Liz Kirchner
As simple and appropriate as, well, a bicycle, The Earth Day Pedal Post project will gather environmentally themed letters from local citizens and deliver them – by bike – to government representatives in Blacksburg, Christiansburg and, in an Earth Day caravan – all the way to Roanoke.
As far as anyone knows, this is the first Pedal Post of its kind anywhere – an idea imagined by Emily and Brian Templeton of Blacksburg.
“We were looking for a simple, but original way, to help all interested community members and elected officials discuss environmental issues,” the Templetons said of the project. “We enjoy cycling with our three-year-old daughter and think that The Pedal Post could be a fun and impactful Earth Day event for all!”
So they constructed a website (https://earthdaypedalpost.com) describing their plan: collect letters from citizens, gather on Saturday, April 20, for a not-too-long, family-friendly ride down the Huckleberry Trail with plenty of stops, meeting – and sometimes being joined by – government officials to collect and deliver letters.
The website contains maps, schedules, and letter-writing templates. Encouraging citizens to participate in the ride, it urges, “Be the Pedal Post!”
Letters will come from individuals, business owners, and local school children, writing as part of classroom Earth Day projects.
Emphasizing that The Pedal Post is intended to be a positive and non-partisan, the Templetons attended town council meeting this spring to invite government officials to receive citizens’ letters and maybe bike with the group.
“We want to make sure that all Pedal Post participants and elected officials enjoy the event,” they said.
The Templetons have requested government officials be in their offices to receive the letters on that Saturday asking officials to be available – even on a weekend – to receive letters.
“While we recognize that this is not during business hours, we believe this will help increase community involvement and would greatly appreciate your consideration of the weekend date.”
And many said “yes.” The Earth Day Pedal Post is planning to visit Blacksburg Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith and the Blacksburg Town Council, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors and U.S. Representative Morgan Griffith in Christiansburg.
In a separate ride, on Tuesday, April 22, Earth Day itself, riders will deliver letters in Roanoke.
“This is a much longer round-trip bike ride and likely will be completed by a smaller bicycling group,” the website said. Letter-bearing riders will visit the offices of U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, State Senator John Edwards and Delegates Nick Rush and Chris Hurst.
The list was selected to include representatives at all levels of government.
The website offers a letter template and letterhead helping people to think and write about an environmental topic important to them. Letter writers will include their names and addresses so they can receive a reply and specifically address the letters to their representatives based on where they live.
The Pedal Post asks that letter writers be constructive and courteous.
“We feel that this will help us best represent the environment and have the biggest impact through writing letters,” the Templetons said. “We’re hoping the idea catches on and spreads in the future!”
