The Low Down On Green Living
January 7th, 2008
How To Tuesday: Go Car-Free!
Stumble it!
Tie me up in an organic cotton straight jacket– I am going car-less in Los Angeles. Ironically, my decision was not based entirely on my desire to stop global warming. There are plenty of good environmental and financial reasons to transition away from automobile dependence, but simply spending less time driving around the Los Angeles metro area is reason enough. I can’t wait for the little bit of simplicity getting rid of my car will bring to my life. I am saying goodbye to insurance payments, gas prices, service, repairs, DMV registration, and car washes, along with my carbon emitting chariot.
The quest to live a car free life does not make me a lead light. I’m just joining the ranks of a growing number of people choosing to forgo automobile ownership. Memberships in car share programs worldwide grew 200% between 2000 and 2006 and the number of companies in the U.S. selling bikes designed for commuting has more than doubled since 2002. Our friend Siel, AKA green LA girl is a devoted car-free woman, and she has written some great pieces on her experience with “de-car-ing.” You can read and learn from her as well.
The financial savings alone are reason enough to make the switch. My personal financial savings will be approximately $400 per month, which in the 10 years remaining on my car, would add up to $85,000 in an IRA savings account. Better yet, going without a car until retirement would result in a $1.4 million IRA saving. At which point, I could buy the most expensive clean-fuel car on the market.
There are four major factors to reflect on when considering a car-free life: location, access to a public transportation system, a bike and a car share membership. Obviously, not everyone can adjust their lives to fit a car free lifestyle, but it is well worth considering. If just 2 out of every 100 U.S. drivers went without a personal vehicle the annual carbon dioxide savings would be over 26 million tons.
1) Location
Location is the single most important factor in deciding whether you can go without a car or not. A residence close to your workplace, convenient to public transportation, a car share parking spot and other necessary amenities is essential. I recently found an apartment one block from a major transportation artery and public transit stops, five blocks from my office and three blocks from a car share pick-up spot. Equally important, there is a grocery store, drug store and gym all in close proximity to my new place. My local luxuries in central LA include a farmers’ market, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, movie theatre, music hall, great restaurants, bakeries and swanky street shopping within walking or biking distance. The right location will make life without a car anything but a sacrifice. I plan to enjoy every penny of my $400 monthly savings in a truly local sense.
2) Public Transportation
A good public transportation system can make a huge difference in the convenience of living without a car. Los Angeles actually has a fairly efficient, comprehensive transit system. I started using the bus to familiarize myself with local routes and fares even before getting rid of my car. It’s cheap, easy and practical for a whole host of trips that don’t justify a shared car or suit a bike ride, unless you’re in Lance Armstrong condition.
Surprisingly, you do not need to live in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles to have access to decent public transportation. The American Public Transporation Association (APTA) presented its 2007 Best Transit Agencies Awards to Elk Grove, California; St. Cloud, Minnesota; Lansing, Michigan; and Cleveland, Ohio – previous winners are located in equally surprising cities. Wherever you live and whatever your automobile situation, consider public transportation. There is nothing more appealing than a successful man or woman who has the confidence and sensibility to forgo a status vehicle in lieu of the subway.
3) A Bike
Bike-riding is the all around best mode of transportation. It improves physical and mental health, saves money and reduces air pollution. It is often faster to bike to a destination, depending on the distance and traffic conditions, and parking is easy too. If you enjoy riding and don’t mind the need for a post ride shower or change, you are poised to delight in some seriously low impact commuting. I have chosen to use a bike primarily for weekend outings and errands, when I’m less worried about a little sweat. I do hope to eventually ride more, but weekend trips are a good start.
I found the perfect used bike at a small local shop for only $150. It’s an old school Murray with a square wire basket on the handle bars. Used bikes are cheaper, greener and just as lovable as new bikes. However at Low Impact Living, we do come across some pretty amazing new bikes designed for commuting. The Areaware design collective in New York and Citizen Bike are making fold-up models that are perfect for carrying on the subway and storing in small apartments. Canadian based Jorge & Olif make a commuter bike that looks like it was designed for Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Even want-to-be-green retail giant, Walmart, is selling the Schwinn Meridian Adult Tricycle, which has two wheels in the rear to accommodate an extra large storage basket for groceries, briefcases or anything else you may need transport. For me choosing a bike is the best part of the transition.
4) Car Sharing
Let’s face it, sometimes you just need a car or a truck for that matter. Having easy access to a car or truck through my local car share service is what finally gave me the confidence to sell my personal vehicle. The car share company in Los Angles, called FlexCar, was recently acquired by Zip Car. The two combined companies now operate in the following U.S. metropolitan areas: New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. Rates vary by city and usage, but you basically join for a nominal fee and then pay by the hour or day depending on your needs. What makes it better than traditional car renting is the lack of time wasted during the check-in and check-out process. Plus, the cost of gas, insurance, and roadside assistance is included. You simply go online or call-in your reservation and go get the reserved vehicle at the chosen place and time. Your membership card unlocks the doors and a key and gas card are waiting in the glove compartment. Return the car where you got it and lock-up with your membership card. It’s that easy and way more affordable, if you require only occasional use.
As a fledgling member of the car-free community, I welcome comments and suggestions from those of you who are more experienced in the ways of car-less living.
