Green Paige

BaBa’s Bike Journal

Entry #3 

I am finding that the one aspect of bike commuting I dislike is the wardrobe change at the beginning and end of my work day.  Either I am changing in the cold, dirty men’s bathroom or I am ducking under my desk with the lights off in my office hoping no one squints through the window.  I feel like I am committing some sort of crime or obscene act.

Then there is my biking wardrobe.  Currently, I am sporting old, paint-splotched grey sweats, a long-sleeve shirt (even in 90 degree weather, as I will sun burn,) sun glasses, a nondescript grey helmet and white shoes.  Compared to the cyclists I pass on my way to work, I am the dumpiest dressed cyclist in the city.

I have to admit that I am not spandex material.  Me wearing spandex would be the equivalent of someone like Jimmy Kimmel wearing a sling-shot thong on a Florida beach.  It just would not work for my body right now.  I need to find something in between my dumpy sweats and the Lance Armstrong look. 

Any suggestions?

BaBa

BaBa’s Bike Journal

Entry #2

I noticed something unique on my ride home from work today.  It was “rush” hour in our small city of 150K and I was amazed by the amount of traffic. I found it interesting that I had not noticed the volume of vehicles on the road during my old car commute. I had almost expected to get home and hear news of some impending disaster causing everyone to flee the city.  I love how bike commuting makes you slow down and notice the world around you.  When you are commuting in your car, it’s like being in an air-conditioned bubble. 

Something else I noticed were the BUGS.  Yes I said bugs…flying across the bike path.  Perhaps they too received word of an impending disaster and decided to flee their homes and make a run for it.  For the squeamish, don’t worry, no bugs made their way into my mouth.  However, I did find that their little bodies were continually ricocheting off my helmet and bouncing off my face.  I even found myself weaving to avoid the larger ones. Who would have figured that bugs would bug me this much?

Comment and let me know how you deal with the bug problem during your bike commute.    Thanks.  BaBa    

BaBa’s Bike Journal - August 19, 2008

Day 1

I dusted off my bike and climbed aboard.   It was a perfect commute to work and it only took me 15 minutes.  What a change from driving.  I went through two traffic lights biking but when I drive to work I go through eight lights.  Thank goodness for the great bike trails we have here.  My bike commute time is faster than driving.

I do have to say that I feel a little sore.  When I think about it, it’s been almost two months since I have ridden my bike.  I know the commute will come easier with practice.  My plan is to commute to work every day.

Even though I am physically sore, I feel great mentally.   I am not only doing something for “The” environment and “My” environment (aka, my body with it’s surplus of fat) but I am slowing down and giving myself time to think and de-stress.  I feel happy and relaxed.

My goals for this week:

1. Bike Every Day
2. Make a Rain Poncho (for wet weather)
3. Air Up My Tires (which involves finding my tire pump)
4. Make a Reflective Vest (for those overcast days)

Please comment and let me know how you are doing with your own bike commuting challenge.  Thanks.

BaBa

For tips on safe and enjoyable bicycle commuting, check out Bike Commute.

This summer, a local bike shop in our city sponsored an essay contest.  In 500 words or less, commuters were challenged to explain why they were tired of driving and would like to use a bicycle as their main form of transportation.  Rather than rewarding people who already ride their bikes, the contest was designed to help recruit new members into the bicycling lifestyle.

The prizes for the winners were Trek 7.2 FX bicycles plus a rack with panniers and front and rear lights.  Each package was worth about $700. The prizes came with a commitment, though.  Winners were asked to pledge to use their new bikes for all trips less than 2 miles and to keep a blog for one month about how the change had affected their lives.

Even though my husband didn’t take up the literary challenge, he did take up the physical challenge.  He has decided to make his own vow to commute with his old, used bike that he bought from a friend for all trips under 2 miles.  He also agreed to post a bike journal for every day he commutes via bike to see how it affects his life and our family’s.  Our daughter has dubbed this new section of our blog - BaBa’s Bike Journal.

If you would like to take up the challenge with BaBa or have comments about your own experiences with bike commuting, please feel free to comment. 

Let’s face it - our economy is changing, our priorities are changing, our world is changing.  Our family is putting more thought into what we purchase and the impact those purchases will have on the planet.  Because of this paradigm shift in our own household not to mention the larger community in which we live, my husband and I have begun to investigate socially responsible investing.

