by Stephanie Gutowski

Going green for professional cyclist Amber Rais (Team TIBCO) is not only a practical idea….it’s a passion. Rais, an extremely talented rider, is a devoted environmentalist who believes that taking time to plan and implement simple strategies can minimize negative environmental impacts in cycling and all sports.

Rais is starting her fourth year racing. She spent the last two years riding for Webcor and will be joining DS Linda Jackson and Team TIBCO in 2008.

2007 was quite a productive for her….winning stages 1,2, 4 and the GC at the Tri Peaks Challenge…endured Montreal…raced Nature Valley Grand Prix, Nationals, International Tour de ‘Toona and several European races.

Rais combines her love for riding with her conservation passion by offering guidance and assistance to athletic teams and fellow athletes. She has developed Carbon Neutral Action Plans, plans that can make a team carbon neutral by providing emission reducing practices and has also created Recycling Action Plans, enabling a team to reduce their waste by creating an active recycling program. She created Elemental Action (http://www.elementalaction.com) to assist fellow athletes to enact positive change.

“One of the things I am passionate about is the environment,” stated Rais, “I did alot of work for Webcor last year, bringing up their green practices, and I will be doing the same next year for TIBCO. Every team could benefit from this. I am hoping to make positive changes.”

Rais is riding the “green wave” in professional sports. During the Tour de France, Discovery Channel switched from their famous blue/white kits to blue/green kits. To offset the carbon emissions from the cars used during the race, the team planted trees in the Mendocino Forest near team leader Levi Leipheimer’s home in California. The team also pledged to plant 30 trees each time a Discovery Channel rider won a stage or wore a classification jersey during the race. Several trees were planted as Discovery Channel’s Alberto Contador rode away with the yellow jersey.

Green Tips shared by Amber:

· Before you head out on a road trip to your next race, check your car’s tire pressure. Proper tire pressure will extend tire life and reduce gas consumption, saving you money and reducing emissions.

· During races, cyclists strive to conserve energy. Apply this principle to your home and/or office for a simple but powerful way to green your lifestyle. You’ll use substantially less energy by turning off appliances (TV’s, computers, radios, lamps, microwaves… you name it) while not in use, rather than leaving them running all day.

· Save money and your chamois at the same time, by drying your cycling gear (or other delicates) on a clothesline, instead of using your dryer. This will reduce your energy consumption, save you cash (either by saving quarters or by saving on your energy bill - about $135 per year), and prolong the life of your cycling gear. Let’s face it: no one wants to ride behind a worn pair of cycling shorts!

· As much as possible, buy locally-grown food. According to the Worldwatch Institute, buying and eating locally grown foods offers many benefits: enjoying fresher and tastier food; supporting your local economy; avoiding the risk of large-scale food contamination; ensuring animal welfare; and limiting the effects of transportation costs on the environment and your wallet. A healthier you = a healthier local economy = a healthier environment. Win, win, and win – just what cyclists love to do!

· This one may seem simple, but it’s an easy one to forget: as much as possible, carpool. If you’re heading to a bike race, get together with teammates or friends and carpool to the race, or the airport, depending on your destination. Carpooling will make the ride more fun and will reduce emissions, traffic congestion, and not least of all, cost of gas. Another way to stretch that prime money a bit further!

· Send your old bicycle parts to Resource Revival (http://www.resourcerevival.com/), a company using old bicycle components to make creative and stylish new gifts and home furnishings. If you don’t have old parts to send in right away, check out their selection of eclectic, bike-related art and home accessories. Think of them when you’re shopping for birthday gifts and support them in reducing waste from bicycle parts. If you work with a big team, consider setting up periodic shipments of old components (http://www.resourcerevival.com/recycle.htm), so you know your waste isn’t just headed straight for a land-fill.

· Who doesn’t love a coffee-shop ride? Some start at the coffee shop, some end there, others tour a series of coffee shops, and as we all know, many rides involve more time at the coffee shop than actual riding! Well, here’s a tip for you coffee-loving cyclists out there: drink responsibly. Support brewing practices with social and environmental standards by looking for coffee that is organic, shade-grown and fair trade. Thankfully these ideas are catching on quickly, so you won’t have to sacrifice great taste to drink responsibly.