Francesca Olivieri's blog

I love a fresh start and a new list of eco-minded resolutions. Here's what I'm thinking about for 2010:

1. Take a hike -- Compile a list of kid-friendly hikes and go on them. I want to get my kids hooked on hiking.
2. Go kayaking -- Take my kids on a kayaking trip on the Hudson. We were never able to accomplish that last year, and I am thinking this spring/summer will be the perfect time.

At pickup at my son's school, a mother, a recent transport from England, asked about ideas for day trips out of New York City. After listening to the suggestions of apple picking in Connecticut or visiting the beach on Long Island, I could not resist putting in my plug for a trip up along the Hudson.

Having just spent the day myself in Beacon, I rattled off a few stops from our adventures on the Hudson.

Guest blogger Francesca Olivieri tries to solve the "green" water bottle puzzle.

Some "going green steps" are no-brainers. How hard is it to replace an ordinary light bulb with a florescent bulb or turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth? (Actually, that seems somewhat hard for my husband, but that's another story.) And avoiding plastic water bottles makes sense for a multitude of reasons -- reducing the plastic in the landfills and steering clear of exposure to "bad" plastic -- namely bisphenol A (BPA). You add up several of those small green steps, and all of sudden, you're making a difference -- doing your part in saving the planet. Or at least that's how I was feeling.

And then the SIGG water bottle news hits.

The Swiss company SIGG manufactures aluminum water bottles with cool and stylish designs. In fact, according to the SIGG Web site, they are so cool that in 1993 SIGG was incorporated into the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. We owned several -- one with a scary pirate design, another with an elaborate snake on it, and even a Hello Kitty bottle. The kids loved them, and I was happy to buy them. Anytime you walked into Whole Foods or a local health food store, the SIGG bottles were everywhere -- a great alternative to plastic, right?

I had even researched the company. I have to admit a couple of things had made me a little uneasy at the start.

Bryan Costin

It's hot. It's humid. Summer has arrived. Almost the end of August now, but still. They don't call these the dog days of August for nothing. Doing anything outside with my children has been challenging. My eco-conscience makes it hard to justify turning on the air conditioner and sitting inside. Seems like the only options are swimming at the beach, in a lake or pool, or heading out on an adventure.

I have reached a milestone. My nine-, seven- and four-year-old children can all ride bikes now. Yay! Such freedom. It opens the door for all kinds of new family adventures. Plus, I recently was reminded how fond I am of riding a bike.

I was in the middle of Central Park and had to get to an appointment in midtown. My friend offered her bike. I was a little dubious, but agreed. Within seconds, I was zooming through the park. It was great fun and I felt like a kid, with wind blowing through my hair and my legs pumping. Best of all, I got to my appointment on time.

So with this rediscovered interest, I decided to research upcoming family-friendly biking events in the New York and Upstate areas. Here are some ideas for fun biking trips I'm looking into attending: