Archive for the ‘Green’ Category

First Fixed Gear Bike Shop in China

Dienstag, August 18th, 2009

Yes, here it is: The first bicycle shop in China focused on fixed gear bikes! The logo is a green banana and the name is NATOOKE

NATOOKE Fixed Gear Bicycles and Juggling Equipment Store

This store is dedicated to urban cycling. You will not find a bike with gears in this shop, so no road bikes nor any mountain bikes. All bicycles are single speed and mainly have a fixed back wheel, meaning no ability to coast. Like the bikes used in the velodrome these are track bikes with horizontal dropouts in the back end of the frame to be able to adjust the chain tension. This is extremely suitable for cycling in the flat and nicely paved Beijing urban city. The shop has all the different parts required to build up a fixed gear bike like the fixed gear hubs, flipflop hubs, cogs, lock rings, rims, tires, seat posts, saddles, stems, handle bars, handle bar grips, chains, cranks, chain rings, pedals, cages, toe clips, straps… Each customer can chose what brand, what style and which color he prefers so that we can put together that one-of-a-kind unique bike.

Beijing Natooke Bicycle and Juggling Shop

This shop also has a huge selection on urban cycling accessories, like T-shirts, lights, bags, reflective bag covers, anti-pollution masks and other things related to cycling in the metropolitan areas.

Natooke Bike Shop with Urban Cycling Accessories

The NATOOKE store is even more unique: It is the world’s first shop dedicated to fixed gear bikes and juggling equipment! You can find anything here around the topic of juggling: Different sizes, weights and colors of juggling balls, glow balls, contact balls, acrylics, juggling rings, juggling clubs, devil sticks, diabolos, poi, fire juggling equipment, staff, yo-yos, frisbees, rola bolas (also known as balancing boards) and many more fun toys to play with. This is the best juggling equipment that you can get in all of China. It is mainly imported from Europe.

Natooke Fixed Gear Bike and Juggling Equipment Store

This fixed gear bike and juggling store is located in the center of Beijing city in the trendy new hutong called Wudaoying. That is right next to the North Second Ring Road just West of the famous Lama Temple. There are 2 subway lines that have a station here as well as many bus lines. So if you do not yet have a bike you can easily come by using public transport. Here is a map of the location of the NATOOKE shop indicated by the small green banana:

Map of NATOOKE Fixed Gear Bike and Juggling Equipment Shop

DESERT DANCE Event

Samstag, Juli 18th, 2009

Today I went to the Ritan Park rock climbing wall. It was astonishingly empty for a Saturday late afternoon. Maybe this is due to the hot and humid weather. It was great not to have to wait in line to climb a route. And there were hardly any mosquitoes, not like in the past years.

This evening was the Beijing Burners Without Borders event called DESERT DANCE organized by Greening the Beige. It was a mix of art and music to raise environmental awareness. There was a belly dancer

Desert Dance Belly Dancer

Jess Meider played her songwriter songs in unusual positions while Federico performed contact juggling.

Jess Meider Letting Herself Shine

Federico Juggling and Jess Meider The Moon Song

The whole venue was extremely beautiful. It is a privately owned renovated former temple. Really amazing.

Ines at Desert Dance

Beijing DESERT DANCE

Freitag, Juli 17th, 2009

Greening the Beige is dancing with excitement and pleased as peaches to announce DESERT DANCE, a Benefit Without Borders event, coming up this Saturday, July 18th!

The global fundraiser/awareness raising/multi-layered art event will focus on the topic of desertification in China and its Beijing realities. For the full event details including performance and film screening schedules, please visit http://www.greeningthebeige.org/node100

All photography display works are available for sale by silent auction. Proceeds will be used for the self-sustaining 3rd Annual Greening the Beige Event — RE-ENERGIZE BEIJING — coming this November 2009.

Note that our first choice of location has now moved to No. 4 Zhangwang Hutong (opposite Bed Bar, look for the golden gate entrance), Jiu Gulou Dajie. While we are not pleased regarding the circumstance for this change, we are extremely grateful and honored to have found such a stunning and generous new home for our event, a 500 year old restored courtyard temple, located north of the drum and bell towers.

