The blues (especially in the fingers and toes.)

Well, it's technically still August, but I felt like pulling out the gloves for my bicycle commute this morning. Any ideas on how to keep green house emissions to a minimum in the impending cold weather? Last year I rode my bike through the whole winter, but the roads were never very icy or snowy. Not sure what the forecast is for this year.

Also, I never could find a balance between freezing any uninsulated body parts and sweating to death in a scarf, gloves, tights, and extra sweater under my jacket. (Being small has its drawbacks during the cold months.) If anyone has learned this delicate balance, please tell me your secret!

Many winters ago, I made studded snow tires for my bike by putting screws from the inside to the outside.  I ended up doing this twice because the first screws wore down in about a day.  The second screws were stainless steel.

Nowadays, they make bike tires with studs in them for winter cycling.

And when you are on the bike, you stay plenty warm.

I have found that one of the best ways to keep greenhouse gases low over the winter is to spend more time in communal areas. I actually live with 16 people, so even though our house is nice and toasty, the carbon footprint we each make isn't too high.

Does anyone know some plants that survive here over the winter? Ones that would work in a window box? I hate the idea of looking out on only grey.

What I tend to do is have a little pack under my bike seat that has heavier gloves and usually the inner liner of a winter jacket stuffed inside it.  I wear just one of those silly headbands that cover your ears, the outer shell of my winter jacket, and some 99 cent stretchy gloves you can buy at CVS/Pharmacy or even the dollar store as I ride (especially if I'm covering a large area).

The key is the jacket.  I found mine at the old Bon Marche and it cost $180 but the liner is thin, super warm fleece and the shell is a fully waterproof, breatheable material with a hood.

This gives me a ton of options if I get hot, cold, or if sudden rain/sleet comes.

Studded bike tires? That's great. I might go with the homemade version. It sounds like layers are the way to go temperaturewise.

Emma, where do you live? Is this an intentionally communal house? How is it working?

I live at the Atlantic Hotel, which is technically an artist studio right above the WE BUY ANYTHING pawn shop. It is very flexible, unlike other co-ops with rigid work shift hours and positions, which can be nice or allow things to get a bit dirty. More than anything it is a community of people of all ages (5-70s) that bring different colors to the pallet.