The City of Reno 2008 Green Summit is scheduled for September 20. I’m stoked that Rocky Anderson is speaking. As many of you know, Twelve Horses has a significant and growing presence in Salt Lake City and because of that I’ve spent a lot of time in the SLC vicinity over the last two years. With every day I spend in Salt Lake City, I become more and more impressed with the accomplishments of that city and the business community. Reno can definitely learn from their success. Rocky Anderson had a lot to do with that success.
I’ve spent about two weeks there over this summer. Between the Utah Transit Authority’s rail system, my bike and some creative carpooling I didn’t have to drive to one meeting, or even to our offices in Draper. It was like living in San Francisco yet surrounded by mountains and ski resorts. Every time I hang out in downtown catching great music shows (like Lucero and Langhorne Slim) I can’t help but think that Reno is but 20 years behind in size yet poised with the opportunity to focus our town’s growth curve with more emphasis on land resource planning, mass transit and all the green-in-between. Where Salt Lake will suffer is that their hockey-stick growth phase occurred during cheap gas and real estate. Consequently their town is a very car-dependent culture where people live dozens and dozens of miles from their place of work.
So back to Reno:
Jason Geddes kicks ass. Not only does he share in my penchant for cowboy boots, shirts with mother-of-pearl buttons and chasing Chukar, but he’s local visionary leader that’s dragging Reno (sometimes kicking and screaming) into a future that I want to live in. A Winnemucca/Gabbs native, petroleum chemist and former State Assemblyman, Jason assisted Chuck Alvey take the patchouli-edge off of “green” in the EDAWN business development and economic diversification dialog and made huge progress in his time there. Currently he’s a Regent with the University of Nevada and serves the City of Reno as our town’s Environmental services Administrator. He’s also married to Cindy Geddes who’s one of the best writers here locally.
Jason got the Green Summit off of the ground last year. The first Green Summit was held in April of 2007 and served as a dialogue between Council, staff, and citizens on what the City could do to make Reno more “green”. There were almost 400 people in attendance. The 2008 Green Summit is intended to be a report back to the community on action taken since the last summit, and a continued dialogue on what the City should have as priorities in the 2008-2009 Green Action plan.
[Side note: Jason works with another great organization in this community, Nevada EcoNET. Every Wednesday night this summer the City of Reno's West Street Market features “Eco-Nights” produced by Nevada EcoNet. Click here to read about it. Props to Lauren Siegel and the City of Reno for putting this on!]
Here’s the deets on the 2008 City of Reno Green Summit:
Location: Joe Crowley Student Union-Ballroom, University of Nevada, Reno
Time: 1-5pm, Date: September 20
Program:
1:00-1:45 Welcome by Mayor and Council and Report to Community
1:45-2:30 Keynote Speaker- Rocky Anderson, Former Mayor of Salt Lake City
B- Education/Youth Programs-EnAct/Youth City Council
C- Green Building and Sierra Green Guidelines
D- Transportation
Keynote Speaker - The Honorable Rocky Anderson, founder of High Road for Human Rights, practiced law for 21 years; representing plaintiffs in antitrust, securities fraud, professional negligence, and civil rights cases. He then served as mayor of Salt Lake City from 2000 to 2008.
His comprehensive environmental programs, including an aggressive climate protection campaign, achieved a 31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Salt Lake City’s municipal operations.
For his leadership on climate change, Anderson received the Climate Protection Award from the EPA, the Distinguished Service Award from the Sierra Club, and the World Leadership Award from the World Leadership Forum.
Anderson is now working to achieve municipal and regional support for climate protection initiatives and to provide grassroots education and advocacy opportunities in the areas of human rights and climate change.
Incidentally, here’s some photos I snapped on the ‘ol trusty Nokia N95 while I was roaming downtown Salt Lake City with @leilanis during National Ride Your Bike to Work Week campaign. Obviously I thought it was brilliant!
Props to the Reno City Council for granting $1,000 to the Sierra Arts Foundation. The funds will go toward supporting the Reno Bike Project’s Bike Corral. The corral is a fenced in, valet-operated parking area in West Street Plaza next to Wingfield Park. The space is free, but donations are welcomed. The corral is in place on Friday evenings this summer during the Rollin’ on the River concert series.
