Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Grandma Gets Mean

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by Brianne Goodspeed · 06/27/06

Grandma Gatewood, courtesy of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy

I used to hear that for every woman on the Appalachian Trail, there were twenty men. That number is probably an exageration, but if you ask the women who walk the 2200-mile trail from Georgia to Maine, many of them will tell you that a boy’s club vibe prevails. The woods are, after all, one of the few places left in America where a man can be a man. By contrast, it’s said that the women who make the five-month journey just “get mean.”

So, cheers to the first woman who ever got mean on the Appalachian Trail. In 1955, a 67-year-old grandmother set out from Georgia in a pair of Keds, carrying little more than an old army blanket and a shower curtain for a tent. Five months later she reached mile-high Katahdin in Maine where a strong wind nearly blew her off the summit as she belted out “America the Beautiful.” According to Sports Illustrated (10/10/55), when asked why she hiked the Appalachian Trail, Emma “Grandma” Gatewood replied, “Because I wanted to.”

It’s worth noting that the Appalachian Trail of Grandma Gatewood’s time was tougher than the one popularized by Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods. Thru-hikers today can stay in hostels every couple of days, gear is lightweight and easy to use, and painted white blazes on the trees make it nearly impossible to get lost (unless, of course, you’re a creative non-fiction writer like Bill Bryson).

Grandma Gatewood went on to become the first person to hike the entire trail twice. She then became the first person to hike the entire trail three times.

car, sport, trees, women, wood

How Does Your Horse Finish?

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by Summer Rayne Oakes · 06/01/06

SustainLane.com, a quickly growing repository and multi-media website on sustainability recently released City Sustainabilty Rankings. The well-designed, easily navigable, picturesque city rankings are a great educational tool to see where your city finishes(if it is listed of course!). See who the cinderella sustainable cities are and where some so-called “sustainable” cities are lacking. The interactive website assesses:

• Natural Disaster Risk
• Air Quality
• City Innovation
• Economy
• Affordability
• Solid Waste
• Green Building
• Tap Water
• Transportation
• Local Food/Ag
• Planning/Land Use
• Energy/Climate Change
• Knowledge Base

cities, climate change, design, Energy, Food, local, local food, media, pictures, sport, sustainability, sustainable, transportation, waste, water

Tribewanted!

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by Starre Vartan · 05/02/06

Now this is the kind of news that gets me excited. I was surfing around (I have no idea how I got there) and I happened upon the home page for Tribewanted: Adventure Island. Now, there are few clubs I’ve ever wanted to join, but this might be one.

You take Figiian isle, mix it with environmentally sustainable development, involve the locals in the planning process, invite 4,999 friends, and make the planning of your vacation spot a group activity, and you’ve got Tribewanted. The idea is to create a hip, members-only vacation club that young people can actually afford, and do it in a way that includes the input of all the people who are part of it. Only 100 people are allowed on the island at one time, to minimize impact.

Island Development
There are many areas that will be creatively decided upon and developed by the tribe including: clean water, power, waste disposal, accommodation, washing, food, drink, entertainment, adventure activities, sports, community & environmental projects. The tribewanted team and the 12 elected chiefs will initiate proposals on tribewanted.com for the development of the Island. The tribe will then discuss and decide what happens. Potential interesting developments already identified by the founding chiefs include:

• Cliff-top lagoon & zip-slide
• Sunset Stage and Beach Bar
• Two-tiered Tribal Base
• Island Thatched Bures & Sky view showers
• Jungle Sports Arena
• Scuba & Surf School
• Secret Beach chill-out area
• Fruit & Vegetable Orchard

See more on the environmental plan, and the FAQ will explain most of your questions. There are only 5,000 spots, (so it’s kinda like a time-share) and after a 3-year contract is up, the island’s chief decides whether it’s in the best interests of his tribe to keep the gig going. Local people are involved in much of the planning and execution and seem to have the right to veto.

You can plan become a member of the tribe, able to visit for 7 days a year for $220 bucks, 14 days over 2 years for $440, or 21 nights over 3 years for $660.

community, Eco-Chick, Entertainment, Food, fruit, Home, local, News, spa, sport, style, surfing, sustainable, Tea, waste, water

Non-Plastic "Tupperware" — It Actually Exists

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by Ann Benoit · 04/07/06

Like many people, the idea of non-plastic “Tupperware” was until recently— an urban legend to me (much like inexpensive, attractive and comfy shoes). I’d heard of people who owned the fabled goods, but had never actually seen it myself or knew where to buy it.

On a mission to find out, I discovered that although not as ubiquitous as Tupperware, non-plastic food containers do exist! These products will long outlast their plastic counterparts and won’t warp, stain or absorb odors the way conventional plastic containers do. Plus the concerns many people have with plastic leaching into food isn’t an issue.

My favorite glass container set is Pyrex’s “10 Piece Storage Set with Lids”— the lids are really durable (think: no leaking of soup into your work bag) and since they’re Pyrex, they can go in the oven/microwave for reheating (although I’d remove the lids). Plus the set is pretty reasonably priced ($20 for 5 containers w/lids).

My other new non-plastic favorite for transporting leftovers/lunch is ReusableBags.com’s “Stainless Steel Vacuum Food Jars/Containers” which hold almost 2 cups liquid/food. They’re the perfect size to fit in a bag (less bulky than the glass ones) and keep the contents hot/cold for long periods of time. Plus they’re made of low nickel content stainless steel, which is safe for liquid/food exposure.

Amazon, bags, eating, Eco-Chick, Food, garden, Home, lunch, plastic, shoes, soup, sport, treehugger, urban

A Coat Check—For Your Bike!

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by Ann Benoit · 03/27/06

As a new Berkeley resident, I’m slowly discovering all the cool things the town has to offer. Just recently I came across Bikestation, a “non-profit organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in urban communities through the development and operation of bike-transit centers and related infrastructure.”

Modeled after European and Japanese examples, Bikestations offer bike services to the community to promote bicycle riding as a clean transportation option. Some of the services include: free attended bicycle-parking, bicyle repairs, bike-sharing, bicycle rentals, and 24-hour bicycle parking depending on the station. Membership is free at most stations, although some charge a minimal fee of $20 a year for all of these great benefits.

Currently there are Bikestations in Berkeley (CA), Embarcadero (CA), Long Beach (CA), Palo Alto (CA), and Seatlle (WA) with plans to open others in Washington DC and Santa Barbara (CA).

bikes, community, Eco-Chick, epa, Europe, Home, model, sport, transportation, urban