Hi Bike-Ped folks:

As I've told a few of you, I decided about 10 days ago to JUST GET OUT THERE and start a simple version of the alternate transit encouragement/education work I've been wanting to do (instead of just doing outreach and writing grant applications).

Thus, Green Streets! It's a simple concept -- it's basically a commute-another-way-day party once a month -- involving both school kids and commuting adults. The last Friday of the month people are encouraged to leave their cars at home, wear green, and commute green (walk, bike, bus, etc.) And local businesses give incentives to people who participate (discounts, items to raffle off, free coffee, that kind of thing). It's a program that has been very successful in the Boston area -- you can check out their blog at www.gogreenstreets.org)

I contacted the woman who directs it, Janie Katz-Christy, after I learned about two weekends ago, and she was great, very encouraging of trying to help anyone who is interested start something similar here in Portland. She sent me a bunch of materials which I tested out at Munjfest and also at the East End Community School PTO meeting last week -- as well as with some local businesses -- and there was a great response. And it was great to be out there working on it!

Below is the first monthly e-mail (with all the pertinant info) to those who have signed up to participate. If you can spread the word, that would be great! (And let me know if you would like the flier attachments). Also let me know if it is appropriate to send out a reminder once a month on this forum.

And as always, feel free to give good bike-ped input/feedback, too! People seemed excited about launching this month, so it will start out small -- but by next month I think we can do some press on it.

I've been signing up folks interested in volunteering (encouraging the monthly Green Streets walk/ride day at their work/school/club, asking a favorite local business for an incentive, working on a simple website, etc.) -- so if you're interested, please let me know!

And hope to see you out there in green on Friday!

Sarah

In this month's Green Streets mailing!

First ever Green Streets Walk/Ride Day this Friday
News about developing Green Streets & ways to be involved
Important local alternate transit resources

Dear Green Streets Friends:

This Friday, September 28^th is our first ever Greater Portland Green Streets Walk/Ride Day! What a perfect time of year to start! You'll be part of making a difference – as well as being involved in a city-wide party!

So the fun begins by leaving your car at home on Friday and:

1. Wearing Green! (t-shirts, pants, socks, whatever – and tell people why you're wearing it!)

2. Commuting Green! (walk, bike, bus, take the train, carpool – see below for all your options!)

And then

3. Celebrating! by stopping in at our first local retail sponsors:

North Star Café: Stop in on Friday with your green on and share how you are getting around – and pick up a free small coffee or tea!

Cumberland Avenue Garage: E-mail PortlandGreenStreets@yahoo.com, share with us how you got around on Friday the 28^th, and enter the raffle for a free oil change service ($35 value)! Help the environment by keeping your vehicle in good shape. (And if you don't own a car, even better! You can still enter the raffle and just give the oil change voucher to a friend or family member who does. J)

(Stay tuned for incentives next month from Hilltop Coffee Shop, Homegrown Herb & Tea, and Cyclemania – as well as others!)

Please patronize our sponsors. They are proud of being part of Green Streets, and giving away or discounting wonderful things – and they want us to come say hello!

Please pass this e-mail on to friends, family, co-workers, people in your neighborhood, at your place of worship, club, etc. – we want everyone to have the chance to participate!

And if you can't leave your car at home this Friday – then join us next month! Or anytime in between!

Other news:

We're working on putting together a website this month – for easier access to information. Anyone interested in helping out, please e-mail us at PortlandGreenStreets@yahoo.com!

If you would like to ask a favorite business to join the Green Streets fun next month with an incentive, attached to this e-mail is the business sponsor packet with all the info. Let us know via e-mail all the information!

Become a Green Streets Walk/Ride Day coordinator at your school, workplace, place of worship, club, in your neighborhood, etc! And we've attached public fliers to this e-mail for you to post.

Please also take pictures and e-mail them to us! We would love to include pictures and short vignettes from participants on the new website.

And let us know if you would like to volunteer in any other capacity!

Important Alternate Transit Resources

Portland Trails – www.trails.org

Portland Maine Bicycle Commuting Meet-up

http://bike.meetup.com/132/

Link to All Portland Area Public Transit Options:

www.transportme.org/html/Terminal_AllSchedule.html

Including:

--Local Bus Service: METRO, Portland Explorer, South Portland Bus Service, Shuttle Bus, Zoom Bus

--Intercity Bus Service: Vermont Transit, Concord Trailways, Mermaid Transportation

--Intercity Train: Amtrak/Downeaster

--Ferries: Casco Bay Ferry, The Cat Ferry

GOMaine Commuter Connections (Carpool database & Vanpools; Emergency ride home assistance for registered car-poolers)

www.gomaine.org

City of Portland Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee

www.portlandbikeped.org

Explore Maine by Alternate Transit

www.exploremaine.org

Bicycle Coalition of Maine/Safe Routes to School:

Great information, including rules & rights of the road and the new Maine bike safety law

www.bikemaine.org

And don't forget your local bike shop!

Green Streets Walk/Ride Days are

the last Friday of every month!

Wear green and go green!

PortlandGreenStreets@yahoo.com

This is a once-a-month e-mail reminder from Greater Portland Green Streets.

Green Streets is a grassroots organization comprised of people who commute through, live, work, study, or send children to school in Greater Portland. For environmental, health, safety, and community-building reasons, we have created Green Streets Walk/Ride Days which occur on the last Friday of every month. On these days, we encourage people throughout the city to wear something green and to use green means of transportation. The idea is to hold a city-wide party on that day, with each individual – and institution -- celebrating and encouraging in its own way.

If you would like to be removed from this list, please e-mail PortlandGreenStreets@yahoo.com

__._,_.___

Messages in this topic (0) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe