Green Your Holidays

The holidays are (mostly) behind us now, but we wanted to share some ideas about greening such annual occasions...you could apply this to birthdays and other times of year when you're celebrating.  We put the word out on our Facebook page, asking friends what they've done to green their holidays, and got the following responses:

"Carpooling, and using recycled wrapping paper." - Mary M., employee at Mirbeau Inn & Spa
"Bike ride to my local watering hole...nothing out of the ordinary!" - Sean B.
"Reusing gift bags, and hoping those who receive them do the same." - Kyle K.
"[Making gifts] from upcycled or repurposed materials/remnants from...vintage pieces or sewing projects i worked on in the past..." - Dana C.
"I bought some used bows and wrapping materials at Dave's." - Beth O.
"Newspaper for gift wrapping and a cut up old red t shirt for bows. :) " - Kari S.

Thanks, everyone for sharing your ideas!  We believe it's also really important to support your local artists, shops and restaurants.  Take a few extra minutes to find something locally made and special, and your giftees will truly appreciate it!  Buffalo is full of unique places and people, so take advantage of what our local culture is offering.  For a list of local artists, artisans, and off-the-beaten path galleries/art spaces, check out the list I made (which is still in progress) or visit Buffalo First.

You could also consider donating money to local charities for the holidays, like Jon and I started to do about four years ago.  The first year, we gave to Thea Bowman House in Utica (where we lived at the time).  They offer preschool, after-school programs, a food pantry, domestic violence prevention services and a home for long-term foster children.   In the years that we've lived in Buffalo, we've given our time, auction items, or financial contributions to the City Mission, Paws and Claws Animal Rescue, Art for H.E.A.R.T. Charity Auction, and the Boys and Girls Club of Buffalo , to name a few.

No matter what you choose to give, keep it green and local!  Happy Holidays, and wishing you the best for your new year.

Convenience with CarShare

Hello- it's Dana posting. While we've been members of Buffalo CarShare for over a month, we hadn't had a chance to use one of the cars until this week.  Since we sold our car, we've been biking or carpooling with others.  Two days ago, however, we needed to pick up an abundance of printing screens for Jon's business, Derailleur and our roommate Alicia's business, My Creative Noggin.  We reserved a CarShare vehicle (a two-door Yaris) only two hours in advance, via the online reservation system.  It was simple.  Jon biked up 6 blocks to grab the car, locked his bike in front of Quaker Bonnet, picked Alicia and I up, and off we went to Parkside! 

Penny Wyatt at Wyatt Design framing (corner of Parkside and Russell) had found herself with a number of screens a while back, and wanted someone to put them to use. We were more than happy to oblige! We loaded them into the Yaris, which was surprisingly roomy, and then grabbed a coffee from Sweet_ness 7 Parkside...yay!  After that, we got some groceries at Guercio's on Grant Street, stopped at Urban Roots on Rhode Island, and headed back.  Jon dropped us off, brought the car back to Quaker Bonnet, and rode home.  Done!

It was simple and fun.  We loved it, and strongly recommend CarShare to anyone who needs access to a vehicle sometimes.  Get rid of your second car, or even your first!  It's a freeing feeling to have the car when you need it, without being bogged down by big payments, DMV fees, and repair costs.  Happy CarSharing!

It's A Wonderful Bike!

Dana here!  The question I get asked the most when I tell people we sold our car is "What are you going to do when it snows?".  Well, first I will build an igloo.  Then I'll climb into it and hibernate for 5 months.  Just kidding.  If you guessed "suck it up and bike anyway", you were right!  Jon and I have been preparing for our winter bike adventure by acquiring gear bit by bit along the way...such as gloves for him, a new taillight for me, etc.  It is a bit daunting when you look out the window and those fat lake effect snowflakes are falling...but with preparation and caution, it's totally do-able.

One really important element is making sure one's neck and face are covered.  I have a good winter jacket that I've been wearing, but even zipped up all the way, air gets in.  Solution?  A neck gaiter!  Jon decided to make them for us, using felted wool sweaters and our sewing machine (that we got for free via Craigslist last year!).  So, he laid out the fabric, measured my face and neck, and got to sewing.  With some iron-on velcro, it's a simple matter of wrapping the gaiter around your face and fastening.

That wasn't all, though.  My little fingers have been getting cold as I bike, wearing thin velvet gloves.  Jon decided to keep his crafty pants on, and make me some mittens, too!  Now I'm all rainbows with my handmade winter wear.  Toasty!

As far as the actual bike RIDING in this weather, I have to say- it's not as scary as I expected. It will take a little getting used to, but I feel better on a bike than I do in a car when it's snowy.  I allow for extra braking time, as the brakes can get wet.  Also, I'm careful when riding over a slushy median/tire track...I've learned to take it slow to keep my wheels under me.  Finally, I'm using my lights!  The low visibility of a winter day means drivers may not be able to see me as well.  I keep them on the flash setting, and added a little reflective tape to my bike and helmet for extra safety.

With some preparation, you'll see that in Buffalo, "It's a Wonderful Bike!"  :)  Happy holidays.