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Upcoming

GSA USA’s book launch-o-rama
Start counting the days: our new book, Champions for Change, will launch in New York, Tokyo, London and Tucson in November. We’ll start at the United Nations in Manhattan on November 4th, then take off in Tokyo at GSA’s 10th Anniversary party on November 11th. We’ll also be signing books during Tour de Tucson expo (read on for more about that). Join us at any of our launch events and you’ll meet some of the amazing athletes and explorers featured in the book. And be sure to order your copy at gsa-usa.org!

Ride the 2009 El Tour de Tucson
El Tour de Tucson just got even better. Visit the GSA-USA booth at the El Tour Expo, Nov. 18-20, at the Tucson Convention Center and you can get an exclusive signed copy of Champions for Change. Author Jane Poynter and Paralympian Greg Hockensmith will be on hand to sign books and answer your questions. Then hit the streets on Saturday, November 21st for the actual race. This 27th Annual UMC El Tour is presented by Diamond Ventures. You can still register to ride for clean air by downloading an application here.

Events

Meet & Greet
Thanks to our work on Champions for Change, GSA-USA has two great new partners. Check them out:

GreenLaces for Fans of the Planet, founded by Chicago Red Stars soccer player, Natalie Spilger.

We Play Green soon to be Players for the Planet, founded by Cincinnati Reds baseball player, Chris Dickerson.

GSA on the Greenway
For the second year in a row, GSA New York joined Putnam County Recycling and other local groups to support the Hudson Highlands Greenway Triathlon. Held Oct. 12, the triathlon featured a 6-mile kayak paddle, 24-mile road bike ride, an 8-mile trail run and gorgeous weather for enjoying the Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail System. It also featured recycling containers and enthusiastic recyclers, thanks to the County and the GSA team. The Triathlon, sponsored by the Philipstown Greenway Committee, honors the beauty of the Hudson Highlands and the Greenway corridor. Learn more about the Greenway program. And be sure to check out New York Recycles!

Braving the Elements
A rainy Oct. 3rd didn’t dampen any spirits at the second annual Hudson River Cleanup. Volunteers and local officials worked as unrelentingly as the weather to clean up the Hudson coast, and they did great work. GSA New York partnered with the Town of Cornwall Conservation Advisory Council (CCAC) to sponsor the event, which is part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Last year, over 400,000 Cleanup volunteers around the world collected more than 6 million pounds of trash from the Earth’s waterways.

GSA New York sends a special "thank you" to clean up partners Storm King Adventure Tours for their unwavering support and commitment to defending the Hudson River environment. To learn more about them, visit Storm King Adventure Tours website.

Talking the Walk at Doubleday Field
On October 1, GSA-New York captain Kevin Trotta took GSA's mission and his own expertise to one impressive baseball diamond—the legendary Doubleday Field. Kevin joined Cornell University and the New York State Turfgrass Association in a "Winning Fields" seminar there, where he and other experts discussed sustainability in managing turf and sports fields. Since it opened in 1920, Doubleday Field has seen baseball giants like Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth play the game.

Team Rochester Keeps the Peace
GSA-Rochester Team Captain Dan Schied is a tennis ball recycling machine. He has secured 600 donated tennis balls from the Rochester Institute of Technology and another 200 from the University of Rochester, all for one lucky school in Penfield, NY. The balls keep desks and chairs quiet in class.

GSA Rochester Team Member Amy Kadrie, the Sustainability Coordinator at the University of Rochester, is pioneering a sneaker recycling program, with help from Nike's Reuse a Shoe. Check out the extensive sustainability programs at the University of Rochester.

Team partners Penfield Little League of Monroe County, NY and Rochester Red Wings Baseball are also going green. Penfield Little League proudly flies the Ecoflag and recycles used equipment for other leagues in need.

Fellow ecoflag-fliers, the Rochester Red Wings, hand out reuseable grocery bags as fans enter the stadium during their Green Nights—of which they host four per season—and have been recognized by Minor League Baseball for their proactive efforts in sustainability. Learn more at Rochester Red Wings website.

Team Spotlight

Ten Years Gone … GSA-style
Congratulations, GSA-New York! GSA has selected 3 winning GSA teams from all over the world to join in its 10-year anniversary celebration—and one of them is our very own Team New York. GSA-New York won the G-10 Prize for its varied activities and strong ties to the community. Along with captains from GSA-Cuba and GSA-Miyazaki, GSA-New York team captain Kevin Trotta will get to share all the good work he's doing at the G10 celebration on 11 November 2009 in Tokyo.

Sports Eco-Tip

Fall Cleaning That's Greening
If dealing with autumn leaves (or, in Tucson, mesquite pods) is quickly becoming part of your weekend workout, consider setting aside the leaf blower and going old-school. A good rake can do the trick without polluting the air, stirring up allergens or waking up the neighbors. And if you’re the gardening type, keep those leaves around—with just a little care, they can make great compost or mulch.