Latest from Emerald City, my enviro-blog at LAtimes.com

>> Bike to work next week and win a folding bike. Metro’s getting in on the bike riding fun with a weeklong schedule of activities (PDF), including lots and lots of giveaways, free bus rides and a guest appearance by — Shrek.

>> Riding is the most profound activism (Part 1 of 3). Alex Thompson says: “Perceived as dangerous and stigmatized as an activity for health nuts and tree huggers, reasonable people do not ride bikes in L.A. So, when you step off a curb onto a bike you have just committed a flagrantly irresponsible act. “I do what I want!” you’ve just declared. Prepare for a wild ride!”

>> The urban Motorboarder’s backup: Bus + fare card. Kathryn Pope writes: “I took my first bus ride because I was angry with my car, not because of my environmental goodness. After failed smog tests, maintenance tickets, and a chunk of metal that started to drag on the pavement as I drove, I was fed up. At the time, public transit seemed like a radical idea — sheer craziness, in a city where cars are fashion statements.”

>> L.A. streetcar workshop May 22 at the Orpheum. A streetcar workshop is coming to L.A. Based on the book “Street Smart: Streetcars and Cities in the 21st Century,” the workshop is actually the last in a series of four national streetcar workshops. The previous one happened in the Pacific Northwest last month and was attended by a couple dozen streetcar-curious Angelenos — including Eric Richardson of blogdowntown.

>> Q&A: De-car-ing in the Valley. Says Liza: “I live in the Valley and I love to hear the best way you’ve found to travel between the Valley and Santa Monica.” I tell her the valley sucks and she should get the hell out. Kidding! (sort of)

Update, 11/17/08: Kathryn’s now got her own blog — and has de-car’d entirely!

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