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Cars, trucks, and buses are the number one source of toxic air emissions in America. You can tell the EPA to implement stronger standards against these toxic pollutants to preserve our health and environment and follow the law. You can go to Earthjustice to send your email at the following url: http://action.earthjustice.org/campaign/mobile_sources

Deborah Mauldin performing Japanese Butoh

ChoosePeace.info's final City Ride of Alabama EarthFest 2006, the World Tour of Birmingham, brought a taste of culture on a beautiful sunny day! Hosted in conjunction with the Birmingham International Festival, we traveled between four countries; India, Japan, Ireland and Morocco and were welcomed with some incredible performances and a taste of each country courtesy of TRIA Market.

For more of this photographic journey click "read more" -->

The Ride of Silence- May 17, 2006, 7:00PM

To Honor those injured or killed while cycling.

To raise awarenes and share the road.

The Ride of Silence is a free ride with cyclists riding no faster than 12 mph., two abreast, and remaining silent during the ride. All cyclists are encouraged to join.

All across the country The Ride of Silence will roll. In more than 120 cities and eight countries, cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn't aware of those rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves. Chris Phelan organized the first Ride of Silence in dallas in May 2003 after endurance rider Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed.

Click "read more" for more information -->

Jillyfish on top of the world


Saturday's Peddle/Paddle was the event that I was most looking forward to! It was designed like so many biking adventures that Jillyfish and I had while in Hawaii. Often when visiting another place, one explores it, discovering its natural terrain and wondering at its scenic overlooks, exploring its rivers/oceans/lakes, etc. My view of Birmingham changed dramatically once I began to bike commute much as I did in Hawaii. I was quite stunned at how similar its terrain and natural beauty it was to the rainforest side of the Big Island of Hawaii. Although the forests were dissimilar in the types of plants and trees, both areas are very lush and green, with long climbs of reasonable inclination to get to town.


Click "read more" for the complete pictorial -->

I love to ride my bikes, in fact my favorite poem describes a bicycle rider, and the occasions where the words of the poem coincide with a personal experience of riding hold special memories. Such a ride occurred this past Saturday when my wife Kaye and I rode with SI on one of the Birmingham Scenic Tours. The ride, the companionship, the weather and the picturesque scenery all came together that brought to life the words of “The Silent Wheel”. I hope SI plans many more such adventures and I trust other will join us in the future and judge for yourself the reality and the peace found in the words of a poet.

Good Morning, fellow Wheelmen; here’s a warm, fraternal hand,
As with the rush if victory we sweep across the land!
If some may be dissatisfied to view the way we ride
We only wish their majesties could wander by our side!
For we are good philanthropist-
Unqualified philanthropist-
And would have our happiness to any one denied.
We claim a great utility that daily must increase;
We claim for inactivity a bright and grand release;
A constant mental, physical, and moral help we fell,
Which make us turn enthusiasts, and bless the silent wheel?
– Anonymous

Terry Joyner's Landscape Plan for Sloss Phytoremediation done for Cawaco with project leadership from Sallie Lee (ACES), and Jeet Bagga (Univ. of Montevallo)

***click on attachment to download and view the full image

Neon Glow Riders at Jones Valley Urban Farm
ChoosePeace.info completed our first series of City Rides on Sunday April 2nd. We explored Birmingham and learned a lot about how the past and future of Birmingham melds as we visited the Railroad Reservation Park, saw a demonstration field of Phytoremediation at Sloss Furnaces, learned of plans of a future Urban Farm that spans an entire city block downtown and its plans on integrating the farm into the community, we learned of UAB's movements towards forming a more traditional campus, including a greenway through the campus area, and we adventured up the Vulcan Trail as we learned more about Red Mountain Park.


click read more for the full story....

My name is Melissa Kendrick, and I've taken to heart the statement on this website about creating the world we want to live in. When I returned home to Alabama last year I knew I wanted to start my own buisness and the "gap" I saw in Birmingham was a wholly fair trade store. Admiring the principles of fair trade-- artists and producers paid a fair and living wage, ennvironmental and cultural sustainability, no child or forced labor-- and missing the opportunity to shop for a wide variety of fair trade items, I opened Sojourns in October of this year (2005).

We are a 100% fair trade store with art and artisans products from approximately 40 countries, including Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Peru, Guatemala and well you get the idea.

The inventory constantly changes and evolves but includes home decor, baskets, food, musical instruments, childrens toys, jewelry and textiles.

If the principles of fair trade resonate with you, please stop by and visit us at 1910 Third Avenue North, Birmingham, AL (near the McWane Center). For more details or directions, call us at 994-4902.

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!  rides my Lightfoot Roadrunner trike during her visit to Birmingham, AL on Saturday, September 17th. The blue neon haze under the trike is created by the Down Low Glow.

 

This is a billboard that choosepeace.info placed in Birmingham, Alabama during the runup to the invasion of Iraq. There was a time when we thought that we could stop this mess before it got started. We wanted to encourage people to make a lifestyle change to start the momentum towards making resource wars unnecessary.