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Schools across the nation spent $8 billion on utilities, up from $6 billion in 2002. Chicago schools spend more on utilities than on books and computers combined. The rising cost of diesel fuel used for bus routes expands the scope of the problem. With the soaring cost of fossil fuels, this trend is likely to continue, unless Joey Feinstein has his way.

     As the founder and executive director of Climate Cycle, he is dedicated to installing solar systems in local public schools throughout the Chicago region. Climate Cycle organizes bike rides to raise awareness and funds to combat climate change. Proceeds from the ride are used to install the solar systems in local schools and for global warming education.

     The first Climate Cycle ride will take place on October 4 in Chicago along scenic Lake Michigan. Participants can choose between a ten, twenty, or thirty-five mile ride and all are welcome to participate in closing festivities at Chicago’s downtown Grant Park. 

The Inspiration for Climate Cycle

     In the summer of 2000, said Joey, I took a cross country bike trip across the U.S. While riding through North Dakota, I met a small farmer who expressed deep concerns about the changes he was seeing in weather at that time.

     It was his connection with the land and his deep concerns about global warming that really moved me. I would think back to that conversation on the remainder of the bike trip, especially because I was so immersed in the land, while I slept under the stars every night.

     I later taught for a while in an Evanston, Illinois, school for children who were wards of the state. Despite the deep emotional traumas that these kids had experienced, I couldn’t help but feel that these children weren’t learning much about the issues that were most going to affect them as adults. The environment at large, and global warming in particular, was one of those issues.

     Climate Cycle was a wonderful opportunity to fuse my passion for cycling, the environment, and taking on global warming, while helping children at the same time.

Why Solar as a Solution?

     Solar technology is a way to supplant the use of fossil fuels. Contrary to most people’s beliefs, residential and commercial buildings are responsible for the lion’s share of greenhouse gases emissions. Putting solar in schools is a great way to reduce the carbon emissions of these buildings.

     Solar allows us to scale up or scale down the size of the installation depending on the financial resources available. At the same time, solar saves money. These solar systems are provided to schools at no cost to them, while providing children with first-hand solutions for global warming.

    There are also two grant programs for solar systems that can help expand the impact of Climate Cycle. One is through the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation and the other is through the State of Illinois. Combined, they pay fifty percent of the cost of a solar system.

A Natural for Chicago

     Chicago as a city has a very strong commitment to the environment. It is Mayor Daley’s goal to make Chicago the greenest city in America. We also have a very strong cycling culture here. Every year there are more and more bike paths and lanes,and biking is increasing in popularity. Chicago is also my hometown, so I am very excited to lay Climate Cycle’s roots here.

     I see Climate Cycle as being an annual event, not only in Chicago, but in other cities across the country. The goal is that ultimately it won’t be just Chicago schools that benefit from the solar installations, but that others across the nation become involved, too.

Raising Money and Awareness

     Activity based fundraisers are a great way to bring people together and feel invigorated about a cause. Biking also promotes a form of transportation that can help lessen our dependence on fossil fuel emissions from automobiles. We are enabling people to have a more visceral and active connection to the cause, at the same time promoting a healthy form of transportation.

     Very often we see the solutions to climate change as things we can only do alone, changing a light bulb or choosing a fuel-efficient car that we will very often drive alone. Activity based fundraisers bring people together to do something that they couldn’t do alone. The sum is greater than the parts and it creates a synergy around taking on climate change.

     The ride will begin and end at Grant Park where there will be a dynamic closing festival. It will include Chicago talent, such as bands, speakers and vendors. Riders can register at the website (www.climatecycle.org) for a ten, twenty, or thirty-five mile route. The closing festival is free and open to the public.

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After earning an MBA in sustainable management from the Presidio School of Management in San Francisco, Sarah Lozanova joined Solar Service Inc. She is a writer for Green Options Media and co-founder of Trees Across the Miles, a non-profit urban reforestation project. Sarah can be contacted at Sarah.Lozanova@gmail.com. 

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