Why Should You Care About "Green Streets"?

There's a lot of talk about "greening" everything these days, so what does it mean to have a "green street" and why should you care about it?

The video link below from the Green News Network takes a look at what green streets in Portland do for the environment. Stormwater runoff can pollute rivers and streams and lead to combined sewer overflows (that's a big reason we don't want to swim in the Willamette!). Green streets mimic the natural conditions in the environment by using plants and soil to help manage stormwater runoff. The benefit beyond the environment is a more livable, walkable neighborhood. There are many different kinds of green street treatments, and the city even has a map so you can tour them!

What do you think about green streets? Have you driven through one? Did it change the way you perceived the driving environment? Have you walked or biked through one? Share your thoughts.


Green Streets: Dealing with Stormwater Runoff

Guess What?! The Internet is Good for You!

If you're reading this blog right now, your brain should be thanking you. Studies now suggest a link between spending time on the Internet and enhanced brain power.

According to an article on msnbc.com, a UCLA research team did a study with older adults who were not experienced Internet users. The researchers looked at participants' brain responses when they first began searching the Internet. The participants showed brain activity in the regions controlling language, reading, memory and visual abilities. After a week of looking things up at home, their second brain scan showed activation of these same regions, but there was also activity in the part of the brain known to be important in working memory and decision-making.

The researchers concluded that after Internet training at home, participants with little online experience displayed brain activation patterns very similar to those seen in the group of savvy Internet users.

"The results suggest that searching online may be a simple form of brain exercise that might be employed to enhance cognition in older adults," said Teena D. Moody, the study's first author and UCLA researcher.

The researchers think that when performing an online search, the brain must hold important information in working memory and also take away important points from competing graphics and words. This is an essential part of how doing Internet searches can be good for your brain.

So keep searching the Internet, learning new things, and of course, reading this blog!

Toyota Recall Put Into Perspective

Toyota has long been considered a safe, reliable brand of automobile. There are tons of them on the road, and a good chance there is one in your garage right now. Are you a Toyota owner who is worried about the recall? Perhaps you own a different make of vehicle but are worried that a Toyota with an uncorrected gas pedal will come slamming into you when you're driving? If so, you are misdirecting your worry according to and article by Leonard Evans.

Says Evans:
Seventy years of scientific research has shown that what drivers do behind the wheel is the dominant factor in traffic deaths. Speed, for example, is a critical factor in safety. An almost imperceptible reduction in speed from 52 mph to 50 mph cuts the risk of being killed by 15 percent. That's more than the risk reduction from airbags. So if the prospect of a sticky gas pedal alarms you, just slow down a little. The result will be that you are safer with the defect than you were without it.

Human error plays a part in nearly all crashes. The problem isn't necessarily a sticky gas pedal, but the fact that a driver who is going too fast and following too closely doesn't have the time and space to deal with such a problem when it arises.

What to do?

If you have a Toyota and you're concerned about the recall, check this website for up-to-date information.

No matter what car you drive do the following:

• slow down
• increase your following distance
• keep distractions out of your vehicle

Simple, lifesaving information. Stay safe out there!

Ride Connection Staff "Goes Red" for Women's Heart Health

Do you think of heart disease as primarily a man's disease? The fact is, recent data indicates cardiovascular disease causes almost 460,000 female deaths per year in comparison to 410,000 male deaths and is now the number one killer of American women. To raise awareness of this fact, Ride Connection staff dressed in red to participate in the American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day on February 5, 2010.

How can you take personal action in the fight against heart disease right now?

By making choices.

Sometimes the smallest choices can add up. Choosing to take the stairs rather than the elevator. Choosing meals that are baked, not fried. Choosing to schedule a checkup that includes important screening tests, and talking to your doctor about heart disease risk factors.

While there are some factors such as age and heredity that we can't control when it comes to cardiovascular disease, there are many other choices we CAN control. We can turn our personal choices into lifesaving actions:

•Eat healthy,
•Be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week,
•If you smoke, quit,
•lose excess weight,
Choose to empower yourself with the facts ---
•know your family history of heart disease,
•schedule an appointment with your doctor to understand your risk.

Go here to learn more about the Go Red for Women campaign, or to learn more about making heart healthy choices.