Let's Stop Bitching about the Oil Spill and DO SOMETHING

I want to organize a fundraising event, or a series of them if it's a popular idea. Let's do something besides ride around booing at gas stations, guys. Let's be a proactive community of advocates for cleaner, healthier transportation and send a positive message to our city.

I'm thinking the first of such events could be a "by-donation" bike wash. Let's get out our chain-brite, our toothbrushes, our chain cleaners, our rags, etc and spend a Saturday cleaning bikes, say at the Polish Triangle or some other popular intersection for bike traffic.

Then let's send all that money to a relief fund for the Gulf. Maybe we have employers who will match our contributions? Maybe ActiveTrans will sponsor? Who knows?

Also, I'd love to make spoke cards to hand out to anyone who donates any amount of money for the event.

I'm just tired of being a bitch about it. I want to feel like I did something, and my limited ability to actually travel south and clean the coast with my hands means I have to clean something here and send money to the people who ARE more capable than I am!

So what do you guys think? Can we do this?

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Permalink Reply by igz on June 24, 2010 at 5:06am
its doable. just needs organization and some form of leadership. that, often seems to be the most difficult part of anything.
Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on June 24, 2010 at 5:17am
Alright, so let's get started :)

My idea: A bike wash. Has a great slogan opportunity, "Clean your Bike, Clean the Gulf!"

Could be done on a Saturday in a commuter heavy part of the city. We can use this site, ActiveTrans, Facebook and Twitter to get the word out.

It's fun & easy, most people have the materials in their homes, though they are cheap anyway (rags, dollar store toothbrushes, etc... we'd have to ask volunteers to donate a bottle of chain-brite). We're not talking repair, just cleaning.

Donation. People who donate get a spoke card with the slogan on it.

If we decide on a date, let's ask our employers to match our contributions. Maybe a group like ActiveTrans is interested in this.
Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on June 24, 2010 at 5:18am
Oh, and also please post other ideas!
Permalink Reply by Joel on June 24, 2010 at 5:41am
How about near the Green City Market? You have a good number of cyclists there anyway, and there is more reason to go than just the bike wash. It is an eco-minded group so that helps with support.

Joe Sak said:
Alright, so let's get started :)
Could be done on a Saturday in a commuter heavy part of the city. We can use this site, ActiveTrans, Facebook and Twitter to get the word out.
Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on June 24, 2010 at 5:43am
I'm fine with any location people agree on. What I need is 10 to 15 people who say "yes I will show up and clean bikes for a few hours, and I'll bring rags and cleaning supplies!"

And then for all those people to agree on a date, time, and place! :)
Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on June 24, 2010 at 5:43am
And then for the community on a whole to spread the word to get people to show up and donate
Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on June 24, 2010 at 5:53am
I just got a note from Lorena cupcake that her employer will match up to 200$ -- So that's 400 if we raise 200, guys! Pretty sweet deal :)
Permalink Reply by igz on June 24, 2010 at 5:56am
may i recommend doing such a thing during afternoon rush hour on a nice day? (a weekend one as well tho). i know it might be difficult to get some volunteers during rush hour, but we can try? i agree that polish triangle would be great...or any spot along milwaukee, really. i dont really know the other big bike commuter avenues.

Tell us more about the Green City Market.
Permalink Reply by Joel on June 24, 2010 at 6:03am
I'm actually more likely to be able to help during the week. My only reason for suggesting the GCM is because it is a popular Saturday destination that already draws cyclists. I don't think people will go very far out of their way to get a bike wash. Some place along the LFP (some of the big cement areas near Grant Park) could work.

iggi said:
may i recommend doing such a thing during afternoon rush hour on a nice day? (a weekend one as well tho). i know it might be difficult to get some volunteers during rush hour, but we can try? i agree that polish triangle would be great...or any spot along milwaukee, really. i dont really know the other big bike commuter avenues.

Tell us more about the Green City Market.
Permalink Reply by Lorena Cupcake on June 24, 2010 at 6:06am
I have a ton of Simple Green, which is what I usually use to degrease my chain. It's biodegradable as well so we're not just polluting groundwater while trying to clean up the gulf.

Yeah, I'm down, though weekend-only for me. Green City Market is a good idea. I would also be willing to wear a bikini and wave a sign, ha ha ha.
Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on June 24, 2010 at 6:07am
This would work well.

Lorena Cupcake said:
I would also be willing to wear a bikini and wave a sign, ha ha ha.
Permalink Reply by Marco Rayos on June 24, 2010 at 6:24am
I'm down, just tell me where and when. I can make spoke cards by the way. Any designe ideas please e-mail to comradecholo@gmail.com

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