Green

Walk the talk

The website Walk Score, which assigns neighborhoods and cities a rating based on the ease of walking, recently added Bike Score in recognition of last week’s Bike to Work Week. The rating is given based on criteria such as bike lanes, road connectivity, hills and “bicycle mode share”—biking as a social activity. The website states, “Looking only at [the other] components doesn’t account for the number of bikers in a city like Portland, Ore., vs. other cities with similar infrastructure scores. Biking is social. Many biking experts argue that there is a strong social component to biking. The ‘safety in numbers’ research indicates that more bikers on the road makes drivers more aware of bikers—and more drivers have had the experience of biking.” At the moment, only a handful of cities have bike scores, but more plan to be rated in the near future.

According to the website, the streets around the Reno News & Review office have a Walk Score of 83 out of 100, but the city as a whole scored just 49 out of 100, which means it’s “cardependent.” Reno also received a 27 out of 100 for its public transportation services. Check out the scores for more of Reno’s neighborhoods at www.walkscore.com.

Stormy forecast

In the wake of Heartland Institute’s billboard controversy (“Straight to the heart,” May 17), climate change prevention organization Forecast the Facts started an ad campaign in retaliation. Forecast’s billboard design featured pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s logo displayed next to the words, “We still support Climate Deniers. Do you?” with a link to Forecast’s “Drop Deniers” petition, encouraging corporations to stop funding Heartland. According to the New York Times, Pfizer donated $130,000 to Heartland.

But Clear Channel—which manages the billboard location—did not approve Forecast’s ads for display. The Times quoted Clear Channel spokesperson Jim Cullinan, who said, “We are not an arbiter of positions in any way. But there’s also legal issues about fair use of images and what we can and can’t do with them.” Cullinan is referring to Forecast’s use of the Pfizer logo.

Instead, Clear Channel opted for a billboard by the Climate Reality Project, founded by Al Gore. The billboard states “Who to believe on climate? Heartland … or EVERY National Science Academy in the world?”

—Ashley Hennefer

ashleyh@newsreview.com

ECO-EVENT

Friends of Nevada Wilderness, along with the Bureau of Land Management, Friends of the Black Rock-High Rock and the Nevada Outdoor School host the 2012 Black Rock Rendezvous during Memorial Day Weekend. Venture out into the Black Rock Desert to camp, attend workshops and lectures, help restore wildlife habitats and more. This is a “leave no trace” camping event. Come prepared with food, water and shelter for the weekend. May 25-28. Contact Brian Beffort at 324-7667 or brian@nevadawilderness.com for more information.

Got an eco-event? Contact ashleyh@newsreview.com. Find more at www.facebook.com/RNRGreen.

PHOTO/ASHLEY HENNEFER

John Toth, left, and Dave Asher stand in the top floor of the Vassar-Cordone building, which will soon function as a coworking space.

Money trees

Green Business Chamber of Commerce

Dave Asher is a business man, and his niche is in the “buy local” movement (“Home for the holidays, Dec. 23, 2010). “I basically created the Google of locally owned businesses,” he says, by referring to the Reno-Sparks Local Business Co-Op database—a free listing of

Ashley all local businesses, organized by category. The co-op also plans community