If you’re planning to come or have any questions, or would just like to send us your positive feedback, love, and support, we definitely want to hear from you.

‚Til then, the oasis awaits.

Tree Hugs,
the Greening the Beige Desert Dance Crew

DESERT DANCE

亲爱的北京绿色朋友们,

点废成绿盛情邀请您参加刺激而有趣的沙漠之舞,这个受益无国界的活动将在7月18日(星期六)举行!
全球资金筹集人、全民意识提高、多层面艺术活动都将关注中国沙漠化的主题以及北京的现状。有关这个活动的详情,包括表演和电影播放节目表,请参见附件或点击链接 http://www.greeningthebeige.org/node100

所有的摄影图片将以无声拍卖的形式出售,所有的收益将用于点废成绿于2009年11月自办的第3届年度活动——重振北京。

请注意,我们的首选地点现移至北京市东城区旧鼓楼大街张旺胡同4号(在Bed酒吧对面,金色大门入口)。虽然临时的地点改动带来一些麻烦,但是对于这个新场地,我们感到更加荣欣和欣喜,它是一个拥有500年历史的重建庭院,就在鼓楼的北面。

如果您想参加活动,或有任何疑问,或只是想表达一些您的想法和支持,请写邮件给我们。

我们期待您的参与!

献上大树的拥抱,
点废成绿沙漠之舞工作成员


Greening the Beige点废成绿
www.greeningthebeige.org

Tianjin TV – Eco Hero 绿色英雄

Mittwoch, Juni 3rd, 2009

Tianjin TV a filming series on environmental topics called „Eco Hero“ (绿色英雄). This green program will soon start being broadcasted every day from 6:20pm to 6:30pm. Today they were filming an episode on riding bikes as a small thing you can do to be more environmentally friendly. So they asked me to come to Tianjin and ride my pink track bike.

Bike Riding Promotion to help Save the Planet

And I also rode the unicycle of the TV host Kathy. We had such great weather!

Commuting by Unicycle

It is great that some of the mid-aged to elderly Chinese people really get into cycling. Like in Beijing or any other bigger city also Tianjin has such a cycling club. Some of the members rode their bikes to Lhasa in 2006. Others rode all over Sichuan and Yunnan. Some members are in their 70s and even 80s.

Tianjin Cycling Club

Other foreigners invited to this event today were Anna Sophie from Sexy Beijing TV as well as Chelsey or better known as Mai Xiaolong who is a TV host himself.

Cyclist Ladies and Mai Xiaolong

It was great again to take the train from Beijing to Tianjin – speeding at 330km/h. This time I cycled in Beijing from my home to the Beijing South train station. It amazes me how places always seem much closer when I ride my bike to them. Last time it seemed to take forever to get to that train station by taxi. When I got back to Beijing today I met a Chinese cyclist friend Kevin and we went to meet the owner of the Pass By bar. He had cycled to Lhasa many times and gave advice to Kevin who will head out on Saturday. I wish him a safe journey.

Ines Brunn Performance for Greener China 德国女“车神”伊泉表演

Dienstag, Mai 5th, 2009

I found a post on this forum. The person talks about the Beijing Radio and other companies events to promote a more sustainable lifestyle and cycling. It talks about an event on April 26th where I did a trick bike performance for a greener China. Here is the comment:

4月26号上午,由我台携手中国自行车协会、北京统一饮品有限公司联合发起主办的“统一绿茶梦想骑手 穿越塔克拉玛干”2009北京人民广播电台献礼国庆60周年大型自行车主题活动在德胜门箭楼广场启动。这是我台继举办07年世界无车日环城骑行、08年六 大奥运城市“奔向北京”联动骑行后连续第三年举办大型自行车主题活动,同时也为共和国六十周年华诞献上的一份厚礼。