Stoked to see that there was twice as many people at the Reno Bike Project Pancake feed this morning to support Bike to Work Day. Logan and I rolled down, ate some bacon, and then we rolled out to his school. We practiced his spelling words on the ride out, stopping at Walden’s Cafe for some more bacon. Thanks Kyle/Noah/Mikey for the bacon and griddle and Soma for flipping ‘them flapjacks.
Come on out for some fresh air, great exercise and free breakfast! Friday is “Ride Your Bike To Work Day.” The Reno Bike Project is serving up free breakfast for bike to work participants – the fun starts bright and early at 6 a.m. - Southeast Corner of 250 Bell St. Call (775) 323-4488 for more info.
Lots of cool events coming up in the next few days… Come rain (snow) or shine, Earth Day will be celebrated at Idlewild Park this Sunday, April 20 from 10 - 5. Reno Bike Project will be running the bike valet in front of the California Building, so be sure to stop in and say hey. (Also mark your calendar for the “Bike To Work Day” breakfast on Friday, May 16 – give Noah a call at (775) 622-6954 if you have questions.) On Monday the 21st Reno Bike Project holds its regular meeting at Susan’s office at 6. The group needs warm bodies to help out at next Saturday’s art show at Holland and Grayspace, so be sure to show up and get your assignment. Questions about the art show? Give Merrie a call at (775) 846-0664
Here’s a link to a Flickr slideshow of the Twelve Horses crew at the Reno Bike Project’s 2nd Annual ‘Bike Out! or Strike Out! with the Holland Project.
Viideo of the Reno ‘Bike Out or Strike Out’ made its way on to the RGJ.com. For a 2nd year event, this was awesome good times! Thanks to Merrie and the RGJ.com crew for being there!
Huge props to Sean O’Hair the most awesome proprietor of the Record Street Cafe for making giving this event an epicenter. Once again, thanks for your killer hospitality!
Finally, I think there’s already over 1,000 photos up on the Flickr for the event. This shot that pfew0k took of Tyler doing the nohands leg-over is great. In fact, he’s got a great pool of happy faces.
Join the Reno Bike Project, local sponsors and countless Reno bike enthusiasts to celebrate the 2nd annual “Bike-Out or Strike-Out” at the Record Street Cafe (945 Record Street) on November 10, 2007, starting at 12:00 noon. The event is a celebration of urban bike culture and art and will include live music, food, raffles, an awesome alley-cat race, bike rodeo, and much more. All are welcome and encouraged to come ride, race, celebrate and help the Reno Bike Project promote urban cycling in Reno.
Attendees are encouraged to donate used bikes and bike parts that can be refurbished by our professional mechanic and volunteers. All refurbished bikes will be sold at affordable prices to help serve the community’s basic transportation needs. All funds raised at this event directly benefit The Reno Bike Project, a non-profit community bike shop and advocacy group for cycling as transportation. At last year’s event $1,000 was raised and the group received many bicycle donations.
The main event will feature an alley-cat race starting at 12:00 noon. Entry fee is $5 and includes a T-shirt and prizes. The party after the race will feature live local music, Bar-B-Que by Record Street Caf, raffle of cool local goods and services, and a freak-bike circus/bike rodeo that will include skid, foot-down, track-stand, and and wheelie competitions. There will also be free community bike repair, and a bicycle donation drive. After the event, the Holland Project (hollandreno.blogspot.com) will take over and hold their all-ages Youth Board Zombie Dance Party and Double-Dutch competition.
Many generous local businesses have donated items or services for the raffle including:
The Bike Project is a growing nonprofit group that provides low-cost bikes and help maintaining or fixing bikes at its new shop, Papa Wheelie’s Community Bike Shop at the rear entrance of 250 Bell St.
The City of Reno 2008 Green Summit is scheduled for September 20. I’m stoked that Rocky Anderson is speaking. As many of you know, Twelve Horses has a significant and growing presence in Salt Lake City and because of that I’ve spent a lot of time in the SLC vicinity over the last two years. With every day I spend in Salt Lake City, I become more and more impressed with the accomplishments of that city and the business community. Reno can definitely learn from their success. Rocky Anderson had a lot to do with that success. 
sure to stop in and say hey. (Also mark your calendar for the “Bike To Work Day” breakfast on Friday, May 16 – give Noah a call at (775) 622-6954 if you have questions.) On Monday the 21st Reno Bike Project holds its regular meeting at Susan’s office at 6. The group needs warm bodies to help out at next Saturday’s art show at 