Hennefer campaigns, such as switching to a credit union and hosting a series of classes ashleyh@ newsreview.com on networking. And now he’s also found a niche in the green movement. Asher talks enthusiastically about the benefits of buying local—cycling money within a community, rather than outsourcing products and services, and sparking job creation. “Much of that also has to do with this very ‘eco’way of thinking,” he says. “Our economy is a bucket. If you buy eggs in California, rather than in Nevada, there’s a hole in the bucket. Money and resources drain from that. But if we can look to what we already have here, we can start to fill those holes.” Asher and fellow co-op member John Toth created the Green Business Chamber of Commerce, a new part of the Reno-Sparks Local Business CoOp aimed at promoting sustainable businesses and organizations. Asher makes it clear that it is not a part of the national U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the conservative lobbying organization. “Our color is purple—red and blue,” he says. “We’re not a partisan project.” For more information, The Green Business Chamber of Commerce is one of the first of its kind visit http://www.live localrenosparks.com/ home.htm. in the country. Asher plans to head up the national chapter, while Toth will maintain the local. Asher says that organizing the green aspects of the co-op was difficult, especially with other chambers of commerce well-established in the area. “It was very aggressive of me to go up against the other chambers of commerce in town—the ones that are well-funded, well-staffed,” he said. “I would attend their meetings to recruit people.” The co-op is recruiting businesses to participate in its “going green program,” in which a business can take a pledge to be a more sustainable operation. To ensure that businesses don’t get away with greenwashing— making empty claims about sustainable efforts—participants must make green efforts public to allow for accountability. “Businesses will get an energy audit,” says Toth. “And they’ll have to implement some procedures, such as invest in solar power.” “Basically, we want businesses to show how they are being good stewards of our eco-system,” Asher says. “By posting their actions on their websites, the public can follow up with them to make sure they’ve done what they said they were going to do. But the chamber of commerce will have more than just an online presence—the top floor of the Vassar-Cordone building is being transformed into a coworking space where independent entrepreneurs or startup organizations can rent out a workspace. Asher plans to set up a rooftop community garden and a co-op coffee shop, and the co-op recently started the Films for Action green movie series, which is part of a national program. Film viewings will be held every fourth Friday of the month, including climate change documentary What a Way to Go on May 25. Adiscussion will be held afterward with a panel of local experts. “We’re just one of many green hubs in Reno,” Asher says. “But we hope to help link them together.” Ω

Itʼ s happening in

CAR CRUISE NIGHTS

Every Thursday, bring your classic cars to show. Great food and a DJ for music. Summer fun and prizes. Th, 5/24, 5PM, Free. Grumpy’s Sports Bar & Grill, 2240 Oddie Blvd. (775) 358-2316

SCHEELS BIKING CLUB

Moderate to strong riders are encouraged to participate. Rides will vary from 20-30 miles. Participants will need to sign a liability form when they attend. Th, 5:45PM through 9/27. Free. Scheels, 1200 Scheels Dr. (775) 331-2700

PAUL COVARELLI

Th, 5/24, 5:30PM , F, 5/25, 6PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

BUDDY EMMER BAND

Th, 5/24, 7PM , F, 5/25, 8PM , Sa, 5/26, 8PM, Su, 5/27, 7PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

MUSIC AT THE MARINA

Sing for fun or compete for prizes,depending on the number of contestants, with DJ John Graham. Th, 9PM and F, 9PM. No cover. Anchors Bar & Grill, 325 Harbour Cove Dr. (775) 356-6888

LADIES 80’S NIGHT

Hosted by DJ BG. Th, 6-11PM, Trader Dick’s Lounge. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

JAZZ

With First Take, featuring Rick Metz. Th, F, Sa 6PM. Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 1180 Scheels Dr. (775) 657-8659

COUNTRY CROSSROADS SERIES: DAVID NAIL

F, 5/25, 9PM , $39. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

WATER PARK OPENS

The popular water play park will be open weekends only for the three-day Memorial Day weekend and the fi rst week of June. Sa/Su, 10AM-5PM through 6/2. Opens 5/26 and

W-Su, 10AM-5PM through 8/26. Opens 6/9, $3; free for seniors (61 and older) and children under 3. Melio

Gaspari Water Play Park at Lazy 5 Regional Park, 7100 Pyramid Lake Hwy. (775) 424-1801

SENIOR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

The Rock-n-Reno Challenge Cup National Qualifi er is the largest softball tournament in Northern Nevada and Senior Softball USA’s largest qualifi er in the country. Sa, 5/26-6/2 9AM-5PM. Sports Complex at Golden Eagle Regional Park, 6400 Vista Blvd. Fran Dowell, (916) 326-5309, www.seniorsoftball.com or info@seniorsoftball.com

