Go Organic

We have two themes in this month’s issue – Off-Road and Organic – two ideas that go hand in hand rather well...

The word organic brings to mind a number of ideas: living without synthetics, simple and healthful and close to nature. It is most often thought of in terms of foods, diet and environmentally-conscious sources for raw materials like fabrics and dyes. As for going off-road: when you are running, cycling or hiking you find yourself in nature on the trail and among the trees, removed from pavement and buildings and synthetic entertainment – so can we call that organic too? If you have gone trail running, you understand the beauty and simplicity in nature and the uneven ground and natural obstacles you encounter. So whether you are biting into an organic apple or exploring winding trails by foot or pedal, the experience is something of an organic event.

Making organic choices is often associated closely with the idea of a healthy lifestyle. I don’t think there has been a better time in history to be healthy and fit since there were saber-toothed tigers running around and the phrase “survival of the fittest” was a literal way of life. Just look at the way so many people are seeking out alternative means of transportation due to the rising cost of fuel for our cars. Using the bus or mass-transit options definitely helps, and many people get a pleasant surprise if they find they can read, listen to music or even get ahead on their work while riding. But back to the part about being organic, healthy and fit. Something I have noticed is that many more people are making the shift to relying on human-powered transportation. Can we start to call it organic transportation?

I was standing on Broadway in Portland last week during rush hour, and a woman ran by me wearing a backpack. It wasn’t a compact hydration pack but a mid-sized backpack that I assume had her work clothes in it. I like the idea that she was run-commuting. I became further intrigued and my imagination quickly moved to a scene in which broccoli, Cheerios and canned corn might pop out from a runner’s backpack, when running has displaced driving to the grocery store. More and more gym bags will show up underneath office desks, packed with a change of clothes for the workday commute. Running shoes and skirts and suits will become acceptable office attire. My concept of organic transportation will take a firm hold.

A spike in bicycle commuting goes hand in hand with raised prices at the pump. Pedaling to work is no new idea but it becomes a lot more relevant as gas approaches the five-dollar mark.
Lance Armstrong was back in the news recently when he opened a bike shop in Austin. As you would imagine, the store is beautiful, well stocked and has numerous artifacts from Lance’s Tour de France wins. But if you read past the headlines you’ll find that the store also offers bike lockers, showers – it provides services specific for commuters, with hopes of encouraging more cycling in downtown Austin. There are a few places like this in Seattle and Portland too, serving commuting cyclists and making it easier for human-powered transport to work.

Organic transportation, foods and experiences – I like the idea of the organic way of life. Enjoy the nutrition and fitness articles this month and let them inspire you. It also happens to be very convenient that we are in the middle of the Human Race running effort (see my column from last month) encouraging everyone across the country to run and log miles. Running is the most natural way to get around and there may not be a better time to start – run to the grocery store, coffee shop, library, or school to meet the kids and walk home. If your week is filled with work and family, look toward the weekend to go off-road and have a hike, run or picnic – and don’t forget the organic foods.