Archive for April, 2008

League of American Bicyclists is a non-profit organization working to make this country better for cycling. Their website and events provide a forum for cycling in your area, why people ride, and how to take action on a bike. Some recent work has included a “conserve by bike” amendment to the energy bill and the Bike Commuter Act. Read more about this act.

Sprout is a local organic hair salon for both men and women specializing in your classic trim to authenticity artful “Rock Star” hair cuts “without exposing you to harmful chemicals.” All of Sprouts products are certified organic and even their floors are made with sustainably harvested bamboo and reclaimed wood.

Tree-Mendous Maryland:Planting Trees for Healthy Communities and a Cleaner Chesapeake Bay. Whether you’re a home-owner, a county or municipal government, school or environmental group you can help donate, plant or dedicate a non-invasive tree to an organization of your choice. Buy a native tree for yourself, Tree-Mendous will give you great tips on planting, mulching and watering. Although it’s not mentioned they advocate non-toxic fertilizer we as consumers can offer a remedy. Mention it the next time you buy any tree or plant.

Maryland Animal Advocate is an all volunteer, non-profit foundation working to resue homeless and abandoned cats and dogs from the suburbs of Baltimore County to Annapolis. There program practices safe veterinary care to maintain the health and happiness of the feral and non-feral animal population. Started by several animal protection activists in 1994 MAA wishes to embrace an “egalitarian spirit” among people and animals alike.

Living Classrooms Foundation is a non-profit organization, operated for the benefit of the community at large, providing hands-on education and job skills training for students from diverse backgrounds, with a special emphasis on serving at-risk youth. The foundation uses maritime settings, community revitalization projects, and other challenging learning environments, along with a low staff-to-student ratio, to promote career development, community service, self-esteem, and multicultural exchange.

Charm City Yoga is owned and operated by Kim Manfredi. She teaches with an emphasizes on the eight limbs of Patanjali Yoga . Offering two locations in Fells Point and Mt Vernon with a branch opening soon in Towson has allowed the Center to invite more then 20 instructors, "from a variety of traditions to begin to share their teachings. Some of those traditions have included astanga, sivananda, Iyengar, and more. Kim feels strongly that there really is a yoga for everyone, and she feels an important part of her own growth as a yogini is her increasing awareness of the infinite number of paths to enlightenment."

Green Roof Tour is part of the International Greening Roof Tops for a Sustainable Community Conference, Awards and Trade Show. Saturday April 29 from 12-5pm you’ll be able to actually see one of the biggest contributors to the fight against global-warming, small green scapes nestled high up on a roof top near you. These little pleasure islands definitely deserve a little publicity. Come out and see a roof in Charles Village that’s been growing plants since 1981 and find that Johns Hopkins has several green roofs, one which spans 75,000sq feet!! Living roofs help lower atmospheric temperature in summer (CO2 emissions), help with storm-water run-off and are breathtaking.