking tours in all eight wards of the city, this year’s program promises to provide hours of fun, adventure, and good exercise.

Eco Women, Green Drinks, and More May Events

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Keeping up with all of the green happenings around DC is practically a full-time job. Luckily for you, dear reader, we’ve taken the legwork out of finding the most worthwhile eco-related events in May. Here are our picks:

Emerging Green Builders at Hands On DC’s Annual Work-a-Thon
When: Saturday May 15 9am-3pm
Emerging Green Builder’s May volunteer event is the Hands on DC’s annual Work-a-thon to help beautify DC Public Schools.  To join the EGB team, visit Hands On DC and choose the team name “Emerging Green Builders” when registering.

EcoHour: Balancing an Urban Lifestyle with Healthful Habits: Mind, Body & Spirit
When: May 18th, 6pm to 8 pm
Where: Teasim, 400 8th St., NW
If you are looking for some tips for how to balance your life in a healthful way, you won’t want to miss this EcoHour! Mary Kearns, owner of Herban Lifestyle, inspires others to live life in a healthful, balanced way. The mission of Mary’s company is to promote beauty and self-care while supporting the health and well-being of people and the planet through high-quality bath and body products handcrafted with natural, organic, and Fair Trade ingredients. RSVP by emailing: RSVP@Ecowomen.org.

Green Drinks DC
When:May 18th, 6:30-9:30
Where: Local 16, 1602 U Street NW
A monthly gathering of green-minded folks that features a 10-minute spotlight, networking galore, and happy hour drink specials. Local 16 is 100% Wind Powered and uses some ingredients from Whipple Farms, a 160-acre farm in Virginia offering heirloom vegetables using biodynamic principles. This year, GreenDrinksDC is raising $3,050 to cover solar lanterns for the Khengarpar community in India that is currently without electricity.

Bike to Work Day
When: May 21st, beginning at 6:30 am
Join the Bethesda Transportation Solutions staff and Maryland State Delegate Bill Bronrott at the Bethesda pit stop (Reed Street, at the corner of Bethesda Ave & Woodmont Ave).  Attendees will enjoy breakfast, prizes, DJ entertainment, bike tune-ups on site by REI and City Bikes, and more, all for FREE! Register in advance online.

Cocktails for Creatures
When: May 21st, 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m
Where: FunXion, 1309 F St., NW
Organized by Nightlife to Nature, this fundraiser and silent auction will raise money for the Jaguar Sanctuary de Playa Chiquita and Global Volunteer Network. The event will feature comedian Tehran SoParvaz, magician David Breth, and Haitian percussionist Names Thompson. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres  and organic wine will be provided. Suggested donation is $10.

EcoTour: Green Buildings
When: Saturday May 22, 2010 – 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
The U.S. Green Building Council’s EcoTour will highlight two to three sustainable, LEED-rated buildings and methods in DC. Participants will need to bring lunch as well as a bike since the tour covers 5 to 8 miles. Please RSVP: ncr-egb.cochair@gmail.com

The Urban Forest Project Is Coming to DC

Posted on by Sacha Cohen
Banner by Dan Dellicolli

This summer, The Urban Forest Project DC will plant 100 street banners about the environment by local artists, designers, and students in downtown DC.

Each banner uses the form of or metaphor for the tree to make a powerful visual statement about the environment. Together, they will create a forest of thoughtful images in our city.

Urban Forest Project banners will be hung on prominent city light poles, launching in the Downtown DC BID for two months. They will then be recycled into unique totebags designed exclusively for the project and sold online. Proceeds will be used to improve District of Columbia neighborhoods.

A preview exhibition will be held at the Corcoran Gallery of Art May 5 – May 9, with the opening reception on Thursday, May 6 from 6-8pm in Gallery 31. This will be an opportunity for you to view the winning banners created by professional designers and artists, along with student work from the Corcoran College of Art + Design and AIGA DC’s mentoring teams.

A post reception will be held at Cafe Asia (1720 I Street, NW, Washington, DC).

The Urban Forest Project DC is being presented by the District Department of Transportation and Worldstudio in collaboration with AIGA DC, DC Commission of the Arts and Humanities, Corcoran College of Art + Design and the Downtown DC BID. The project is contingent on corporate sponsorship which is still being sought.

Greening the Arts at Wolf Trap

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Guest post by Alison Drucker

The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts has a unique opportunity to be a leader in environmental education. In addition to operating some of the D.C. area’s premier performance venues, it’s also a national park.

They’ve risen to the challenge with an ambitious Go Green program, which in its first two years has resulted in a 23 percent reduction in energy use, a 20 percent lower carbon footprint, and a 50 percent decrease in landfill waste.

To get there, the Foundation’s actions have ranged from the traditional (energy-efficient lighting and heating/cooling) to the creative (a carpool incentive program, growing fresh herbs for its catering business, and composting). LEED certification is in process for one of their facilities.

In addition to improving its own operations, Wolf Trap leverages its venues to inspire audiences to do their part with new sustainability-themed performances, including The Sun Road (a dance reflection on melting glaciers in Glacier National Park). The “Start Early for the Earth” program gets kids in on the action, too, with The Junkyard Pirates – a puppet show about recycling that has been presented to more than 7,000 children, parents, and teachers.

All these efforts recently earned the Foundation the 2010 Sustainability Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers’ National Capitol Section, along with three consecutive outstanding EPA ratings for effective recycling. And given their place at the unique crossroads of the arts and the national park system, they’ve also been recognized by the National Park Service’s Climate Friendly Parks Program.

Along with the likes of Willie Nelson, Guster, and the Roots, the Wolf Trap Foundation is a founding member of the Green Music Group – becoming part of a broader group of high-profile performing arts entities committed to environmental leadership.

Earth Week Events Recap

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Last week was a whirlwind of wonderful events that brought together people of all backgrounds and interests, united by a common cause: Do right by planet Earth. Here’s looking back at the week that was:

Image courtesy of 8 Boxwood Lane Pictures

Eco-Chic: Night of Stars and Rising Stars

Held at the Corcoran and co-hosted by the Corcoran and the Fashion Group of Washington, DC, the event celebrated eco-chic design, beauty, fashion, art, and architecture with live models, delicious food, and an awards ceremony emceed by Wendy Rieger. Hometown eco-preneurs Kimberly Wilson of TranquiliT and Debra Claire of Perfect Organics took home “rising star” awards.

WeatherizeDC Earth Day Fundraiser

On Thursday, WeatherizeDC held a fundraiser on the deck at Local 16. More than 200 people turned out for the event, which raised $7,000 and is enough to weatherize three homes in low-income local neighborhoods.

Material World: Green is the New Black

On Saturday at the Corcoran, a panel of leading designers from the worlds of fashion and interiors shared their personal experiences, exploring the green movement’s influence on their work. The panel was moderated by Rachel Cothran of Project Beltway.

Image courtesy of Twilight Earth

The Climate Rally
Thousands descended on the National Mall for the Climate Rally on Sunday, which included performances by the Roots and Sting, as well as appearances by James Cameron Reverend Jesse Jackson, Trudie Styler, Margaret Atwood, and many more. One of my green pals, Adam Shake of Twilight Earth captured some great video footage.