the 6th annual trip is soon underway...

Greetings from Catalina Island! Our fall environmental education program is coming to a close and we have begun gearing up for our next adventure, the bike tour! On November 22nd, 15 educators from the Catalina Environmental Leadership Program will saddle up and hit the road for the 6th annual Sustainable Living Bicycle Tour, a 600-mile volunteer ride along the California coast. Our mission is two-fold: to both educate and inspire the communities that we visit, and to gather knowledge and inspiration to bring back to our program on Catalina.

Throughout the three-week tour, we will be visiting schools, community centers, farms, nature preserves, and local businesses, engaging people of all ages in a discussion of sustainability. The tour provides amazing opportunities for us to deepen our understanding of the complex environmental issues that we teach about on Catalina and use that knowledge to design programs that are meaningful and relevant to the lives of our students.

We will be posting tour updates on our blog and hope that you follow us on our journey. Some blog highlights to look out for include:

~ Tips on making this holiday season a sustainable one
~ 10 things you can do to give back to your community
~ Links to farmer’s markets and other community events
~ Information on current environmental topics including alternative energy, sustainable transportation, wildlife conservation and more!

Embarking on this journey is no easy task. In addition to the physical challenges we’ll face in riding our bikes from Los Angeles to San Francisco, there are many logistics associated with outfitting, housing, and feeding 15 cyclists. The tour relies on support from friends, family, businesses and the schools we visit. Support can be in the form of food, housing, gear or monetary donations.

Thank you for your time and support. This journey wouldn't be possible without the love and dedication of family and friends. Check the blog for updates and
pictures along our journey!

14 days until we hit the road!

The Sustainable Living Bike Tour

The AOTE Sustainable Living Bicycle Tour starts in San Francisco and heads south to the border of Mexico, visiting schools, universities, businesses, community events, farms, and other public and private venues.

Our cycling educators give presentations and lead workshops on “Composting and Organic Gardening,” “From Bikes to Biodiesel: Supporting Alternative Transportation,” “Protecting Our Coast,” and “Greening Your School.” Presentations are tailored to the needs of each stop.

Our riders reach an estimated 3000 students and teachers each year, as well as the thousands of Californians who pass us on the road, read about us in the newspaper, hear us on the radio, see us on television, and visit our website.