Green Apple Bike Tour: Cycling to build awareness about green schools

Published on: 
November 12, 2013
Author: 
Tess Wiggins

Today kicks off the eight day Green Apple Bike Tour where 14 USGBC Students, Emerging Professionals and staff will cycle over 200 miles from Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia, PA to spread awareness about the importance of safe, healthy and sustainable schools. Along the way, we’ll complete three service projects at local schools in D.C., Lancaster and Philadelphia. When we arrive in Philadelphia, we’ll bring our work to Greenbuild, the world’s largest green building conference and expo, where we’ll share our story, connect with our peers and learn from the leaders of the green building industry.

So who are these Green Apple Bike Tour adventurers? Check them out below!

  • Melissa Vernon is on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Bike Fed, the statewide cycling advocacy group she runs at a local cycling advocacy group in her town. She has an MBA & M.S. from the University of Michigan focused on sustainable business, and is no Greenbuild newbie. She’s attended the conference for eight consecutive years! Melissa joins us from Interface, a Green Apple partner company.
  • Michael Zigmond Miller is a sophomore at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, double majoring in computer science and computer information system. He’s a member of his school’s environmental club, Green Team, a technology group called Tech Floor and his music-focused fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha. Michael loves the outdoors, getting out to bike or hike as much as possible.
  • Ellen Hohmann is an interior architect and aspiring furniture designer living in Chicago, IL. She studied sustainability design at Columbia College Chicago and is a LEED Green Associate. Ellen has been an active member of the cycling community since 2001, when she acquired her beloved Jamis, aka "Steely Dan," the same bike she is riding on this tour!
  • Victoria Herrero-Garcia is the globe-trotter of the group. Born and raised in Tenerife, Spain, she later lived in Colorado. Victoria is now pursuing a sustainability graduate degree at Philadelphia University.
  • Jeff Wayne Minnich was born in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where he grew up fly-fishing, skiing and summiting 14 footers.  He’s now earning a B.S. in environmental engineering from Syracuse University in New York in hopes to one day aid in the protection of the natural playground he loves so much.  Jeff also hopes to obtain a graduate degree in architecture so he can assist in the push towards sustainable building.
  • Meg Cronin is a twenty-something eco-phile that was lured to D.C. from Baltimore by a grad school opportunity. She’s taking a year to do something different, spending her days planning adventures and her nights serving whisky to the fine folks of Adams Morgan. She loves to brew beer, windsurf, sail, travel abroad and is always willing to get her hands dirty.
  • Tony Montagnaro is a soon-to-be graduate of Temple University's Natural Sciences program with a concentration in biology. 
He’s an avid cycling advocate and tourist, having completed three independently funded tours to various parts of the U.S.
Tony is also involved in farm-to-table relationships for Pizza Brain, the world's first pizza museum, thoroughly connecting local farming community with the goal of bringing fresh and healthy food to the masses.
Lastly, Tony is also the co-founder of an independent Philadelphia-based record label Magic Death Sounds.
  • Tom Watson is a USGBC Emerging Professional outside of Chicago. He is currently working as a real estate development project manager for Heartland Housing and is thrilled to be attending the Affordable Housing Summit at Greenbuild.
  • Erin McGuinness is an intern architect at Spillman Architects and has attained a LEED AP credential. She is joining us as a local member of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council and is one of our proud Emerging Professionals.
  • Be sure to follow the hashtag #bikegreenapple on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for the latest videos, photos and updates! We’ll meet you at Greenbuild!

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