 Rob Martin isn’t one to pick up a bullhorn on Earth Day. Martin’s self-run business, Rob’s Bike Courier Service, began out of a desire to practice an earth-friendly sermon, not to preach it. Each week — in the NoCO wind, snow, and sun — Rob makes deliveries (bagels, magazines, etc.) to downtown Fort Collins businesses, and hauls away thousands of pounds of recyclables. Rob’s quads may burn, but fossil fuel is left alone.
Contrary to bike courier stereotypes that carry slacker, space cadet, and/or style-obsessive connotations, Rob is composed of pure rigor and hard-line practicality. Neither his bike nor his clothes are flashy (“I don’t even own a bike messenger bag,” he says), and a few minutes of conversation reveals a perfectionist who is constantly striving to do even more to reduce our collective carbon footprint. Quite frankly, he works his ass off.
On this the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Matterdaily team thought it fruitful to barrow, say, five greening-up tips from Rob. One, because Rob wouldn’t normally give much of a hoot for one day of eco-friendliness; two, because he deals constantly with piles of recycling from Fort Collins’ wild weekends, and is thus more likely be grounded about our species’ potential; three, because he has so much time to think; and four, because he’s not claiming ecological sainthood.
“I feel like I’m on a soapbox,” Rob told me before he turned in his five tips. “But I’m not perfect.”
Rob’s 5 tips for Earth Day:
1. Drive less, if it means doing less or using your bike. Recreate by bike, or at least carpool.
2. Use your dryer less. Use a clothesline or drying rack. (The dryer uses the second most power in homes to the refrigerator).
3. Don't idle in your car. Wear a coat in the winter instead of using your car to stay warm.
4. Eat and drink local. Research it.
5. Respect the impact and short life cycle of glass and plastic bottles. Separate glass from co-mingled recycling. Choose cans and drafts more, as glass is more impactful (See here and here). Use refillable water bottles instead of buying bottled water.
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