Green Gal

What do you pass on your way to the farmers' market? I pass houses in my neighborhood, a local coffee shop, a harbor, a railroad track, and the beach! I'd say it's well worth the legwork up a few hills to get there to be able to experience all of that in one Sunday afternoon ride to get some fresh and local produce. On Sunday, I made my way by bike to the farmers' market, opting to take advantage of local produce from real people instead of a produce aisle at the Safeway down the street. Farmers' markets also bring communities together in an outdoor setting, and this one definitely brought the community out! There was live music being performed by The Pep Boys, and people were seated at tables in the center of the market, enjoying food and each others' company. I had planned out beforehand what some essential foods were that I needed for the week. Bread, onion, and some kind of vegetable was the list I had come up with, and I figured I'd select whiche...

Yesterday morning, I picked up tiny pieces of plastic, cigarette butts, and other trash carelessly left by beachgoers during a two-hour beach cleanup at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz. It began at 11 AM, so after a quick breakfast, I biked from my new place to the shore of Monterey Bay, looking forward to my first beach cleanup. I had been struck by a desire to participate in a beach cleanup on Tuesday of last week after stopping by West Cliff Drive on my way home from work. Sitting on a bench overlooking the Bay, I realized that I had never done a beach cleanup, although I've helped with cleanups of other kinds before on campus at UC Santa Cruz. I committed to myself that I'd do one soon, and then pedaled on home. That same afternoon, I checked my email and saw a message from Surfrider Foundation, announcing a World Surfing Reserve beach cleanup on Saturday, July 19. Wow, talk about the universe really aligning things for you! I immediately joined the Facebook event page ...

Today on the way home from work, I took the scenic route along the coast of the Monterey Bay. Yesterday on the way home from work, I stopped by a local and organic farm stand for some kale and strawberries. On my way to work each day by bike or bus, I can look below me and see the bay or look toward my destination and see redwood trees, fog, and deer. I couldn't ask to live and work in a better place than this. Since I last posted, I've graduated from college with a degree in English Language Literatures, acquired two part-time jobs, visited the Bahamas for the first time, and gotten back on my road bike. I've ridden up the hill to work four times in the past two and a half weeks of working, and my goal is to bike to work 2-3 times a week. It's 45 minutes uphill, and the hardest part is the last leg of it. I love the energy it gives me when I arrive at work, especially since my job is mostly sitting in front of a computer emailing people, posting on social me...