That’s right… blogging can be a bit like that “Telephone” game we all played as kids. Thanks as always to Brad and Peter!

Read more Shades of Green comic strips

A new project from DeSmogBlog, Rainforest Action Network, and Greenpeace USA, called Coal is Dirty aims to address the spread of disinformation about the facts surrounding global warming, so governments and industry are held accountable for their actions. The site is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning the facts about climate change. This short animation takes a humorous look at the emergence of “clean coal”[animation by Mark Fiore].

Hey, we should all laugh at ourselves once in a while, right? Thanks, as always, to Brad and Peter…

Now and then, we parents have to be creative. Someday, if our kids are lucky, we’ll share these secrets when they have kids of their own. Maybe. Or maybe we’ll just have a bit of a laugh first then let them in on it. (fun after the jump).

1. “All the cookies are gone!” (The last two are hidden because I want them). “I have some whole wheat crackers!”
2. My signature secret move: Eye the vegetables on your child’s plate. Beg for a bite. See how much fun it is for your toddler to deny you. Try to “sneak” the vegetable off your child’s plate. Use the “MINE!” instinct to your advantage. Watch child eat vegetables simply because you want them.
3. “Would you like Mommy to put you in the seat, or do you want to climb up yourself?” Note that no third option of running off to play is mentioned. This will change by age three when your child begins to make his own options.
4. “Which side of the bed did you get up on? Oh, we’re going to have to back upstairs and go get up on the other side now. Ready?”
5. “See, Elmo uses a toothbrush. And he doesn’t even have teeth.”
6. “Tickle the Pickle!” shout this, then tickle said grouchy child until you have made her forget what the big deal was.
7. Serve green fruits like kiwi, honeydew or sliced green grapes, not just green vegetables. Keep them guessing on that whole green food thing. Works for orange, too.
8. Find a place where running, climbing and discovery is pretty safe. It’s nice to be saying “No. No. No no no no no NO!” every fifteen minutes instead of every five. Play too. You need it.
9. “Uh oh! If you don’t turn off the water, we’ll run out!” Water conservation is a pretty heavy concept for under five. You can revisit this one later.
10. Didn’t eat well? Have dessert for the big people after bed time. They won’t miss what they don’t know you had.
11. Shop for the cereal without the kids along. Buy the healthy stuff. Place all prepared food items (cereal, crackers, etc.) into clear storage bins. Food looks like food, not fun characters. Better yet, shop the bulk bins, cheaper, saves packaging, and none of those pesky licensed characters pimping sugar.
12. Encourage that Mommy’s Helper “Housework is FUN!” stage for as looooong as you can. Make sure you use non-toxic cleaners, or natural options like vinegar and water. Seriously, mine drank out of the mop bucket.

Okay, so what’s your best trick? We have to stick together, you know …

Welcome to Earth Day, crafters! Today, in honor of our one and only home, I’m taking a break from the Fabulous Fabrics series to address a serious dilemma.

If you’re like me, you have a decent sized fabric stash sitting around. In my case, it’s quilting cotton. Yards and yards and yards of it. If you’re like me, you also spend a lot of time thinking about how you can help avert ecological crisis. When the two collide, it can produce guilt about consumption of that much cotton - which uses a ton of water to produce - as well as dyes to make it pretty.

Don’t fret! While cotton is a thirsty crop, your stash can start to make up for its ecological footprint while it awaits that perfect project. Scientists here at Crafting A Green World Laboratories have been working diligently to evaluate all the possibilities and develop this list of the Top 5 ways your fabric stash can help save the earth. (We believe these tips are also applicable to other stash materials, such as yarn and possibly ribbon, but our research is still ongoing into these supplies.)

Insulation For Your Home

While our researchers have not yet determined the exact R-value of a fabric stash, it’s pretty obvious that stacking tons of fabric up against a wall provides some extra insulating power. You want to use a wall that faces the outside, so my stash can’t live in the closet anymore, but on the other hand I’ll get more of a chance to see it when it’s not behind closet doors. Bonus: people who live in energy efficient homes are sexier.

Energy Efficiency for Your Refrigerator

Refrigerators run more efficiently when the freezer compartment is mostly full, so why not use any extra space to store your stash if your freezer is rarely fully stocked? We advise you to store your fabric in plastic bags before using this tip, though, because you don’t want it to end up with freezer smell. (Plastic bags aren’t all that eco-friendly, we know, but you should be able to use the same ones for years.)

A Comfy Guest Bed

Why buy a whole piece of furniture for an occasional use? In the spirit of Use What You Have Month, stack your fabric stash to create a guest bed when company comes to visit. If you have a guest who likes a firmer mattress, slap your rotary cutting mat on top. If they like a softer mattress, top it with some batting. It saves raw materials, and you don’t need an extra room to store the bed even when it’s not in use.

Build a Tiny House

Speaking of extra rooms, have you noticed that U.S. houses are WAY bigger than they used to be? Making a guest bed out of your stash can save you some square footage, which means less to heat and cool (and clean), but why not go one better and downsize your dwelling? If an ice hockey goalie can live in his net, why can’t a crafter live in her (or his) stash? You could even put your tiny house on wheels for taking to craft shows.

Craft for Great Justice

Our colleague Nayelli pointed out in her post on our sister blog EcoWorldly that No Water Means No Food, so if you ever eat or drink, you’ll agree that water is important. In 2006 and 2007, knitters came together with international charity WaterAid for the Knit A River project to raise awareness of the need for clean water worldwide.

What eco-cause are you passionate about? How can you get crafty and get involved? Creativity is what we do, so I look forward to seeing an explosion of crafty activism from Crafting A Green World readers in 2008.

And on that note, I leave you to celebrate Earth Day!

Other motivation for this cartoon comes from the historical (and current) treatment of native Americans, and this unsourced quote from MAD Magazine: “The suburbs are where they cut down all the trees and then name the streets after them!”

On Thursday, Trevor Baldwin, who was driving the car when he was stopped for “operating an unsafe vehicle” had his day in court, and the charges against him were dismissed.

As the Crown prosecutor tried to make his case Thursday, the court erupted in laughter, and the charges were thrown out.

Baldwin’s legal representative, Terry Fox, said the arresting officer never should have pulled the car over.

“Where’s the evidence it was illegal? There was no objective standard here. Just his opinion is what it was, and that’s not good enough. It’s speculation he based it on,” Fox said outside court.

Pedal-power is unlikely to replace biodiesel, ethanol, or other technologies,  but it’s probably far better than coal-fueled trucks.

via: CBC News

cross-posted at Carectomy

In a stunning reversal of direction, the Bush administration has officially requested a new addition to the Endangered Species list. What threatened species could elicit this drastic change of course for the Bush Administration? It is, of course, the elusive Climate Change Skeptic (dubium mundus fervesco), whose habitat is being threatened by rational thinking, increased rates of deforestation, low gas-mileage standards, and the abundance of “cheap” coal. The stunning news comes just after a story in the Washington Post reported that the current administration has never requested that an animal be protected by the Endangered Species Act. Of the current administration’s 59 listed species, none of them were requested by the administration themselves.

But the Bush administration is not alone in wanting to protect such skeptics as Fred Singer and Patrick Michaels, in fear that the breed may die out completely in the coming years. Fortunately, the skeptics have received significant funding from coal and oil companies, including ExxonMobil. They also have well-documented connections with public relations firms that have set up industry front groups to sway public opinion and clean up the image of a notoriously dirty fuel. The behavior of Dubium Mundus Fervesco - in the words of one leaked memo - indicates the animals aim to “reposition global warming as theory (not fact).”

Compared to his father’s administration as well as President Clinton’s, George W. Bush has done remarkably little in terms of endangered species protection. Since 2001, Bush has listed 59 species, compared to Clinton’s 521 and Bush senior’s 231. Additionally, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has not declared a single native species as threatened or endangered since he was appointed nearly two years ago.

One can only hope that this is just the tip of the iceberg, and that this president and future ones will continue to use the Endangered Species Act to protect other imperiled species that are as critical to the political ecosystem as the elusive climate change skeptic.

GOAT- High Country News Blog
The Washington Post

[Note: The information in this post is for entertainment purposes only and is intended solely as an obligatory April Fools Day gag !]

Not only do the calculators themselves have an impact, but they are just the tip of the metaphorical iceberg.

Beyond that, the thousands and thousands of pages that link to them also contribute to the total impact these carbon calculators are responsible for.

Link to full article.

Image source: Kim Hansen/Wikimedia

A new top-level LEED classification called Unobtanium is being proposed to replace the currently proposed Protactinium level, leading to a possible schism in the growing green building rating system.  Whether Protactinium or Unobtanium becomes the new top-level of the LEED rating system…?

Earlier this year, officials proposed a new level of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) that is higher than the current top-end Platinum rating. The new Protactinium level introduces more stringent requirements to ensure the purity of the design team and to verify their worthiness to obtain such a noble rating for their building.

In order to qualify for the standard, building designers must commit to a lifetime of celibacy and staff the building exclusively with doe-eyed orphans from third world countries. The building must be a net CO2 sink, producing more oxygen than it consumes. Any bamboo used in construction must be certified panda-free. In the event that straw bale construction is used, the straw must be free-range, sustainably harvested straw.

The building must also levitate above the ground to preserve the site for future use. Only free-range, sustainably harvested electromagnets may be used to levitate the building. The electromagnets should also give back 10% of their energy to levitate doe-eyed orphans in third world countries.

The modular “block” kitten insulation system (pictured above) will be used in standard 6-inch wall construction, and should be up to 50% cuter than other insulation systems presently on the market.

Further discussion about the merits of Protatinium level LEED, including the initial proposal and commentary from a range of professionals, can be found on the architectural discussion site Archinect.

Earlier coverage from Treehugger.

(Kudos to moose drool [whose handle happens to rhyme with April Fools, too!] for the initial protactinium outline.)

“The new agreement marks a turning point in US-Venezuela relations,” said Juan Johnston of the North American Monitor of Bribery in Latin America (NAMBLA). “It also underscores the magnitude of recent growth in demand for ethically produced goods.”

In Venezuela, Chavez introduced news of the trade deal with praise for the American president.

“You know, there’s been a confusion about how I feel about George,” said President Chavez. “I call him a white devil with love… y con mucho respeto. You know, he’s such a little white devil, that Bush. But really, he is what you say a man’s man — a husband, a dedicated golfer, and a man who takes what he wants when he wants it.”

Chavez added, “Venezuela and our neighbors struggle always against American economic imperialism that robs our countries and keeps them poor or depending on government oil handouts. I am so happy that my friend Bush is joining us in this fight. I feel that this is a big step in our relationship.”

Encouragement of friendly economic overtures between the two countries is said to have come at the urging of US Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, who has been pushing for economic cooperation in recent weeks. Reportedly, Bernanke became aware of the urgency of the United States’ economic situation last month when he was forced to auction his undershorts as Americana memorabilia to a Chinese collector.

With the severity of his country’s war spending debts to China in mind — as well as a promise to retrieve Bernanke’s undergarments — President Bush used healing words of his own to address the new direction in trade relations.

“We will meet Venezuelan workers with American fairness… fairdom. It’s like freedom, only fairer,” promised Bush at this morning’s press conference. “It’s like the Golden Rule of the Bible says, ‘treat others like you want them… Like you think they oughta be treated…’ Well, you know the one I mean. It’s the important one.”

Bush also apologized for numerous attempts to assassinate or overthrow the Venezuelan President as well as for the recently exposed CIA operation to incite a popular uprising following Chavez’ socialist referendum.

“Hugo’s a friend to America,” said Bush. “I wish I knew how to quit that man. I mean, this is the guy who stood beside America after the terrifying events of Katrina. He fights terrorism by supplying America with 12% of the oil we depend on to bring freedom to the Iraqi people. I mean, the least we should do for him is to help deliver fair wages to workers in Venezuela and other Latin speaking nations.”

With the promise of ethical business in the Americas in sight, there’s just one thing that could throw a spanner in the works: April 1.

From all of us at EcoWorldly, happy April Fools Day.

For some reason, coworkers and others sometimes ask me for advice on parenting. Maybe it’s because I am old and this gives me the illusion of having a clue, which I don’t, or maybe it’s because my child has at least survived these early years.

While I hate to give out unsolicited advice (okay, except for cooking) I figured if I just wrote down a few of these fantastic parental insights, it might be helpful to others. 

Great Tips to Prepare for Parenthood:

1. Repeat after me: When you have just fed your infant, do not hold her way above your head and look up, wide-eyed and open-mouth smiling. Don’t think about this one too much. Just trust me.
2. Consider upgrading your kitchen to feature a cement floor with a center drain and handy hose on the wall. It makes a unique statement about your new lifestyle. Save water by washing the table, chairs, floor and child all at once!
3. If you are compulsively neat or prompt, congratulations, your deprogramming is about to begin. Soon, you will be normal without all that therapy expense. Again, you’ll need the money you save.
4. Take a box of cereal and dump it all over the back seats and floor of your car. Try and adjust to this. For an extra helper, have your spouse hide a partially full sippy cup of milk somewhere in the vehicle. You’ll figure out where it is in a week or so.
5. Borrow toys, blocks and crayons from a friend with kids. Scatter these items all over your floor before bed. Set your alarm for 3 a.m. Get up and attempt to navigate the minefield in the dark. Hint: shuffle your feet.
6. Instead of having intelligent conversation with your spouse at dinner, practice repeating over and over throughout the entire meal: “Sit down, please. No. Sit down, please. No. Sit down, please. No.”
7. Chase the cat, naked, laughing, and brandishing salad tongs. He needs to prepare for the new arrival as well.
8. Have dinner with your friends who do not have kids one last time.
9. Practice sounding polite when you say the phrase over and over, “Gee, thanks for the advice, I am glad that worked for you.”
10. Park the car at a green light in a busy intersection. Try to find your Special Happy Place of Mental Calm while dealing with yelling, honking and screaming nonstop.

Oh, c’mon. Do you really think you can prepare for parenthood? It’s harder than you think, and better than you can ever imagine. Buckle in and enjoy the ride.

Whoops! Looks like the Onion’s video player doesn’t work with our system: here’s a link to this video on making the Iraq war more eco-friendly.

Do The Green Thing put this and other great videos together. Each one’s a little piece of green comedy manna. Watch this video and then check them out for more.

Via: Times Online

Over 40% of Korean men smoke. And this is the good news. Before the recent wellbeing trend, the number was almost 60%. Smoking seems less common among Korean women.

2. When you eat cow you call it cow. Give yourself 1 point.

Koreans love meat and the don’t mince words when talking about it. You’re not eating “steak” and “prosciutto;” you’re eating “cow” and “pig.” Especially popular are variations on galbi, which ranges from Korean BBQ to stir-fried meat and hot peppers. There are, however, a modicum of vegetarian and even vegan restaurants in Korea.

3. You ride the bus and the train, but you still love Hyundai. Give yourself 2 points.

South Korea has an excellent public transportation infrastructure. (Read more here.) Still, many see car ownership as a sign of affluence.

Also, national pride in Hyundai is huge. In Korea, Hyundai is much more than a car-maker; it’s the backbone of the country’s economy. Hyundai owns many things in Korea, even apartment high-rises. They’re also intimately related with the government. Even Lee Myung-bak, who today becomes President of Korea, is the former President of Hyundai as well.

4. You may be a vegetarian, but you eat pig (not pork… see above). Give yourself 1 point.

Most dishes come with a very small amount of meat, generally pig. Vegetable kimbap, for example, comes with an obligatory slice of ham. Vegetarians in Korea can opt to eat abundant Pibimbap dishes as well as tofu-rich meals. Strict vegetarians and vegans can opt for Kimchi soup and a few other dishes like traditional porridge soups. Ova-pescetarians will do better with the plentiful seafood restaurants and the ubiquitous egg.

5. You’ve visited a Korean environmental web page other than this one. Give yourself 1 point.

There are several hard-working environmental organizations in South Korea. Among them are Green Korea United, The Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, and Birds Korea.

6. You recycle and compost, but you’re not sure why. Give yourself 1 point.

In fact, homes and businesses all over Korea recycle and compost as a general rule. More than 40% of solid waste is recycled and about 55% of food waste is composted as fertilizer and feed. Still, a good number of Koreans believe that recycling and compost is either burned, buried, or dumped at sea. In fact, this is a common and unfounded skepticism the world over that’s preventing better recycling. (Read more here.)

7. You can locate an organic grocery store in your city. Give yourself 1 point.

Yes, in Korea organic foods are starting to hit the market. Most Koreans who buy organic foods are motivated by health concerns, like the desire to avoid chemical pesticide residue, rather than for purely environmental reasons.

You can find organic grocery stores, even in smaller towns like Gangneung. In Seoul, you can also treat yourself to organic and fair trade coffees at Cafe Des Verts. Also, a handful of organic products, like shampoo, bread, and orange juice, are sold here and there in many other Korean stores.

8. You know at least one person with a solar water heater. Give yourself 1 point.

The energy crunch in the late ’90s doesn’t seem to be over. Since last year, natural gas prices have risen about 30%, based on calculations for teachers at the school where I teach. Look around Korea’s rooftops, and you’ll see many solar water heaters.

9. You conserve water at home, but love the community spa. Give yourself 2 points.

If you’ve never been to a Korean spa, it’s certainly an experience. Pools of water at different temperatures, steam rooms, hot rooms, showers, sleeping rooms, a restaurant, and a common room with reading and TV are all part of the allure. It’s a real family affair with bathers of all ages showering and relaxing. Oh yeah, and everyone’s naked.

10. You use almost all compact fluorescent light bulbs. Give yourself 1 point.

It took me almost two months of living in Korea before I saw my first incandescent light bulb. All of the others were energy efficient CFLs, like the one pictured here at this outdoor market.

CFL’s are so common here, in fact, that only in one store have I ever actually seen old-fashioned bulbs for sale, and that was in a dollar-store of sorts. Even the occasional fly-by-night vendors of knock-off clothes set up shop at night using CFL’s, albeit powered with a back-up generator. (Read more here.)

11. You love nature and you’re proud of your country’s natural beauty. Give yourself 1 point.

Despite its rapid industrialization, Korea still abounds with natural beauty. Much of the country is mountainous and also dotted with lakes and rivers. Just don’t get caught in the smog of the big cities for too long.

12. You believe that hiking should require hiking gear. Give yourself 2 points.

Going for a hike in Seoul generally means footing your way up to the top of a small hill. Going for a hike in Korea’s extensive mountain ranges is another matter. In either case, most Koreans wouldn’t be caught dead hiking in jeans. There’s a strong sense of having the proper clothing for the proper occasion. Perhaps it begins with the school uniforms that are obligatory throughout the country?

13. You disagree with keeping dogs in small, outdoor cages, but know dogs who are. Give yourself 2 points.

Pets are a new phenomenon in South Korea. It’s only in recent memory that the country’s been affluent enough to support a population of pet dogs. Cats still aren’t in fashion. But Koreans still aren’t sure whether to welcome their dogs into their homes or keep them as trophies in small cages outside. About half of the Koreans I’ve spoken with think that pets should be part of the family. The other half consider them too dirty for indoor living. As a result, many dogs are kept outside all year round in cages just big enough to hold them.

14. You don’t eat dog. Give yourself 1 point.

Actually, neither do many Koreans. Some men–the kind who, as a general rule of thumb worldwide, will do almost anything to beef up their virility–still eat dog meat for the adrenaline it contains. As I understand it, dogs killed for meat in Korea are slowly beaten to death for maximum adrenaline so that those who eat the meat can feel sexier. Did I miss something?

15. If you drive, you give pedestrians the right of way and respect road rules for bicyclists. Give yourself 0 points.

Of course, all drivers should do this as common practice. However, this is also a survey about how Korean you are and in Korea, cars almost always take the right of way. I’ve seen some extraordinary violations of traffic law and common sense in Korea. I’ve seen Korean drivers make a left hand turn from the wrong lane through lights so red they were almost green. I’ve also seen a number of car crashes.

16. Your local farmer is a 70 year-old woman. Give yourself 2 points.

Farming is dying out in Korea. Since much of the country is mountainous, it seems it’s never been easy to grow food here. Much of the food–even the famous Korean kimchi–is now imported. Most of the remaining farmers seem to be very elderly. Most are also women. All over Korea, you can see these dedicated farmers still selling their cabbage and radish on street corners and in open-air markets.

17. Speaking of which, you eat a lot of kimchi. Give yourself 1 point.

Not for any environmental motivation. You just do. This is, after all, a survey of how Korean you are. Korean astronauts have even recently delved into the secrets of space kimchi, edible across the universe. Give yourself two points if your grandmother still makes her own kimchi. Give yourself three points if you do, too.

Are you a Korean environmentalist? Tallying the points:

• 20 and above: you are without a doubt a green Korean. If you’re not, you should be. Ever consider coming to the land of morning calm?
• 15-19: you’re half-Hanguk. You’re an aspiring Korean, but you lack the hot sauce and pickled vegetable that would make you a true Korean.
• 10-14: You’re getting there. A little more kimchi and a dip in the community spa and you’ll be on your way.
• 9 and below: Chances are, you still probably do your bit for the Earth. However, you’ll need a lot more soju before you can call yourself Korean. Start with the hiking gear.

Levitating Monorail, Germany. An electric car? Cool. An electric train? Awesome. An upside down electric monorail?? Now that qualifies as unusual public transportation. Believe it or not, this transit system was built over 100 years ago. While Ford was fidgeting with his “quadricycle,” the city of Wuppertal built this transportation marvel that still appears ahead of its time today.

It’s a zero emissions, all electric transit system, and it floats through Wuppertal (the self-styled “German San Francisco”) with over 20 million passengers a year. Photo: Flickr

Mae Klong Train Market, Thailand. Yes, those are train tracks running through that market. One of the shortest train routes in Thailand is also one of the most bizarre. Ambling past windmills and salt flats, the train stops halfway through its route at a river. Right, no bridge. So, people get out and ferry across to a second train, which picks up where the first left off. But wait, it gets better…

In order to arrive at the Mae Klong station, the train must pass right through the middle of a crowded street market. Vendors quickly pull in their stalls several times a day as the train goes by. For an excellent account of the journey, read Steve Van Beek’s article on the Tourism Authority of Thailand website or this article at 2Bangkok.com, or see this video. Photo: Thai-Blogs.

Buscycle, United States and Netherlands. Forget the bus… All I want to do is bicycle! Now you can do both. Peddling its way across the United States, here comes the Buscycle. It’s a 15 passenger bus, stripped to the bolts and refitted with bicycle parts. See this great video for more, or visit the official Buscycle website.

But believe it or not, the U.S. Buscycle isn’t the only one of its kind. Buscycles have also appeared in Eindhoven, Netherlands, courtesy of some creative students. In fact, businesses are even invited to use a modified buscycle in team building workshops. As the Utne Reader observes, if this catches on, it could hail a whole new era of carbon-free transit. Photo: Flickr.

General Class Rail Ticket, India. Indian trains are a travel experience unlike any other in the world. There are nine classes of trains in India. Travelers can take the easy route in air-conditioned first class on the 140 km/h Rajdhani Express. Tea lovers can visit Darjeeling, a World Heritage Area, on the Darjeeling “Toy Train.” Vacationers can even partake in some extravagance and pampering on the Palace on Wheels.

But some would say that you haven’t traveled in India until you buy a general class rail ticket during the summer. It’s not always as packed as in this picture, but you’re sure to get to know your neighbors. Passengers unable to fit inside the cars sometimes ride on top, as parodied in this Ballywood video. Before you go, here’s some advice on Indian rail travel. Photo: Marcofolio.

South Lake Union Trolley (SLUT), United States. Come ride the S.L.U.T.! Seattle, so the story goes, was preparing to roll out a new street car system for the Lake Union district when the powers that be realized the unfortunate acronym. Whatever the real story, the S.L.U.T. (actually called the South Lake Union Streetcar) is a great way to get a giggle with your ride.

Besides introducing the world to the S.L.U.T., Seattle also boasts a short but chic monorail, free downtown bus fare, and commuter buses with free WI-FI. You can even take a ride to the popular local hamburger chain, Dick’s… Oh dear. Photo: City of Seattle.

Gondola, Venezuela. A ski lift in Venice? No, it’s a gondola in Venezuela. Although Venezuela’s named after the Italian city, parts of Venezuela stretch far above sea level while parts of Venice… well, are rather below sea level these days. And, although credit for the longest gondola goes to Idaho, the highest gondola in the world is actually here, in the Venezuelan state of Merida.

The highest peak in the Venezuelan Andes is Pico Bolívar, at 4,981 meters. The cable car ride reaches all but the last 216 meters. Sure, it’s not the kind of transit that gets you to work on time, but I can personally vouch that it is one heck of a ride. Still, perhaps the most bizarre method of transportation on Pico Bolívar is an optional twenty minute donkey ride near the top of the mountain. Photo: Flickr.

Hitchhiking, Worldwide. Hitchhiking, alas, is no longer the symbol of freedom and travel that it once was. Today, it’s illegal on many major roadways and the current generations have heard so many hitchhiking horror stories that many are afraid to try. In some ways, these stories are self-prophetic. It may be the marginalization of hitchhiking today that makes unsavory sorts that think they can mistreat hitchhikers. MSN wrote an interesting story on this too.

Despite all this, hitchhiking can be safe, fun, and the cheapest way to travel. I’ve hitchhiked across Eastern Canada and through Colorado. On the way, I met many friendly people: a truck driver, a young guy just back from India, a woman who had the interesting job of wining and dining rich casino goers, and other amiable folks. I’ve even heard of people hitching their way across the ocean by freight ship. (And, no, this is not me in the photo. A tip: never hitch your hammock to the bottom of a moving truck, no matter how cheap the ride.)

If you’re willing to give hitchhiking a try, check out this wiki for tips. Also, before you’re out on the road with a sign and your thumb in the air, you can look for rides on Craigslist.

Whatever your method of public transportation, whether it be ordinary or extraordinary, enjoy your freedom of travel, your good spirits, and the community around you that’s sharing your transit ride. Happy trails. Photos: Marcofolio.

This wraps up our week-long exploration of public transportation around the world. Please check back daily for our ongoing coverage of environmental news, issues, and commentary from around the world. Also, join us from February 18 - 24 for our next EcoWorldly focus issue.