上午10点,启动仪式在德 胜门箭楼前广场隆重举行。中国自行车协会理事长马中超、我台副总编辑亢亚志等领导出席活动。亢总编在启动仪式致辞中说:“今年是新中国成立60周年,是奥 运成功举办之后首都发展步入新阶段的第一年,是深入贯彻落实党的十七大精神、推进“十一五”环境保护和生态建设规划顺利实施的关键一年。基于此,北京电台 在中国自行车协会等多家单位的大力支持下策划了本次活动。北京电台希望发挥主流媒体的责任感和舆论导向功能,通过这样的活动,敲响土地沙漠化的警钟,在市 民中间发起动员和号召,真正地投身到绿色环保事业中,为新中国60华诞献礼!” 随后,德国女“车神”伊泉表演了精彩的自行车杂技,我台主持人周准一首雄浑大气的《超越梦想》唱出了在场所有人心中“挑战极限、超越自我”的激情。最后, 各主办方领导鸣枪发令,在昂扬的鼓乐声中,350多名热心市民骑手开始环城大骑行。

与我台前两年的自行车主题活动相比,本次“ 梦想骑手 穿越塔克拉玛干”活动将自行车车轮的足迹带的更远。今年国庆前后,我台将组织一支选拔出来的市民“梦想骑手团”奔赴新疆自治区轮台县,穿越全长522公里 的塔克拉玛干大沙漠公路,最后到达民丰县。据悉,这次行动也将成为迄今为止第一次大规模的、完全依靠人力而非机动车力量完成的塔克拉玛干穿越活动。到底是 什么样的勇士有机会奔赴新彊完成这一次世界级的壮举?他们的旅程能否顺利完成?启动仪式后,梦想骑手的报名、选拔工作全面展开,这些问题都将随着活动进程 的一步步推进而解开神秘面纱!
我国是世界上荒漠化和沙化面积大、分布广、危害重的国家之一,严重的土地荒漠化、沙化威胁着生态安全和经济社会的可持续发展,威胁中华民族的生存和发展。 其中,中国第一大沙漠——塔克拉玛干面积的扩大尤其引人注目。塔克拉玛干沙漠距北京5700余公里,位于南新疆塔里木盆地。在维吾尔语里,它是“进去出不 来的地方”的意思,当地人通常称它为“死亡之海”。它盛夏最高温度可达67.2℃,昼夜温差最大可达40℃以上,自然条件非常恶劣。在许多探险家的心目 中,塔克拉玛干沙漠是一个最神秘、最具有诱惑力的挑战胜地。近年来,随着沙漠中间植被遭到破坏,以及气候的变迁,塔克拉玛干沙漠面积有不断扩大的趋势。在 它与库木塔格沙漠边缘近2000公里的风沙线上,流动沙丘每年以5至10米的速度向前推进,受风沙危害最重的且末县和若羌县如今已是沙临城下,一部分农牧 民的生存环境受到威胁。

我台此次组织“梦想骑手 穿越塔克拉玛干”大型自行车主题活动不仅仅是一次群众性自行车志愿骑行活动,更将立意落在引导社会大众关注日益严峻的土地荒漠化问题上。穿越途中,骑手们 不但要挑战恶劣的自然环境,更要把自己亲眼见到、亲身经历的土地荒漠化情况记录下来,汇集成一部考察报告,提交给有关部门作为防沙治沙的参考。

Earth Day Performance and GREENing the BEIGE Party

Mittwoch, April 22nd, 2009

The Green Lady of Beijing and director of Greening the Beige (GtB) Carissa Welton went to hold a presentation at the Canadian International School of Beijing (CIS) for the middle school and high school Earth Day assembly. To show them that being part of Greening the Beige can be fun I brought my trick bike and did a trick bike performance. They loved the stunts that I did. I just hope that none of the students will try the bike tricks on their own bikes in Beijing traffic.

Greening the Beige was celebrating the greenest day of the year – Earth Day with a party! Carissa had organized an Earth Day BBQ on the roof of Obiwan near JiShuiTan subway. There was be cinema and BBQ on the roof terrace of Club Obiwan, overlooking XiHai, with lots of old and new green friends. We enjoyed a selection of grilled organic-fed meats with plenty of fresh veggie options (includes 1 glass of punch) and watched a special green film screening. There was also the Earth Day raffle with cool prizes from our green-hearted sponsors. New members to GtB are always welcome!

