Portland Green Streets

Sign in now – Please take a minute and sign in now (and every month!) if you plan to walk, bike, take public transit, carpool, and/or telecommute this Green Streets Day – Friday, June 27th.

Special instructions for the new survey form (thanks to John Brooking of the Portland Bike Commuter Meetup for designing it!):

• Make sure to check the box on the calendar for Green Streets Day
• Fill in the miles and method info in the “How” section
• Check “Portland Green Streets” under “Affiliations”
• Check “Allow the organizations I’ve checked to see my e-mail address” to make sure you receive the raffle results!
• Your email address will be required for identification. This information is kept absolutely private unless you choose to share it (and we don’t ever share e-mails with anyone else).

Signing in enters you in this month’s Green Streets raffle and provides us with great collective green commuting data (which you’ll hear about with the raffle results!)

And read the rest of this entry for the freebies, discounts, and raffle items for those in Greater Portland who:

• Wear Green (shirt, pants, socks, whatever!)
• and Get Around Green (walk, bike, take transit, carpool, telecommute, etc.) on Green Streets Day! (more…)

Summer is a time of celebration and wonderful public events. If you’re headed to a new or favorite event, a great way to meet people and have some fun is to talk up Green Streets!

Brendan O’Leary Thorpe, living car-free in Portland reports:

“I had a great time promoting Green Streets at the Pride events this past Saturday. I met lots of good folks, handed out buttons, signed up a bunch of new people and they were all so supportive. Some already knew about it and have been going green on the last Fridays – and they thanked me for being out there. And I said, “Thank you for being out there participating!”

It can be as simple as carrying a clipboard, pen and Sign up Sheet – download here and saying, “Hi! Have you heard about Green Streets Day?” And we can set you up with other promotional materials (Green Streets posters, buttons, publicity cards, etc.) – just e-mail us at PortlandGreenStreets@yahoo.com to let us know what would be helpful!

Photos by Sarah Gilbert and Scott Beale/Laughing Squid; laughingsquid.com

And for a little more inspiration, here are photos and notes from last month’s Green Streets Day celebration…

Elliott May, of the fantastic monthly GreenDrinks fame writes:

(more…)

Two Dahon folding bikes are now available for loan from Portland Green Streets and Portland Bike Commuter Meetup, thanks to Sam and Kayda Selby of Wiscasset! The bikes are fun and simple to ride around town, and become especially attractive when traveling (for example, by train). (more…)

Two weeks ago about seven white bikes appeared on the streets of Portland, available free of charge for use by anyone who logs on the White Bike site to get the bikes’ lock combination.

“If you see a white bike, pick it up and ride it. The purpose of the White Bike initiative is to (more…)

Register by June 25th - to save on the great Maine Bike Rally (and this year also the National Bike Rally!) in Fryeburg, July 11-13. Incredibly affordable to start with, it’s a welcoming event with lots of rides, activities, and chill-out time for all ages and abilities! The Bicycle Coalition of Maine still needs volunteers, so you can save even more with these volunteer opportunities!

June 27 & July 25 – Critical Mass is a group bike ride that occurs on city streets internationally on the last Friday of every month in a festive reclaiming of public space. Come celebrate your love of biking and your reasons for being on the road. Everyone, every reason welcome. 6 pm, Monument Square, Portland, Last Fridays.

June 29 – The Bike Shop’s 2nd Annual Community Ride and Portland Bike Expo!

The Community Ride is The Bike Shop’s annual fund-raiser – and is sponsored by Whole Foods Market and area bicycle retailers and riding clubs. This year the event is being combined with Portland’s first Bike Expo. The ride includes three routes: a 50 mile, a 25 mile, and a four mile children/family loop around Back Cove. More details…

Instant Independence – Buy a 2008 Youth Summer Bus Pass!

Are you a teen just waiting to get your driver’s license to get around on your own in Portland, Westbrook, South Portland, or Falmouth? Or is there a young person you know and love who would like some independent transportation for work, activities, getting to the beach, and seeing friends? Check out the 2008 Youth Summer Bus Pass! More details…

Also check out the Zoom and Shuttlebus for service for teens in Scarborough, OOB, Saco, and Biddeford.

Questions or concerns? Green Streets can share tips from local teens and parents who regulary use the bus. Just send us an e-mail at portlandgreenstreets@yahoo.com!

July 1-7: Avoid the big box stores and all the driving required to get to them – celebrate Independents Week! (Proclaimed by the City of Portland!)

July 8: GreenDrinks! – a monthly social networking happy hour for environmentally-minded folks,

held on the second Tuesday of every month from 5:30 until at least 8pm. July’s GreenDrinks event will be held at GMRI (Gulf of Maine Research Institute) and co-hosted by Growsmart Maine.

July 9: Great opportunity for Green Streeters of all transporation modes (walkers, transit users, bikers, carpoolers, etc.): the next big public forum for the Peninsula Transit Study – presenting its draft report and recommendations for public feedback (including recommendations for city parking policies). 6:30pm, Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall (behind City Hall, enter on Myrtle Street).

July 23 - Traffic Safety seminar with the Portland Bicycle Commuter Meetup – this seminar is offered every other month (Intro to Bike Commuting is offered on alternating months). Presented by different members of the Bike Commuter Meetup – check them both out!