300 miles later…

After a great dinner with Mike Harney of 1% member company Harney & Son’s Tea, the 1% team drops off the rental car at JFK airport at 12:30 a.m.  – the next five days will be car free.  Unfamiliar with NYC public transportation, and under Brittany’s confident (misguided) navigation, the country kids hop on the wrong train and head far far away from Manhattan to the quiet town of Ronkonkoma.   Awoken by the repeat call, “Last stop, all passengers off,” the tired 1% Percentees stumble out into the frigid night.  A few NYC cabbies befriend the two lost souls and offer them a seat in their lounge room, as long as they agree not to fall asleep.   It’s 3 a.m. and the next train won’t arrive until 4:06 a.m.

Cabby Joey: Got some bad news for ya – did you hear what happened down town tonight?  A celebrity was stabbed….

Brittany: What?!  No, who?

Cabby Joey: Reese… something rather.  Reese… With-

Brittany: Reese Witherspoon?!

Cabby Joey: No, with a fork!

4:06 rolled around slowly.

30 minutes of sleep, and several shots of espresso later, team 1% joined 140 cyclists to kick off the 300 mile journey south.  Chatting and pedaling alongside lawyers, environmentalists, cyclists, and even some fellow Vermonters, the chaos of the night before was quickly forgotten and the spectacle of Climate Ride was well underway.

1% had a few New Year resolutions this year, and establishing deeper connections with our network was high on our list.  Our development crew has spearheaded amazing regional events, making for a busy calendar for our eight person organization, but creating fantastic results!  Amongst these events, Climate Ride has presented a fantastic opportunity to engage with the greater 1% network.   As the ride benefits several other nonprofit partners, it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to bring members and nonprofits together, to bike for a cause we all believe in, and to establish solid relationships and gather stories.  Throughout the ride we enjoyed meeting representatives from other nonprofit partners, as well as engaging in great discussions about the philosophy and potential of 1% with Paul Keegan, of member company One World Trading Co. and Jeff Lesk, of Nixon Peabody.   At the ride’s end, we were also very pleased to host events that yielded a great turnout from 1% member companies in the DC area.  1% member companies Tranquil Space, DrinkWell, Backpacker Tees, Boatyard Bar & Grill, Cheeky Green, Victoria Vox, Charm City Run, Zosimos Botanicals, and Salazon Chocolate all joined us for some great food and even better conversation.   Thank you all!!

Further kudos go to our supporters!  A big thank you to member companies Boatyard Bar & Grill, Trail Tex, Sweet People Apparel, GearSense and 3 Acres for your generous donations in support of Climate Ride – we literally could not have done this without your support.

This ride was an inspiration, an adventure and an experience of a lifetime.  It’s an opportunity to meet incredible people, to spend quality time with each of them and to become inspired about the great change that’s possible.  It’s an opportunity to share stories and to learn how we’re all working together to mitigate the impacts of climate change.  Be it with carbon offsets, with green energy, with campaigning and advocacy, with business, or by hopping on a bicycle instead of driving a car – it was all there.

This ride was part one of two.  It was an incredible opportunity to increase our face to face time with our network, to engage with the network and to hear the stories of the groups we’re supporting.  As we work to raise awareness about 1% for the Planet, it’s important to hear the voices of our nonprofit partners, but it’s also essential to hear the stories from our business members.  And that brings about the final ask: will you join us?  Bring more perspective to the ride – tell your story and help us understand the challenges and rewards for your company as you work to be a part of the solution.  Engage with a dynamic and passionate crew that will both challenge you with questions and work enthusiastically with you to develop solutions.  Join us this October for Part 2 of an epic journey and pedal with us from Eureka, CA to San Francisco, CA.

Can’t join us?  Support our team!  By donating to any of our team members, your donation will go to support the work of 1% for the Planet.

Hear it yourself, the coolest thing about Climate Ride, from Climate Ride facilitator, Geraldine:

Posted in Climate Ride, News

1% for the Planet is a Climate Ride Beneficiary !

1% for the Planet was just named a beneficiary of Climate Ride’s 2011 charity cycling events! Climate Ride is the first multi-day, multi-city charitable bicycle ride to address climate change and renewable energy issues.

Open a newspaper, go online, listen to the radio and you’ll find stories about climate change which share a similar theme:  climate change is and will continue to be one of the defining environmental issues of the 21^st century.

Greenhouse gas emissions produced in the 1900’s continue to affect the globe’s climate today – increasing the temperature of the planet, contributing to greater volatility in weather patterns, and altering eco-systems from ocean reefs to glaciers and ice fields to ancient forests. And the greenhouse gas emissions we produce today – by driving our cars, heating our homes, charging our cell phones, powering our computers and engaging in other acts of daily life— will have significant, planet altering effects that will continue well into the 22^nd century.

So this year, we’ve decided to change our habits and hopefully inspire others to do the same. At 1% for the Planet, we’re lowering our carbon footprint, one bike ride at a time.  This year, whenever possible, we’ll be getting out of our cars and onto our bikes – to run errands, get to school and work, and have fun with friends.

And then, we are going to go on the road, big-time!

1% Co-Captain Brittany

1% Co-Captain Leah

Bring Your Message to Washington…By Bicycle!

On May 13 -17, 2011, our incredibly fun and athletic Director of Member Services, Brittany Nunnink will lead Team 1% for the Planet on Climate Ride’s forth year riding the beautiful country roads 300 miles from New York City to Washington, DC to raise awareness of renewable energy and the climate crisis. Check out the route!

Support Clean Energy & Bicycle Advocacy

On October 2-6, 2011, Brittany will be joined by our inspiring and soulful Development Program Manager, Leah Cameron, and co-lead the 1% team from Eureka to San Fransisco, 320 miles of stunning coastline, towering redwoods, and picturesque wine country, and conclude our journey across the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco. Rebecca Calahan Klein, our optimistic and athletically challenged but endurance sport loving VP for Organizational Development, will also join us for the fun. Check out the route!

And we’d love for you – our 1% member companies and NGO partners—to join us in this fun, life changing and planet-loving journey!

Join our Team: NYC-DC and/or Eureka- San Francisco

Sponsor a Rider: NYC-DC and/or Eureka- San Francisco

Donate Products or Services: Climate Ride welcomes in-kind product and service donations from companies.  So if you have food, personal care products, bike gear, music, or other items you’d like to donate, bring them on!  And remember up to 25% of your 1% donation can be made in product donation. Contact brittany@onepercentfortheplanet.org for more information.

Share your Knowledge: We want to deepen knowledge about climate change among the 1% community with speakers from our NGO partner organizations that are working on climate change. Contact brittany@onepercentfortheplanet.org for more information.

Our Pedal Pushers

The “climate conference on wheels” raises funds for a collection of nine hardworking non-profits including 1% For the Planet.  All Climate Ride beneficiaries are 1% approved non-profits and working hard on various aspects of climate, policy, business, renewable energy, and bicycle advocacy and infrastructure. We are proud to be is such good company!

Posted in Announcement, Climate Ride, News