 点废成绿(GtB)是一个富有创意的注重环保的艺术群体。从成立之日起到现在的三年期间,我们作为一个草根环保团体一直致力于对我们周围的环境起到 积极的作用。借今年地球日之际,我们真诚的邀请我们所有的支持者参加我们组织的户外烧烤自助和电影放映。100元可以享受到我们为大家精心准备的各种有机 蔬菜和一杯水果酒。如果对自助烧烤不感兴趣,也希望大家参加我们的抽奖活动,有很多慷慨的赞助方提供的绿色丰厚奖品。同时,点废成绿永远欢迎新的成员加 入。更多信息,请浏览 http://www.greeningthebeige.org

GREENING THE BEIGE EARTH DAY MENU included
点废成绿晚餐会菜单
Arab Chick Pea, Fennel & Tomato Salad – 阿拉伯鹰嘴豆,茴香和番茄沙拉 seasoned with lemon juice, coriander & olive oil
Lettuce Salad – 生菜沙拉 with yoghurt & mustard sauce
German Style Potato Salad – 德式土豆沙拉 with dill, sour cucumber & parsley
Canapés – 小点 bread & wraps 面包及卷饼
Beef & Veggies – 欧洲式牛肉串 European style flavour
Satay Skewers – 马来式鸡肉川 in spicy peanut sauce
Fresh Veggies - 各式蔬菜川 eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomato, mushrooms, …
Sweet and Sour tofu 酸甜古老豆腐 with pineapple & peppers
Green Curry – 泰式绿咖喱 with coconut milk, vegetables and tofu
Seasonal fruit plate – 水果盘
Chocolate & Banana Pancake Rolls- 巧克力及香蕉甜饼

That was perfect to have such huge buffet after the spinning class (and cycling there and back). My friends and I stayed long at Obiwan – actually we were the last ones.

The Bike Fairy on Tianjin TV „China Right Here“

Samstag, April 18th, 2009

Last year a crew from Tianjin TV filmed me over a course of a few months documenting my life in China and my love for bikes as well as the starting of a fixed gear bike club in Beijing. They also filmed my participation and performance at Greening the Beige (GtB) 2008 and my green reason for cycling and taking care of environment.

This 30 minute documentary about the „Bike Fairy“ (Ines Brunn) was broad casted on Tianjin TV  today at 17:55 to 18:30 (as well as at 23:00 to 23:35).
去年天津TV拍过我喜欢自行车和我们开在北京骑fixed gear的俱乐部。
天津电视台 卫视频道 <泊客中国>

4月18日晚上5点55分钟到6点30分钟(也11点钟到11点35分钟)

Earth Hour Green Meeting at Obiwan

Samstag, März 28th, 2009

The green lady of Beijing and founder of „Greening the Beige“ (GtB) Carissa Welton had invited various green people of Beijing as well as green related organizations to come together for a first GtB’09 meeting as well as switching of the electricity for 1 hour for the global Earth Hour.

China Earth Hour in Beijing Club Obiwan

Global Warming Dinner

Dienstag, November 18th, 2008

Anna, Katy, Ollie, Nick and Jack are traveling overland all the way from Australia to the UN climate change talks in Poznan (Poland) in December. They are members of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and  had set up a dinner to meet with people who are participating in activities to minimize the global warming. There were people from the China Youth Climate Action Network, China Dialogue, another organization as well as the China Foreign Affairs University.

Part of the Dinner Guests

Sun, Blue Skies and Fixed Gear Bikes

Montag, November 17th, 2008

Wow the weather continues to be great! It was good to have Ollie (a fixed gear guy from Australia) here for visit who I cycled with through the city on fixed gear in this beautiful weather. We rode a full sightseeing tour from the CBD with the World Trade Tower 3 (highest building of Beijing) and the CCTV Headquarter (double-Z building) then down Changan Boulevard to the Tiananmen Square then around the Forbidden City to Beihai Park (with the white Buddha Temple) then up to the Drum and Bell Tower then around the Houhai and Xihai Lakes then through small Hutongs to Beilouguyiang and Nanlouguxiang. It was nice weather to sit outside for lunch, but it did get chilly for the hands during the later afternoon.

November Sun

Ollie and his 4 friends are actually traveling all the way from Australia by land and sea to get to the UN climate change talks in Poznan (Poland) in December. They are members of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. You can read about their unique journey on facebook. We had a great vegetarian dinner and then all went for some juggling and acro balance.