Green Culture Shock

After getting back to the States from almost eight months in Europe, I've experienced less culture shock that I expected, but it all tends to fit into a green theme. I miss, for example, not having to bring a sweatshirt and a blanket to movie theaters and classrooms, which are A/Ced down to the mid-60s here. I miss toilets with a splash of water in the bowl, rather than a family's daily water intake. I miss escalators that don't start until you get on them.

But most of all, I miss recycling. I miss being able to recycle almost EVERYTHING, and being able to buy everything recycled. (The "sustainable" notebooks in the GW Bookstore, for example, are a paltry 30% post-consumer.) I'm sure this isn't a typical feeling, but I've been watching my carbon footprint balloon over the past two weeks and felt so helpless to stop it.

Can someone point out where we're greener than Europe? Maybe that would help reduce my culture shock.

Washington DC is a Baseball Town

Baseball has found a new home in Washington, DC, and it's 15 minutes from my apartment (by bike).

Tonight, the Washington Nationals kicked off their season against the Atlanta Braves winning 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th. Ryan Zimmerman won they game by hitting a solo home run over center field. Here's what the Post says:

Nationals Park had quite an opening. Ryan Zimmerman hit a tiebreaking homer off Peter Moylan with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 Sunday night in the first regular-season game at the $611 million stadium.

The brand spanking new stadium (that was built on schedule and within budget!) has a great view of the U.S. Capitol building. There were also the requisite fireworks, red carpet, U.S. President, and general hooplah. It was great. I highly recommend the kosher hot dogs.... very tasty.

Random question: Does anyone out there know why in the 9th inning people were turning their baseball hats inside out?

DC is the city of races... foot races that is

I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one up early this morning. Not that I came anywhere close to 4am. I was up at a much more reasonable hour this morning to cheer on my friend who was participating the National Marathon.

Lucky for me, cheering her on meant rolling out of bed and crossing the street.
The National Marathon course loops in and around Capitol Hill (also known for its politicians and green market). Here's a map (courtesy of the Washington Post):



If marathoning is your sport, you should start planning now to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon that happens in the fall. It's insanely popular. Or if you like shorter races, other events are the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler and the Army 10 Miler. For more information, the Washington Running Report has a good calendar.

War protesters and supporters descend on DC

The Washington Post reports that Iraq and Afghanistan war supporters and protesters are hosting a series of events in DC this weekend.

Groups supporting the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, including Move America Forward, a Gathering of Eagles, and Free Republic, plan a rally at 11 a.m. today at the Washington Monument, followed by a 1 p.m. march along Constitution
Avenue.

Antiwar groups plan an extensive series of events, including marches, protests and blockades, across the city Wednesday to mark the fifth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq.

The protesters, headed by the umbrella group United For Peace and Justice, plan, among other things, a morning demonstration at the Internal Revenue Service at 12th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, disruptions along K Street NW and a 10 a.m. march on the Mall.

They plan roving activities throughout the day, as well as a procession from Arlington Cemetery to Washington, and demonstrations at the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Dueling demonstrations are pretty common around here, but one thing strikes me as a bit different. Anyone know why the peaceniks will be demonstrating at the IRS?

The Post also has an interesting article on an event where war veterans shared their experiences. Here's the link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/14/AR2008031403887.html?nav=hcmodule. To see a live webcast of the Iraq War Veterans Against the War event go to: http://ivaw.org/ws_live.html.

Best time in DC: Cherry Blossoms

The Cherry Blossoms are coming! The Cherry Blossoms are coming!



According to Robert DeFeo, the chief horticulturist for the National Park Service, the cherry blossoms will be at their best from March 27 to April 3.

The Washington Post reports:

The annual Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 29 to April 13. In addition to the festival's highlights -- the kite festival on the Mall, fireworks over the Southwest Waterfront, a parade along Constitution Avenue on the final weekend -- there are some interesting new initiatives this year. In an attempt to alleviate the congestion around the Tidal Basin, the Park Service is partnering with Tourmobile to offer satellite parking at Hains Point. Visitors will be able to park at a number of free lots on the peninsula and take free shuttle buses up to the Jefferson Memorial. (Click for a (PDF) map.) This service will be in operation every day between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

My favorite part of the Cherry Blossoms season is riding my bike around Hains Point under a blanket of pink pedals. It's really quite amazing. My least favorite thing is playing dodgems with all the tourists who go down to basin and don't look both ways....

A brief history of the Cherry Blossom festival:

The National Cherry Blossom Festival annually commemorates the 1912 gift to the city of Washington of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan....

Three thousand eight hundred more trees were accepted in 1965 by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. In 1981 the cycle of giving came full circle. Japanese horticulturalists came to take cuttings from our trees to replace Yoshino cherry trees in Japan which had been destroyed in a flood. With this return gift, the trees again fulfilled their roles as a symbol and agent of friendship. The most recent event in this cycle occurred in the fall of 1999. It involved the formal planting in the Tidal Basin of a new generation of cuttings from a famous Japanese cherry tree in Gifu province reputed to be over 1500 years old.