Whether you’re a Lance Armstrong wannabe or simply wheel around the neighborhood on your vintage Schwinn, chances are good that you’ve had to replace a few bike tubes (the inner part of the tire that keeps it inflated) along the way. Rather than tossing out the busted tubes, take them to the recycling bin at Bicycle Garage Indy. (Both the northside and southside locations participate in the program.) The stores also have recycling bins for Clif Bar wrappers, thanks to the company’s partnership with Terracycle.

And while we’re on the subject of bikes…

If you’re in the market for a new two-wheeler and would prefer a greener option, consider going with a pre-owned bike (we like the ones at Indy-based Freewheelin’ Community Bikes). Or, if you prefer buying new, opt for a bike built in the USA. Why? Bicycles built in the states have fewer miles to travel from the manufacturer to you, resulting in far fewer CO2 emissions. Locally, Speedway Handmade Bicycle Works offers two high-end custom brands - Don Walker Cycles and Speedway Brand - that are handcrafted onsite. For a more budget-friendly option, Meghan suggests checking out Republic Bike, a colorful, fashion-conscious line of Dutch and fixed-gear custom bicycles that are built in Miami.

Don’t reinvent the wheel trying to green your bike experience! With these few simple steps, it’s as easy as a cruise down the Monon Trail.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy. Except when it’s 90 degrees and humid as heck and if one more mosquito bites you, you’ll freak! No, when the mercury rises to unacceptable levels, a simple stroll around Monument Circle feels more like slogging through an urban swamp. Solution? Pedicabs, people! They’re Indy’s latest, greatest, and greenest form of getting around downtown.

Instead of: Increased perspiration.
Try: Alternative transportation. Pedicabs (a.k.a. “bike cabs”) are the perfect solution when you don’t want to bike or walk (hey, we ladies don’t always wear the most sensible shoes). Two new companies to try: Indy Pedicabs and Circle City Pedicabs.

Instead of: Shelling out your last dollar on a (gas-guzzling, carbon dioxide-spewing) taxi ride across downtown.
Try: Spending a few singles on a (zero-emission) pedicab ride. Indy Pedicabs works for tips (suggested: $1 per city block per person), while Circle City Pedicabs charges a flat $5 fee for ride in the Mile Square.

Instead of: Telling Grandma she can hoof it 9 blocks to the Circle to watch the fireworks.
Try: Telling Grandma you’ve reserved a zippy little pedicab to escort you to the Regions Bank Freedom Blast. Contact the companies directly to find out how to ride - or just hail one when you see it downtown. And don’t worry…both companies’ carriages have overhead canopies so Grandma’s ‘do stays dry.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

While some solutions to America’s energy quandary are downright puzzling (such as, oh, finding a way to stop all that oil from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico), others are pretty easy to figure out. Like, stop driving your car across the strip mall parking lot from one store to the other (duh). Stop idling (double duh)! And for Pete’s sake, figure out a better way to get to work than simply driving alone, whether that’s carpooling, vanpooling, riding the bus, biking, or walking. Granted, we realize that walking to work or finding a bus that stops near your office isn’t always an option. Finding someone to carpool with, however, no longer has to feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Simply visit the Central Indiana Commuter Services (CICS) website and sign up to be matched with others in your area who are interested in carpooling. We know what you’re thinking: What if I get sick and need to leave work early? Or what if I need to stay late? CICS has already thought of that, friends. Through their Emergency Ride Home program, qualified commuters receive 5 vouchers a year for taxi service. If that isn’t incentive enough, now through July 4, 2010, if you refer a friend to CICS and they sign up to find a carpool partner (or registers as a carpooler, vanpooler, bus rider, biker or walker), both of you will be entered into a drawing for a $50 CICS prize pack. The referral must write your name and promo code (RAF610) in the comments section when registering online or give your name and code when registering by phone (317-327-RIDE).

This Fourth of July weekend, declare your independence from commuting solo once and for all!

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

When it’s 75 degrees and sunny, the last place you want to be is stuck in your car. Sitting in rush-hour traffic. Behind the guy who’s trying to text, eat, and drive simultaneously. May is National Bike Month, making it the perfect time to shine up your old Schwinn and go for a spin. Whether you’re cruising the Monon Trail or commuting on Bike to Work Day (May 21), Indy is becoming an increasingly bike-friendly city.

• Thanks to Pedal and Park, you can store your bike for free in a secure, staffed area at more than a dozen area events, such as like the Broad Ripple Art Fair, Indy 500, and Indiana State Fair.
• Taking your bike downtown? INBikePort has free bike lockers for 42 bikes. Several of the bike ports surround the Indiana Government Center, but others can be found near Merchants Garage (31 S. Meridian St.) and NIFS (250 University Blvd.). The coolest part? You can both reserve a locker and open the locker via your cell phone!
• If you regularly use your bike to commute to work, under the federal Bicycle Commuter Act, you may be eligible to receive up to $20 per month to help defray costs (i.e., parts, maintenance, etc.) of bicycle commuting.
• Need to find a route? The City of Indianapolis now has an online BikeWays map.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

Bus or bike? Why not both? If you want to reduce your carbon footprint (or simply trim your fuel costs) this summer, biking to and from your nearest IndyGo bus stop is a smart idea. To prove to you that securing your bike on the front of an IndyGo bus is way easier than it may sound, we recently tested it out for ourselves. Check out our latest video!

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

You rode the school bus as a youngster. So what’s holding you back from trying IndyGo, our city’s big-kid bus system? Yeah, we know you’re all grown up now and have your own set of wheels. But haven’t you heard that all that drive time is slowly melting polar ice caps and driving up the cost of oil? That’s why today, we’re dispelling myths about riding the bus in Indianapolis.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

Downtown Indy’s transformation over the past couple of decades, from sleepy Naptown to hip hangout, is one of our city’s biggest accomplishments, in our opinion. Yet, for an area of town that relies so heavily upon tourism, it’s a shame that so many downtown hotels are in need of a wake-up call when it comes to being eco-friendly. Fortunately, not every hotel has checked out on the planet. We salute the following operations’ green initiatives.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

Remember your first bike? Whether it had a basket, a bell, a banana seat, or all of the above, your first set of wheels holds a special place in your heart. If you’re thinking of getting a bike or getting rid of an old one, consider a visit to Freewheelin’ Bikes. The organization restores gently used two-wheelers to their former glory, then sells them at an affordable price. Plus, checkout the Green Savings Indy coupon for added savings.

Reminder:
Who: Southside commuters
What: Rush Hour Recycling - electronics and cardboard recycling
When: June 17, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Where: 2829 S. Madison Ave. (between Troy and Southern)

The problem with eco challenges is, not all of them are quite as simple as they sound. Cutting your shower time in half? Only eating foods grown within 100 miles of your home? You can drive yourself bonkers trying to overhaul old habits. But here’s one to try: the One Mile Solution.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

When thousands of music-obsessed Midwesterners pour into Chicago’s Grant Park for a weekend of concerts, they call it Lollapalooza. When thousands of eco-conscious Midwesterners spill onto Navy Pier for a weekend of earth-lovin’ fun, they call it the Green Festival (May 16-17). While this year’s festival boasts hundreds of green businesses, panel discussions, and presentations, it’s way bigger (and more fun) than your garden variety trade show, drum circle, or meeting of the minds. You can get in on how-to workshops, learn about green careers, visit a Fair Trade pavilion, sample organic beer, wine, and cuisine; or, yes, jam out to live music. Take that, ‘Palooza!

Before you hop in your car and cruise up I-65, consider carpooling or, even better, booking your trip on the Megabus to reduce your carbon footprint. You’ll get free wi-fi access en route and eliminate the hassle and expense of finding a hotel room and parking spot in downtown Chicago. If you’re into conserving time as much as natural resources, Megabus also offers same-day return trips to Indy.

So go on…say yes to that extra organic beer.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan