I couldn't get Mr. Big to wear his earth shirt today, so I painted the blog green instead.
Many pockets of the Pomona Valley are embracing the green movement. Unfortunately, the City government of Pomona is not leading -or even following- the way, but here's a few local people and groups that should give us hope that the City might one day see the light:
Cal Poly's Center for Regenerative Studies - a unique program that is grooming future leaders of sustainability. Cal Poly has reached out to the City in the past, but so far this is, for the most part, an untapped resource. Grants and for-credit programs could change all that. So could just talking to each other. Thanks to Ren for this photo.
Pomona Regens - three "intentional community" houses of sustainable living here in Lincoln Park. The Regens held an open house a couple weeks ago, and the Goddess had the distinct pleasure of meeting an interesting and thoughtful assortment of the residents. I'll be posting more on Scott's talk about "Urban Gardening for Lazy People." For now, here's the picture as a teaser.
Claremont High School's Teen Green. Pomona students are members too. Weren't you saying that you were going to be doing something like this at Pomona High, Andrew?
John Greenlee - the Ornamental "Grass Guru" of Armstrong Nurseries and Pomona boy- done-good. The picture is a garden he designed for an exhibit in San Francisco. And then there's that secret garden of his somewhere in Pomona...John has been talking about killing your lawn (or replacing it with a low water version) for 30 years, but popular culture has just now caught up with him.
Ted Pugh - the "Pomona poet" who was writing green his whole life, including a time when such things were considered not only unfashionable, but downright counter culture. I imagine the fairies he kept in his forest looked a bit like this.
Coates Bicycles - they've been peddling bikes for over 70 years. Now, when pedaling bikes is being embraced as the way of the future, they are being forced out of business by a very-out-of-touch-with-anything-green-and-progressive City of Pomona.
Here's the often photographed Judge Gallup, one of Pomona's early characters about town. He serves as a visual reminder of Pomona's turn-of-the-century roots as a bike culture. Thank you to the Pomona Library digital collection.
The Claremont chapter of Food Not Lawns, which recently put in this "front food" in Pomona's Lincoln Park. Mmmm Mmmm good.
Lastly are all the people whose names I don't know who are doing their part to help Pomona sustain itself for our children. The nameless are typified by the elderly woman who painstakenly planted a colorful drought tolerant garden on the side of her home, just steps away from the gritty corner of Towne and Mission. It's not pictured, because I want you to actually get on your bike and check it out. (It's on the southwest corner, to the side of a white wall with a flower imprinted on it.) Guaranteed to put a big, earth day smile on your face. As for me, I'm just glad I'm done with this post!
THE END
9 comments:
Thanks for celebrating Earth Day with an awesome post! Our school had a celebration as well. I showed off my truck because of its vegetable oil conversion. Our group had planned to do work with a local high school but the organizers have yet to contact me for the garden. BUT i am applying for an internship with the Inland Empire Utilities Agency that will be putting drought tolerant gardens in schools.
I'd like to give an Earth Day shout out to Brown Motor Works on Mission & White, the only dealer in our immediate area that sells Vespas (which get an impressive 85 MPG).
I don't think I've ever seen anyone in Pomona riding around on a Vespa, but it's nice to know that BMW sells them, that's something I never knew. I thought they only sold motorcycles. I'm still waiting to see a Segway in Pomona, lol, I guess a Vespa would be nice too. I always see cop cars and cop bikes/motorcycles out in front of BMW whenever I pass by, they must be REAL motorcycle buff's...
A very very un-Earth Day to you!
As Katie wrote in a comment on my after earth day post, Earth day is everyday because this is Earth we're on every day, isn't it?
The police who patrol downtown do so on Segways, so you can see them in Pomona.
Oh, they have segways now!?! cool. They used to have bicycles... I've still not seen a cop on one yet. How recent of a thing is this?
A bike would cost $500-$700, but a Segway is probably $5000? They make a police version (Segway i2 Police) that retails for about $5660 (@ a Segway online dealer).
The bike could be purchased at Coates , now where exactly do you buy a Segway?
Don't know when they got them, but I've seen them on Second Saturday for at least 4-5 months, maybe longer. They seem to like to ride them along the line at the Glass House.
John- Oh...that's probably why I don't see them then, I haven't been to the Glass House since I was in my early-mid teens.
Anonymous- there is a Segway store in Long Beach @ The Pike. Not even close to being in Pomona, but maybe they deliver? lol, not good enough. People should be able to ride their contraptions to the place of purchase for parts and maintenance, just as people with cars are able to drive and find a wide range of auto repair shops all over town.
Argh. Thank goodness the cops traded in their cheap, environmentally friendly bikes for the slower, battery powered Segway. Please, please tell me that some misguided foundation provided the funding for that boondoggle, rather than our poor underfunded city!
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