I just happened upon Andree and Ken’s weblog on Neighbor’s For Neighbors community organizing website (I guess it’s working). I’m excited about the prospect of watching them renovate their very old home with an eye to giving it a zero carbon footprint.

Jack's Store is now JP Green House

I signed up for their newsletters and I think you should too. Here’s a snippet from their project page:

The JP Green House is a zero carbon* demonstration project, sustainable urban model and hub for 350.org climate action founded by Andrée Zaleska and Ken Ward. We are rehabbing an abandoned, 100 year old, former neighborhood store located on the line between Jamaica Plain and Roslindale in Boston, Massachusetts. Our aim is to achieve passivhaus standards, win substantial independence from grid supplies of water and electricity, and supply a large portion of our food on a modest income. We are retrofitting the former “Jack’s store” as space for workshops and trainings, neighborhood events and gatherings like our JP Family SongFest.

The JP Green House is located at 133 Bourne Street, Roslindale. We welcome visitors & volunteers and have a schedule of activities and events. You can contact us at:

greenhousejp[at[gmail.com 617.512.8350

Benefit for Brendan Killian

Listen folks, my good friend Brendan Killian was doing some house painting on the side to make the rent and he fell of a kitchen counter and busted his leg. The bone came right out the side and he destroyed his knee cap somehow. Anyway, several steel pins and much cash later he is on the mend – but in need of moolah badly. Many of Bren’s friends are banding together to throw a benefit to raise money. Come check out the show at the Jamaica Plain Art Market and check out Killian’s newest body of work. In addition, Brendan is offering the rare opportunity to commission a portrait (which he ha always flat refused in the past) for $300! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to immortalize yourself in oil (not Wesson) for a very fair price.

My good friends Joseph and Kate have sponsored a holiday drive through Neighbors For Neighbors for the last four years.  They collect funds and purchase toys and clothing for Jamaica Plain families in need. A noble cause – and now they’re sweetening the deal. This year we’re teaming up with Mike’s Fitness to raise money, and collect and purchase gifts and warm clothes for little ones who attend the Kennedy School.

On Saturday December 20, from 6:00 am on, the first 200 hundred people that show up at Mike’s Fitness and donate a new unwrapped toy, are eligible to sign up for a 1 year membership at Mike’s Fitness for the incredible price of $299.00 (which will be honored for every year you are a member).

Pedaling to satisfy a thirst for water

I’ve lived in Jamaica Plain for about 16 years. I can remember going to an open studio at the old warehouse on Amory Street long ago and seeing the old welded metal sculpture in the form of a bicycle. I had no idea what BNB was in those days. They’ve since moved their operation to The Brewery next to Ula Cafe. This makes me happy for several reasons. They’re getting much more exposure in this location and that will lead to more volunteerism and donations and they add a lot to “The Brewery District” as it’s being called now. The Brookside Neighborhood Association has been working hard to improve this area and I think Bikes Not Bombs really adds to the collective personality of the district.

I’m always leery of non-profits as they never seem to have much transparency and I’m somewhat of a pessimist. BNB has created some really sustainable programs in many countries mainly in the Americas, Africa and the Caribbean. I’m a big fan of helping others to help themselves. It must have something to o with that old saying about teaching people how to fish. The bikes get packed up in shipping containers by volunteers and sent to economic development projects (micro-enterprise bike businesses, sustainable technology projects, and youth training programs). Part of the 5000 bikes they receive every year are used in JP; some are used in a co-ed youth Earn-A-Bike programs, and others are repaired by teenage mechanics as part of Vocational Training programs and are for sale in the BNBs bike shop.

Someday I hope to shake hands with the director of this organization. He deserves our respect and admiration for stewarding a wonderful project. Until recently, I thought BNBs was all about sending bikes to 3rd world locations. That on its own seemed like a worthy task, but then I learned of their concept of “Appropriate Technology Sources”. They say it better than I ever could:

Generator being used in Nepal

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY SOURCES

To be “appropriate,” technology must be positively connected to the place, people, culture, resources, economics, and impacts of its use. Appropriate technology aims for the equitable and sustainable use of resources, allowing people of multiple income levels to use local materials to empower themselves and their communities, without destroying the environment. The following list was compiled with the help of BNB volunteer Brian Huckins, and is intended to spread the knowledge of appropriate technology and connect those working in this field into a growing network to transform our world. We have focused on pedal-powered technology because this is most relevant to the work of Bikes Not Bombs, but we also include some links ranging into other areas. Email mailbikesnotbombs.org with any suggested updates to the following list, or to report your progress in building and testing any of the machines listed!

It’s so funny how things happen in such a timely fashion. I just called my buddy Tim who lives and works in San Francisco at Amyris researching alternative fuels derived from sugar cane. I was going on about how it would be cool to try and generate power in your home using a bicycle – and get some exercise to boot! Then I just happen to be checking out BNBs website a BAM! My eyes are open. Alright, signing off to go research Pedal Power! Thank you BNB for your awesome community outreach – near and far.