Unlike most people who would simply look up the definition of socially responsible investing or SRI, I chose to seek out my answers in the blogosphere.  I contacted the Millionaire Mommy Next Door in order to find out just what SRI is and why this broad-based approach to investing now encompasses an estimated $2.71 trillion out of $25.1 trillion in the U.S. investment marketplace.  

Jen or MMND, as she is known to her readers, is the author of the highly successful, personal finance blog Millionaire Mommy Next Door.  She shares her story of how she went from free lunch kid to financially free by the age of 40 with an audience of over 3,000 daily subscribers and 50,000 page views a month.  She has been featured on MSN Money, US News and World Report and appeared on the Montel Williams Show during The Modern Girl’s Guide To Success episode last December.

Interview with the Millionaire Mommy Next Door

What is your definition of SRI?

MMND - “I define SRI as an investment strategy that allows the investor to consider both the return on his or her investment and the investment’s impact on society. The socially responsible investor seeks out and invests in companies that help foster a better world such as those that promote healthy communities, clean environments and economic equality. They use shareholder activism to promote positive change in business practices. Conversely, they keep money out of companies that pollute, manufacture weapons or perform tests on animals.”

How many SRI funds are there?

MMND - “I am delighted to find that the number of SRI funds is rising quickly.  There were 55 SRI funds in 1995. By 2007, the number had grown to 260. These SRI funds represent a wide variety of categories and types of products including domestic and international equities, bonds and ETFs (exchange traded funds.) This makes it possible to diversify one’s portfolio using 100% SRI funds, according to individual needs.”

How well do socially responsible funds perform?

MMND - “Screening based on specific corporate policies naturally reduces the pool of acceptable businesses to invest in. Consequently, an SRI mutual fund’s policy could cause it to make or avoid investments that could result in underperforming as compared to similar funds that do not screen for specific SRI issues. However, several academic studies have shown that SRI mutual funds perform competitively with non-SRI funds over time. The case could be made that businesses that comprehend the importance of sustainability today are strategically positioned to profit in the future.”

Is green investing the same as socially responsible investing?

MMND - “You may hear terms like mission investing, responsible investing, double or triple bottom line investing and ethical investing used interchangeably with socially responsible investing. Green investing is a narrower focus within a special category of SRI. Personal definitions of green investing vary as do the terms used to describe this strategy which include eco-investing and sustainable investing.” 

What is your definition of green investing?

MMND - “A broad definition of green investing would be investing in stocks of companies with environmentally-friendly practices and cleaner ways of extracting and producing energy. There are really two types of green investing-mutual funds that invest in companies that provide green solutions and funds that invest in companies that use environmentally conscious business practices.”

What is the difference between green solution funds and environmentally conscious funds?

MMND - “Some green funds screen out businesses based on environmental concerns, others actively look for and invest in alternative/green companies. For instance, some corporations that don’t provide green services or manufacture green products can still be called green by their fund manager because the manager believes these corporations use environmentally conscious business practices.“

“There are some green funds that are considered purer than others because they invest in areas like environmental services, green building, green transportation, water management, etc. Many of these green solution funds tend to invest in small, specialized companies so the ups and downs are bigger with more volatility. This also causes the fund’s expense ratios to be higher and many carry sales loads. But again, the future seems bright for environmentally progressive companies so the long-term performance could be rewarding.”

Can you give some examples of green funds?

MMND - “To locate examples of both types of green funds, visit The Social Investment Forum . Then read the prospectus provided by the individual mutual fund’s management company to determine whether it fits your needs or not.” 

Where can people find more information about SRI?

MMND - “Download the free guide, ‘Investing in Socially Responsible Mutual Funds.’  This 20-page guide outlines the information you need to help you get started investing in socially responsible mutual funds.  I also recommend Co-op America’s Financial Planning Handbook .”   

Do you have a last word of advice for potential investors?

MMND - “Investing requires knowledge of investment options, the market and available resources.  Consult a professional financial planner before deciding on an investment strategy or changing your investment behavior.”           This article also appears in the August 2008 edition of  Rocky Mountain Parent Magazine.