on the "greening" of the lower class

This is not a rant. This is not a well-tested hypothesis. This is merely an observation, a "thought-experiment" if you will.

I think it is safe to say that the year 2007 has been the "Year of the Green." No matter where one looks they are sure to see the latest "green" fashions, the "greenest" celebrities, the "greenest" automobiles, how to "green" your home, etc. - I think you get the point. While I have many thoughts on this subject (green consumerism, green automobiles, really?), this one post will zero in on a specific subsection.

the preface
I am "in the process" of developing a sort of "everyman's guide to" environmental sustainability/earth friendliness/not destroying the only place we have to live - and by that, I mean, simply, that I ponder on the subject frequently. Much of the attention of the media or presidential campaign is focused on "climate change" and "global warming." The flaw of many of these efforts is that it is too dependent on the factuality of an actual change in climate or warming of the earth, and while I personally trust that the science is there to back up the claims, I don't need the science. To me, simply taking care of "this fragile Earth, our island home" is a responsibility that ALL humans share.

the observation
While it is nice that so much effort is being put into educating celebrities, upper and middle class citizens, it seems that a large percentage of the population is basically being ignored: the lower class. So much effort is being put into "greening" the high-end markets with energy-star appliances, eco-friendly building materials (which hardly anyone can afford), fashion trends, hybrid vehicles, etc., and I fear that this will not be a lasting strategy. First of all, for any effort to succeed in making an impact on behalf of environmental sustainability and earth friendliness, consumption itself must be reduced - not altered, reduced.

This thought is similar to a post I did a while back titled "How do we teach those who do not go to school?" in that it poses the question of how do we reach the part of the population that is not educated about environmental sustainability or even tuned into celebrity trends? For the xx% of our population (and I am just talking about in America, not to mention the entire world) that is considered "sub-middle class," a majority of their motivation is to attain a status of wealth that affords them the ability to live a life without sacrifice, or a life that does not require them to make the most of very little - basically, to reach a lifestyle that they see the wealthy live now, one of excess and lack of concern for the effects of consumption. I would think this is linked to the idea that as lower-class citizens they feel they are less successful than their wealthier counterparts, and that to attain a level of status that is governed by your clothes, your car, your jewelry, your house is the goal.

I assume that this is a similar situation to that of the post-depression era. A generation grew up having to live meagerly with no excess, and once the economy rebounded, they were jubilant in the ability to live flippant lives of consumption. (Note: this is not an attempt to blame that generation for anything).

While I cannot locate any statistics (but promise to look for some), I remember hearing that the first purchase a lower-class family makes, when their income affords the opportunity, is a bigger tv. Hopefully you get my point...

on the anatomy of a bike commuter

In my [still] short time being a bike commuter I have been able to notice some significant bodily adaptations, especially with regards to aerobic fitness. During the first weeks/month or two, I was relatively in tune with the what was happening. Even going from a competitive triathlete's training schedule to biking a [seemingly] mere 17 miles each day produced some significant changes in body composition and metabolic rate. For the first month of daily bike commuting [the 'August project'] I would wake up with a slight sore-ness throughout my legs, which eventually faded as my legs became used to the constant stress. One of the nice results of this was an exciting amount of increased definition in my leg muscles, particularly my calves muscles. My metabolism seemed to bump up a little - but nothing too exceptional (I was coming off the end of a 6-day a week triathlon training schedule...).

The human body never ceases to amaze me how it can adapt, or even how it functions in general.

Now into my fourth straight month of bike commuting, I am noticing more physical adaptation - but it is different this time. My body has finally realized that it is not being trained for competition. The power of muscular function is being reduced to allow for the extra endurance that is being expected. I tried including some sprints into my ride home yesterday, but I felt sluggish and not as explosive as I used to.

But my running performance has seemed to increase. Since I began bike commuting, the miles I have logged with my running shoes has decreased by nearly 60-70% - YET last night I was able to run a 5k faster than I would when I was training for triathlons, and with an easier effort. A week ago, I went for a run - having not gone running for at least 2 weeks - and was able to maintain a very good pace with no discomfort.

It seems my metabolism has normalized as well, much as my muscles have. My body seems to have become a very efficient calorie burning machine and is able to maintain the functionality that I demand on a lesser diet. This part is actually sad to me in a way, because it means that whenever I eat more than I legitimately need to, I can tell.

While I have been in tune with how my body has responded to the stress I place on it as a bike commuter, I had a 'duh' moment today: my body no longer responds and requires the nourishment it did when I was a "competitive athlete." Bike commuting continues to be a learning experience for me, and I think I have finally shed the mentality that I am training to be a competitive athlete. I will [hopefully] always continue to participate in recreational competitions because I love the experience of being at races: I love the excitement and anticipation, I love the physical challenge of the race itself, and I love the feeling of accomplishment afterwards. The beauty of my situation now is that I am able to maintain a solid and above-average level of fitness without having to spend any time in a weight room or on a treadmill.

That's right, the Velorution made me a better runner!