“The Sustainable Living Bike Tour came, and they taught us about the environment and ways to protect it,” says Hannah Gechter succinctly. By all accounts, it was a pleasurable and productive event.
A few days before the group of volunteer cyclist-educators from Catalina Island arrived, the fifth-grade classes went online to visit the website and read the group’s blog. The day before, with word from their teachers that the guests were on their bikes and on the way, anticipation swelled. “We were all really excited,” says McKenna Olsen.
The young adult bikers consist of a group that ranges from 15-17 riders. (Someone has to drive their waste vegetable oil, biodiesel and solar-powered bus that carry the group’s curriculum materials, luggage and food). On this morning, they brave the cold wind to ride in from Los Olivos, where they have been working at a local farm sorting squash and building a greenhouse.
“Thank you for inviting us to your school,” a spokesman from the group says. He explains that the day will be about examining the relationship between people and the environment. He tells them that on this planet there are more than 3 million species of life, humans being only one.
“We cycle the coast of California, working to restore ecosystems and delivering in-school sustainability workshops along the way. Our mission is to provide inspirational hands-on, project-based programming that empowers and inspires students to contribute to their schools, homes and communities,” they say. The bicycle tour departed San Francisco on Nov. 18 and will travel as far south as Los Angeles.
“We watched a really cool slide show with some really beautiful pictures of wildlife,” recounts Hannah. She looks up, eyes focused on her memories as she describes some of the slides. But not all the photos were of beautiful landscapes. Looking straight ahead now, she puckers her face as if tasting a bitter grapefruit, as she describes a trash-littered beach, a dead, oil-covered bird. “It reminds you what people can do when they don’t care about the earth,” she says.
“It was really sad,” says McKenna, “to see how many animals are dying from eating trash or getting plastic around their necks.” She says people should do a better job of keeping our world clean. “If you’re on the beach and see trash, you should pick it up.” And not just at the beach either, she notes. “Kids should keep their trash in their lunchboxes and not let it blow away.”
“I thought we were just going to learn about biking, but we actually did a lot more fun things that that,” McKenna says with a bright smile. After the slide show, which was accompanied by live music provided by two of the young men participating in the ride, the three fifth-grade classes were split into four groups, rotating between learning stations.
On this day, the fifth-grade students were introduced to Aquaponics Systems, urban homesteading, bike maintenance and biodiesel fuels. It was an important event, says Emilio Jimenez. “It teaches kids to help the environment and learn how to repair a bike,” and besides that, “it’s just really fun.”
A lot of learning went hand in hand with the excitement. A day later, Emilio can rattle off a long list of things that he and his family can do to help the environment and save a little money, too. Things any child can do, says Emilio, range from putting down video games, turning off the television and getting out on their bikes. He readily admits he spends too much time with his electronics and not enough time enjoying the park, his bike, his friends.
Emilio notes that he can ride a bike or a skateboard to a friend’s rather than ask for a ride, though school is a bit too far for him to bike. He plans to be a lot more careful about litter than he was before. Emilio didn’t think too much about not wasting water either, but he will now. It might even be fun to plant a tree with the help of his family. In short, he says, there are many things even a fifth-grader can do that can make a difference to the environment.
One of the coolest things Emilio learned is how to change a tire on his bicycle, he says as he describes the process step by step. He doesn’t own the necessary tool, though he may ask for one for Christmas. It’s a good thing to know how to do, he says – especially if you want to go for long bike rides like their visitors do, because you can easily carry everything you need.
On their 700-hundred mile trek each tour rider has several water bottle holders. Having a rack on the back to carry stuff – like snacks or a jacket – is a good idea. Emilio would like one of his own. Hannah, too, likes learning about how bicycles work and basic maintenance that even kids can do, but she finds the lessons about sustainable food production systems that combine traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic fish in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) the most interesting. “I didn’t know what aquaponics were before they came and it is really fascinating,” she says.
Getting a chance to test the water for certain chemicals and bacteria is pretty interesting, as are some of the facts learned about biodiesel fuels, the students say. But far and away, the favorite activities of the day are those in the urban homesteading unit, where the students make lip balm and mouthwash.
“I liked making our own mouthwash and Chapstick,” say Emilio, who intends to use his on cold days.
“I was making the cocoa butter,” says McKenna. “It was hard, and I had to make it powdery and put 6 ounces in a bowl.” Some of the other ingredients include almond oil, coconut oil, peppermint, Beeswax and vitamin E, McKenna explains.
She brought hers home for her mom and sister to try. They both liked it, especially her big sister. So McKenna is thinking about making some more with her mom’s help, because it will make a good Christmas present, she says. For the moment, McKenna plans to keep the one she made at school for herself. It’s safely in her backpack.
“It felt like a field trip,” says McKenna of the day. And that, she says, is a good thing. “It’s important to learn about more than just math and spelling.” School needs to be fun too – it is a sentiment echoed by each of the students asked.
“I’d like to say thank you to our teachers because it was really fun. Our teachers work hard to give us a good education,” says Emilio. Hannah says it was a good day for all involved, exciting and new. They ended by gathering on the steps for a group photo. Then, as students lined up along the schoolyard fence, they waive a fond farewell and shout thanks as the bikers, with helmets on, are on their way south to Goleta spreading the word:
It is our one world; we all need to help sustain it.
For more information on the tour or to contribute to the cause, visit sustainablelivingbiketour.blogspot.com