Bobsledding in the Summer

Anyone who's been within 5 feet of my physical or online presence this last week knows that I've went BOBSLEDDING. It was really fun and scary!! I thought I'd post about it for the record.

Utah's Olympic Park - the remnant mountain games setup from 2002 - now features an amazing museum & activities complex, including the world's steepest zipline and summer bobsledding.


Tucked behind the trained driver (above), I followed the instructions to press my arms against the side, keep my head from knocking the others, and not to squeeze the driver too hard with my legs.

I was scared, but as we all know from watching the Olympics (& Jerry Seinfeld), that bobsledding is the one sport "someone could involuntarily win the Gold medal," if thrown in. I figured I'd survive.
Ski jumping is also a summer sport in Utah - pretty cool. I also visited on the Sunday before, where 10 year olds were jumping off the ramps, just like this was the normal water-pool-time sport in PC.

Flying French Elephants

A business acquaintance I met last week in Utah sent me this poster this week. A delightful, surprise gift! Given that my Mom was a French teacher (and read us lots of Babar) and my brother wrote a wind power law journal article, this poster is a good fit for me :).

Yes, it does appear that the elephants may run into the windmills, but that is part of the "tension" in the art, in my interpretation... Also, not sure why the Babar doesn't capitalize on all the renewables and add "Babar Chooses Solar Power." He could also earn some carbon credits from those trees.

Maybe I should take up "lobbying via poster."

Innovative "Green" Plan in Kansas City

The buzz words of "Green Jobs," "Green Homes" and "Recovery Money" are coming to life - green life - in one of Kansas City's urban neighborhoods.

Through the new Kansas City Green Impact Zone plan, a 150-block area of Troost avenue will be a retro-fitted with energy-efficient homes (weatherization) and a green transportation system, providing "green jobs" in this neighborhood of abandoned homes, an unemployment rate that's as high as 53%, and cases of gun violence.

Created by U.S. Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("Stimulus bill"), the Kansas City Green Impact Zone plan will provide a targeted green revitalization effort that may bring as much as $200 million to the Troost blocks.



The project is seen as one of the stimulus package’s signature economic development projects and most innovative. (site)

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson held a kickoff event in KC last week, stating that the zone could help curb urban runoff - one of the main problems facing the environment in the KC area. (site).

This Kansas City story has been making national news, in the social justice blogs ("Saving Kansas City, One (Green) Step at a Time"), the environmental trade news, and more. Glad to see Kansas City on the map for environmental justice and overall energy efficiency city-planning for those who need it most!





For another great story on Mid-west "Green-ing," see the Greensburg, KS, story - about a town destroyed by a tornado that is now re-building with eco-friendly construction and with the highest environmental standards. See also NPR story.

National Trails Day + Kayaking

Saturday was National Trails Day, an American Hiking Society (AHS) event held each June to celebrate trails. AHS holds about 1,200 events around the country, and Alesha and I attended the "signature event" at Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge and State Park in Virginia.



Alesha and I showed our support of the great outdoors by putting on the AHS tattoos. We posed for a photo of us, but the photographer only captured our arms.


"Signature event" means that every land agency gave a speech, and there were Girl Scouts.


U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA 11) spoke. He's a supporter of trails, including new national legislation (HR 1912, Complete America's Great Trails Act.)

Seth helped put on the event.

A large part of National Trails Day is bringing communities together at these sites in order to spend a day maintaining the trails and to learn about hiking opportunities. We decided to hike. Thanks to everybody else for working on the trails! ...We left early to go to another park to paddle.

At Westmoreland State Park, Virginia, we celebrated Alesha's first kayak excursion at the mouth of the Potomac and along Horsehead Cliffs.

She was a pro.

Better Fit

When I lived in Denver, a place I describe as somewhere that "takes its recreation very seriously," any dinner party included someone who had run a marathon.

In other words, Denver is very fit. and fun. Ppl work into order to play.

DC is somewhere that "takes work very seriously," which is a phrase that doesn't need to be in quotes, I suppose. Compared with Denver, where ppl talk a lot about bike components, running schedules, and quality of snow, here in DC the conversation is usually about policy, government, and policy. and law. and work, jobs, work. I love it, actually.

However, I have been amazed these last 9 months at the outpouring of athletics I witness at any given moment in Arlington and DC. Runners, bikers & kayakers are ubiquitous. every block. I have reasoned that maybe because there are more ppl here, it means that I see more ppl running. I think about this often because it makes me feel lazy often.

Today - the mystery is revealed. I assumed that the mountain maniacs in Denver were more fit. I did not consider DC a "fit" city. I was wrong. DC may not take recreation very seriously, but like everything else, its denizens are overachievers in this category, as well.

Sorry Denver, DC is ***#1*** on the "Top 10 Fittest Cities" list. Denver is #3. http://wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1685394. Total surprise.


DC is a better fit for me right now...in more ways than I thought before. I enjoyed a classic run from my house to the Lincoln today, along the Potomac and up the stairs by the Memorial Bridge. I'm looking forward to more Eastern adventures this summer.

Mid-Atlantic Kayak Festival

Yesterday I went to the Mid-Atlantic Kayak Festival on Chesapeake Bay, near Annapolis. Let the kayaking season begin! The festival featured free demo-boating, a crab feast, free beer, bluegrass music -- and of course the beautiful Bay, accessed via this summer camp on a peninsula.


I learned that I had no idea how to shell a crab. I'm trying, Maryland! With some guidance, I learned to use the mallet - and how not to use the mallet.