WEEKEND JUMP-OFF PARTY

With DJ BG. F, Sa, 10PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

COWBOY CRAWL

Live country music, line dancing, mechanical bull riding, country karaoke and the Texaco Country Showdown hosted by KBUL inside Trader Dicks! The Crawl starts and fi nishes at the Nugget Cabaret. After the last stop, dance instructor Amanda Coulson will teach line dancing from 9-10PM, then the Nugget Cabaret turns into a giant dance party featuring live music from10PM -midnight. Tickets, $5 in advance at sponsor locations, day-of-event tickets, $10, at the Nugget Cabaret. Begin at the Nugget to secure an event wristband, cup & map which shows each stop on the crawl. First drink is free (one free draft beer) at the fi rst stop while supplies last. Sa, 5/26, 5PM-12AM. John Ascuaga’s Nugget and Victorian Square, Victorian Ave. www.cowboycrawl.com

Follow me to Sparks - where it’s happening now!

COUNTRY CROSSROADS SERIES: UNCLE KRACKER

Sa, 5/26, 8PM , $45. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

METAL ECHO

Sa, 5/26, 9:30PM , no cover. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub, 1237 Baring Blvd. (775) 355-1030

COUNTRY CROSSROADS SERIES: MERLE HAGGARD & KRIS KRISTOFFERSON

Su, 5/27, 8PM , $68. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

TRAVIS VEGA

W, 5/30, 6PM , no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

MILTON MERLOS

Th, 5/31, 5:30PM , F, 6/1, 6PM and Sa, 6/2, 6PM , no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

VEGAS ROAD SHOW

Th, 5/31, 7PM , F, 6/1, 8PM , Sa, 6/2, 8PM and Su, 6/3, 7PM , no cover. John Ascuaga’s

Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

KARAOKE

STEVE STARR KARAOKE M, 5/14, 8PM. No cover. Grumpy’s Sports Bar & Grill, 2240 Oddie Blvd. (775) 358-2316 SPIRO’S F, 9PM, no cover. 1475 E. Prater Way (775) 356-6000 THE ROPER DANCEHALL & SALOON Country music dance lessons and karaoke, Th, 7:30PM, no cover. 670 Greenbrae Dr. (775) 742-0861

OPEN MIC

GREAT BASIN BREWING Open mic comedy. Th, 9PM, no cover, 846 Victorian Ave. (775) 355-7711

SPECIAL EVENTS COMING UP IN SPARKS

MUSICIAN FAIRE AND FANFEST presented by Musician Rehearsal Center and sponsored by the RN&R and Rock 104.5 (June 23). For info, call (775) 355-9494. WHOLE FOODS HOMETOWNE FARMER’S MARKET presented by Crystal Bridges Enterprises (June 7th – August 23rd) NATIONAL CONCRETE CANOE COMPETITION RACES (June 14th - 16th) SPARKS XTREME BEACH SPORTS FESTIVAL (June 30th – July 1st) STAR SPANGLED SPARKS (July 4th) ARTS IN BLOOM (July 21st) REGIONAL CHILI COOK-OFF (July 23rd) SCHEELS KIDS’ TRIATHALON (July 28th

SEND US YOUR SPARKS EVENTS!

E-mail to: Sparks@newsreview.com

GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY!

CITY OF SPARKS

Geno Martini - Mayor, Julia Ratti - Ward 1, Ed Lawson - Ward 2, Ron Smith - Ward 3, Mike Carrigan - Ward 4, Ron Schmitt - Ward 5, Shaun Carey - City Manager, Tracy Domingues - Parks & Recreation Director.

OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS

Judge Barbara S. McCarthy - Dept. 1, Judge Jim Spoo - Dept. 2, Chet Adams - City Attorney. Mayor and Council members can be reached at 353-2311

SPARKS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

745 Fourth St., Sparks

CITY OF SPARKS WEBSITES:

www.cityofsparks.com www.sparksrec.com www.sparksitshappeninghere.com

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

1420 Scheels Drive, Ste. 108

(next to Forever 21, Legends at Sparks Marina) 775-358-1976 www.thechambernv.org

THIS SECTION AND ITS CONTENTS ARE NOT FUNDED BY OR CREATED BY THE CITY OF SPARKS