Despite two unexpected days of May showers, the Bike to Work Week Challenge here in the South Bay had no shortage of participants from the cities of Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, El Segundo and Torrance.  South Bay businesses Aerospace Corp., Zislis Group, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and DirecTV all took the challenge as well.

The exact number of participants and challenge winners wasn’t tabulated yet by our deadline, but Bike to Work Week’s success was evident at the VIP Reception honoring the event’s co-chairs at Shade hotel in Manhattan Beach.

One of those co-chairs, Redondo Beach City Councilman Steven Diels, traveled to the hotel on his tandem bike, arriving with his wife and young son on his zero emission ride. Diels is also a member of the South Bay Bicycle Coalition.

Read more about it in Redondo Beach Patch.com

Brad Bartz is big on Hermosa Beach. He’s betting that the city’s efforts to become carbon neutral will make it the “green beacon” that brings in a new generation of green businesses just like his, ABC Solar.

Bartz is placing his bet by leasing the location that formerly housed the International News Stand at 344 Pacific Coast Highway.  It’s on a stretch of PCH that is surrounded by buildings with “For Lease” signs everywhere you turn, but when Bartz looks around all he sees is opportunity…. and “naked roofs.”

Bartz and ABC Solar have a long history installing solar throughout the South Bay and he has just as long of a history battling with local municipalities like Torrance and Manhattan Beach when he feels they are needlessly obstructing the public’s right to get free electricity from the sun. I have to admit, I’ve enjoyed watching him do so.

Read more about it on Hermosa Beach Patch.com