Villa Park biking event promotes healthy atmosphere
Biking instead of driving. Unplugging a cellphone charger when it’s not in use. Taking shorter showers.
People who attended Moving Planet DuPage on Saturday in Villa Park recorded video pledges to take those actions and more to decrease their carbon dioxide emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
The event aimed to draw 350 bikers, walkers or carpoolers to the Illinois Prairie Path at Ardmore Avenue because scientists and climate experts say 350 parts per million is the most carbon dioxide that should be contained in a healthy atmosphere. The atmosphere now contains about 390 parts per million of carbon dioxide.
“It’s absolutely vital that DuPage County host an event like this periodically,” said Dave Wilcox, recording secretary of DuPage Young Democrats, who’s also involved with the Sierra Club. “Our only viable option is to get ourselves off fossil fuels, and the sooner the better.”
Moving Planet DuPage was part of a global effort sponsored by 350.org and the Sierra Club. The River Prairie Group of the Sierra Club organized the DuPage event.
“It’s been a fun project to work on,” said Dennis Clark of Winfield, a volunteer with the Sierra Club and a director on the board that governs the Illinois Prairie Path. “Everyone’s so positive about it.”
The River Prairie Group recognized one of its own, Lombard resident Lonnie Morris, on Saturday with the Sierra Club’s Special Achievement Award for her work on the Cool Cities initiative, which gets municipalities to commit to reducing greenhouse gases.
Bikers pedalled to the event from suburbs west of Villa Park, including Lombard, Glen Ellyn and Warrenville. Others from farther away, like Tom Ciepiaszuk of Wheeling and Peter Kaminski, fell in the carpooling category as well as the biking category. Kaminski said they drove to the Prairie Path in a hybrid car then began their midday bike ride.
Some rode in pairs or trios, while other came in larger groups representing organizations such as Sky Centers Martial Arts in Lombard and the Eco Club at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn.
Some of the Eco Club’s 14 members who rode to Moving Planet handed out free T-shirts to participants and recruited people to record video commitments to decreasing their carbon footprint.
“There was a lot of enthusiasm,” said Betsy Kinsey, co-president of Glenbard West High School’s Eco Club and a senior at the school. “We had a lot of fun biking over here today.”