Some people just talk about environmentalism. You've heard them -- the ones who preach about saving the polar bears but consider recycling too much of a hassle. Then, there are those who scarf down a PowerBar, hop on their bikes and pedal 3,800 miles across the country to make a difference. For the bicycling foursome known as the Eco-Patriots, there was no question as to which group they aspire to belong.
Eco-Patriots was founded by College alumni George McFadden and Ann Marie Rubin along with their friends, Trinity College graduate Will Fadrhonc and Colby College graduate Ryan Ahearn. During the course of their countrywide journey from Yorktown, Va. to San Francisco, Calif., the group hopes to raise money for its sponsor, the Clean Air Conservancy. They will also meet with students and environmental organizations along the route to share ideas and promote clean, sustainable living.
A few weeks after their departure (and several scabs and bruises richer), the group has encountered more than a few challenges, but they're not ready to stop yet. After all, saving the environment isn't easy. Sometimes it hurts.
But before the throbbing quadriceps and road burn, Rubin suffered a different sort of pain for the environment, and it was in an unlikely setting.
"Environmentalism was always pretty intuitive for me," Rubin said. "Even though it was a pain, we would always recycle. I live in New York, and when you have to carry trash down flights of stairs, you can really visualize how much waste there is. It just makes sense to conserve."
McFadden, an environmental science major, spent his days at the University working for the recycling club and the Environmental Students Organization. He also worked with Charlottesville's Community Bike Shop, an organization that repairs bikes and donates them to children and community members.
Ahearn is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School and credits his father for his passion for the environment. Fadrhonc grew up sailing and kayaking in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway of Maine.
Their decision to form Eco-Patriots evolved slowly over a shared love of biking.
"The biking was just one aspect," Rubin said. "We wanted to make it more, but we didn't know how. We had to search for the right partner to work with."
The Eco-Patriots teamed up with the Clean Air Conservancy, a non-profit organization that seeks to clean air of pollutants and create markets for offsetting carbon emissions. They also sought sponsorship from Fuji Bicycles, Performance Bicycle, BOB Trailers, Bell Sports, Sabre Yachts and the Adventure Cycling Association.
With the sponsorships worked out, there remained one obstacle: the 3,800 mile bike ride across the country.
"We had a bike-training plan, and we did our best to stick to it," Rubin said. "We were all in different locations, but we tried to ride the bike every day."
Despite their best efforts to prepare, a minor bicycle malfunction resulted in a laugh.
"For the first few miles, Ann Marie rode with her brakes on," McFadden said. "She told us it was just part of her training."
Some may be wondering at this point, sure, saving the environment's great -- but why not just make a Web site?
"Well, we like biking," Rubin said. "A lot. But we're also leading by example in a couple ways: First, any biking fan would like to see biking in more cities. We're also covering a great distance with no emissions, and we can reach a lot of people."
The group plans to chronicle its trip and highlight the efforts of other organizations on its Web site. But as McFadden pointed out, putting a name and a face to a Web site is far more personal and effective.
"We've gotten some really positive responses so far," McFadden said. "In intellectual communities like U.Va., people are very aware of their actions and their environmental repercussions."
As is to be expected, there have been a few not-so-pleasant interactions.
"A car drove by and called us freaks and then drove around to do it again," Ahearn said.
McFadden added, however, that it may have had more to do with how much the spandex-clad team was sweating.
"Our mission is to make people morph and change their habits just a little bit, connect their actions and their consequences with things like carbon emissions or acid rain," McFadden said. "We want to tell everyone -- whether college-aged or older -- that it's never too late to start. It's always easier to start earlier, but anyone can make a difference. Some people have an attitude that what they do doesn't matter, but it really does."
That is perhaps the greatest moral of the group's trip: Though it may take a journey of 3,800 miles to raise awareness, the small, everyday lifestyle changes make the difference. And you don't even have to be an environmental science major to do it.
"I was an English and politics major," Rubin said. "In my spare time, I make environmentally-conscious decisions ... It may be a pain, but it's what you need to do."
Rubin said little things such as recycling or bringing your own bag to the grocery store are simple changes everyone could commit to.
The Eco-Patriots's journey has only begun, and thousands of miles and people await. The group's sleeping arrangements will be determined by their wits, the generosity of strangers and the capacity of their backpacks.
"We're following the Trans-American Trail, a main biking route across America," McFadden said. "The route is well-traveled, so people know to expect bikers in the summer season. They're used to sweaty, haggard bikers being like 'I want water, a PowerBar ...'"
The team checks for notes on gas station doors welcoming bikers to a meal or to spend the night. Sometimes, they get desperate.
"We want to give special thanks to certain museums and churches ..." Ahearn said.
The foursome has quickly realized the reality of their trek during their first hill climb.
"When we first started, we went about two blocks and then ditched half our stuff," Rubin said. "There's a steep learning curve. When you have to carry all your possessions up a hill, it makes you consider what you really need."
Ahearn said it best:
"Comfort is steadily reaching a new meaning"
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