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in|ur Inbox Archive
Interview: Larry Crane
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in|ur favorite band teeWould you like to submit a snapshot of yourself in your favorite band tee? We’re continually growing our in|ur community, and we’d love you to be a part of it! Simply send your photo and the answer to the questions: 1.) Why is this your favorite (band or tee)? and 2.) What do you do in your own life to live sustainably? Please send your submissions to: community@inurmagazine.com.Check out the in|ur crew's favorite band tees in The Beat>> 
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Time’s a Cluckin’by G.W. WinbornWith their diurnal clocks on full throttle, chickens are at their yearly peak for laying eggs. If you want to be part of the urban farming movement, raising chickens is a great way to create local, sustainable, organic agriculture--and amazing compost. You can be an online lover and dreamer, or you can join several local community organizations that are populating our urban landscapes not only with produce but also with poultry. The latest issue of in|ur showcases several urban chicken farmers. In Portland, this month marks the fifth annual Tour de Coops with some twenty coops to see on the tour by bike or carpool. People know Portland is a popular chicken town. But New York City? If chickens can make it there they’ll make it anywhere! See how Just Food, in New York City, has been helping chickens find a roost in the Big Apple. Seattle comes next in the pecking order, and San Francisco, has joined the flock, too. Want to start a coop where you live? Check this list of local laws to make sure you won’t be harboring fugitive chickens. And before you get your chicks, learn how to build your own coop from reclaimed materials. |
Other sites to scratch around:Apartment Therapy, The KitchnThe City Chicken, Vancouver, WA Backyard Chickens A Flock of Your Own FeatherSite
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Riding the ride when it comes to sustainable commutingby G.W. WinbornRuby Gates and Stephanie Swanson, principal and partner respectively of MarketShift Strategies, know how to mix business and bicycles. They don’t just preach sustainability to their executive-level, environmentalist, mover-and-shaker clients, they practice their philosophy everyday by commuting on their bikes. And they do it all while looking fashionable in the process. “We do what we can to live up to the counsel we give clients,” says Gates. That means they average sixteen to twenty-one miles per day on their two-wheeled transport, covering all four quadrants of Portland, Oregon, the most bike friendly city in the country. “We make sure to walk in with our helmets,” Gates says, not only to show their clients why they might have bit of “helmet head,” but also because it always sparks a discussion about the benefits of commuting by bike. When a destination is too far, or generally inaccessible by bike, they ride to public transportation, load their bikes, then pedal from the closest stop to their destination. Together, Gates and Swanson offset literally a ton of CO2 annually by not using cars. “Our transportation/commuting costs are practically non-existent,” says Gates. Think: no insurance, no gas, plus bikes cost much less to maintain than cars. “We never have to waste time finding parking spaces, not to mention [pay] meter or garage fees.” Plus they don’t have to worry about gym fees because they’re already getting their exercise in a meaningful, practical way everyday! “Some of our best work meetings happen on the commute to downtown,” says Gates. “Fresh air breeds brain activity and creative thinking.” Gates says the main question they get from clients after “You really biked here?” is “How do you figure out what to wear?” Like many of the models in this month’s issue of in|ur, Gates and Swanson shop for their business clothes with that in mind. “We’re too busy to change clothes, so you can frequently find us biking in high heels and a dress (that’s carefully chosen not to be too revealing).” With new materials like bamboo and organic cotton mixed with spandex, your designer dress will stand up to exercise and still look great in the boardroom. As a testament to their true diehard spirit, the two give their ultimate insider’s fashion tip: “No lip gloss while commuting—too many bugs stick to your lips!” Visit this month’s issue of in|ur to see the latest fashionable accessories to make your bike commute as head turning as it is healthy, sustainable, and fun. Watch this video of Gates and Swanson in all their sassy, bicycling splendor. Watch movie now... ©2008 MarketShift Strategies, Inc. |
Interested in bicycling?Check out these local online hotspots and see what people are talking about:
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