Bluegrass musicians.

Embassy Day - EU

Last weekend was an Open House celebration at the European Union Embassies. The day offered a glimpse inside the embassies - along with free food, drinks, bus between sites, music, and dancing. It was like Epcot in DC, only a little more authentic. A fun day.

Flamenco dancers in at the Spanish embassy.

Irish embassy

Bulgarian embassy, below.

Ship-Breaking

I recently attended the Goldman Prize Awards, also known as the Environmental Nobel. The award is given to one grassroots environmental hero from each continent.

All of the winners are inspiring - including the North American woman who fights against the destruction of land, water, and life during the mountaintop removal mining that takes place in West Virginia.

I particularly enjoyed the learning about the work of Rizwana Hasan, a female attorney in Bangladesh, who works to reduce the impact of the environmentally-devastating ship breaking industry.

Last year in Int'l World Trade Law, I wrote about the toxic harm to the people who break down electronic waste (e-waste) from the computer industry. Having been land-locked my whole life, I hadn't thought about the toxic harm to the people who break down retired ships - and how this business is exported to developing countries with less stringent environmental laws.

Rizwana is one of two female attorneys who won the Goldman Prize this year. I was moved by the power of the law as the means (& only means) to fight environmental exploitation in each winner's case (most of the 7).

In the short video about Rizwana's work, I smiled when I saw the dozens of binders she had on her bookshelf labeled "ship-breaking." She is now the leading attorney on ship-breaking law. What a specific but important way to practice law.

Rizwana Hasan and workers in the ship-breaking industry.

Bangladesh is one of only a few countries in the world with a thriving ship breaking industry. Decommissioned ships from around the world are sent to Bangladesh and dismantled by hand on the beaches by unskilled workers who are often paid less than one dollar per day. Coveted for their valuable steel and other scrap metals, aging vessels are sold to ship breaking yards and taken apart piece by piece with torches and other small tools, resulting in toxic contamination of the coastal waters and serious health hazards for the 20,000 workers. The ships, laden with asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), lead, arsenic and other substances, leach toxic chemicals into the environment. Ecosystems have been heavily polluted and hundreds of workers have been maimed or killed in the process, as they dismantle the ships with little or no protective equipment.

History is Pretty

It's common knowledge in Virginia that you can't drive 20 miles without running into a battlefield. An Historic Battlefield. I haven't been that eager to tour Petersburg, Fredericksburg and all the other battle-burgs.

Now that I've visited Gettysburg, PA, however, I might give the Virginia sites a try. It was beautiful! The photos above and below are from a lookout tower. The picture doesn't really capture the view we had at dusk on a clear day.

We visited Harper's Ferry National Park earlier in the day. I thought that was going to be the "pretty park" and Gettysburg was going to be the "let's learn history park," but it turned out that Gettysburg was even more beautiful. Too bad about the battle part. But also good. The freedom part.

Google Earth Flyover - Seattle

a program that works with nonprofits to further conservation goals by using technology. I've been trying to connect with them lately. I enjoy the legal/legislative side of conservation, but it's also not a bad day when I'm flying around the West, from my desk, all in a day's work.

Top photo is my real flyover, last summer.

Office of Youth

Today, Secretary Ken Salazar created an "Office of Youth" within the Department of Interior (DOI). Pretty cool.

Along with the DOI's new focus on "treasured landscapes," the Secretary has promised to work on connecting kids to nature.


I've been hearing a lot about this Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder book lately, so I thought I'd include the link.

Green Building

I know I'm getting greener by the day, but, bear with me - this "Incredible Edible House," featured in the WSJ today is pretty cool. I think they're growing chickpeas on the side of the house, along with other vegetables. Story here.

Serve America Act

Today, the President signed the Serve America Act.

I have a lot of positive thoughts on this, but I'm not sure how to say them. Maybe I will act and serve about it. I don't know. I probably won't, since I spent a great majority of this last decade volunteering. This is why I'm a fan of the Serve America Act!


Basically - AmeriCorps will be tripled, new "Corps" will be created for areas of national need, a "Volunteer Generation Fund" is established to help nonprofits manage more volunteers, plus other provisions.

Earth Day Concert - Flaming Lips

This Wednesday is Earth Day (40th Anniversary next year!), and Sunday kicked off the celebration with a concert on the Mall.


The Flaming Lips headlined the show, and they did not disappoint. The bubble came out (above) and each song had its own dynamics of streamer/confetti blasts, dancers, giant butterfly characters, a gong, and more. The high-energy-use, smoke, and littering made it a memorable Earth Day concert.


The day had many "public service announcement" type speakers, all telling us that we are the Green Generation. One review pointed out that the event felt like a high-school assembly. It did. Lots of backpacks, thrift clothes, and wandering teens.



At one point, Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator, came to make an announcement. Wayne Cone kept clapping for her with these giant hands, then gave her a giant hug with the hands. I wish I had a picture of that.

Happy Easter!

Lots of family, friends, and bunnies hanging out in Kansas City for Easter.

Mary Clare and bunny (above). Kevin and bunny (Paul) (below).

Beetlejuice

In Colorado and the West, the pine beetle epidemic continues to devastate forests. See above.

USDA Forest Service just released what they think might be a surprising antidote to beetle infestation - herbal tea!

"Because the insects secrete the substance naturally to avoid overcrowding, aerial application of the [tea] flakes on a wide scale might help halt what has become the largest beetle outbreak in North American history, the researchers said. It would also present an environmentally safe alternative to insecticides."

I hope this works. Entire story here.