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Comments
Melanie Richardson
January 8th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Going car free for a single person may be an option, but I don’t see how practical it is for a mother who has to transport small children back and forth to school, or buys more than one bag of groceries at a time. I don’t know how you would manage bags of groceries on the bus, or carrying a stroller onto the subway? I would like to know if you have any suggestions for someone who has children, how could they go car free?
buck burns
January 8th, 2008 at 11:00 am
I carry just as many groceries on my bike as I used to in my car. I have a cargo bike called an Xtracycle and it’s great. I’ve carried as much as 200 pounds of cargo on it just with human power.
As for kids I hear this all the time. It may be more difficult, but we need to remember that the rising rates of childhood obesity and diabetes are directly related to kids being driven everywhere. For the convenience we get from driving kids around we potentially give them appalling future health problems.
Duff
January 8th, 2008 at 11:28 am
When I was recently in Amsterdam…bike culture was the culture. I saw up to three kids being transported by mom/dad on a single bike! They were using the bakfeits (check out this site: http://clevercycles.com/). I know that they have much infrastructure throughout that country for bikes, but wehave some too. We also need to advocate for walkable, bikable cities here in the states! In the meantime, get out a rediscover your community…bipedal or by pedal.
Bernadette
January 8th, 2008 at 11:36 am
I just wrote a story on Austin’s Bike Zoo - creators of some pretty amazing pedaling machines. Up until I sat with them and saw their creations, I thought our family of six was destined for car-only life. After seeing what they can build and the carrying capacity, I’m thinking maybe they could make a family machine after all. Check it out at http://www.goodlifemag.com Surely there are creative bike geniuses like this in many cities.
Kelly
January 8th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I am a mother of three children ages 5, 8 and 11. I am car free in Chicago, IL! We use public transportation everyday. I have a small cart made for use on the buses and trains to transport my groceries. We use bikes for travel in the warmer moths too. We each have a basket on our bikes and can carry more that you’d think was possible! I have a bike extention (3rd wheel and pedals) for my five year old that attaches to the rear of my bike. We save over $400 a month on vehicle and parking fees. And there are taxis on every corner for those emergency situations. Going car free has also reduced my stress level because I am no longer tense from road rage!
Ms. E
January 8th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Actually I have two little kids and ride the bus all the time with groceries.
If you have an infant use a snugglie for more hands free movement ( kid can be up to 36 pounds for some models)
for strollers use a compact one hand collapsible stroller or if they’re big enough to go without a stroller have them walk and carry a small backpack or satchel.
At WAL-MART
A regular backpack can carry about 1 handbasket worth of groceries/items
A rolling duffle bag (leave the cardboard insets in for support) when properly packed can carry about a week’s worth of groceries for 4 people.
(ie milk, meats, frozens, produce, cheese and some crackers )
This can then easily fit under some seats on bus without too much hassle… some people like the handcarts but they don’t carry all that much…without breaking or tipping.
BONUS : No need to worry about paper or plastic bags or contributing to pollution with a car.
RECCOMENDATION WITH KIDS:
Well fed first and a snack pack with as small a diaper bag as you can muster for less tangles and hassles or fits!!!
(I use a ZIploc bag for wipes and another one for two diapers and 1 pair of most often pooped on item like pants or a onesie instead of a whole outfit)
If the baby is on solids Gerber food (or reused containers!!) are small and compact for smaller purses.
njoy
January 16th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
OK, I live on a farm in NH and it is 23 miles via highway (read - no bikes) to my work. We are VERY rural (population 3000) and we have NO public transportation at all - as for carpooling, there is noone at my work that even lives in my town or close to it. I am very green otherwise - no conventional washer/dryer, we recycle, compost, raise our own food - but don’t see how I could possibly go carless. Any comments? Thanks!
lisa
March 1st, 2008 at 4:57 pm
My husband and I share one car that we rarely use. I get around on my Citizen folding bike and it’s great. It helps that we live in a pedestrian-friendly area but cutting back on car usage is really doable!
zach @ Pennywise
June 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
@ njoy:
Buy a scooter with 80 mpg? Since you are green in so many other areas of your life, you should be able to afford the change-over, especially if you sell the car/truck/suv (god help you if you own an SUV and are complaining about gas prices!).
On the other hand, when I began riding my bike around for errands, I cut my gas usage in about half. You’d be amazed at the effect your bottom line is when you just use the bicycle for your daily needs. Anything under 10 miles should be able to be gotten to by a bicycle (weather and terrain permitting).
as for people bringing up the “but I’ve got kids to transport” line– a bicycle trailer is a good way to go– it often comes as a dual stroller for those times when you don’t want to bike. They also have child seats for the back rack of a bike. They ALSO have a smaller hook-on cycle (barak Obama was recently spotted pedaling his kids around with that).
Bottom line is that I’d go into a bicycle shop and ask the guy behind the counter. Just make sure the guy is friendly.
zach
pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com
Imzadi
June 19th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Unfortunately, I have to live with our truck for medical purposes (doctor’s appointments for ill relative). But after October, our household will be using a doctor in our town. Other than our clinic, our nearest hospital is well out of town, as is most stores.
When we go for doctors visits, we will trip link, stocking up on what we need and loading the car in as few stops as possible.
For anything else, if we can get it in our town, the we drive my golf cart (electric). I’m close enough to work that I can walk, bike, or use the cart when it’s windy or chilly outside.
My grandparents had this golf cart out back that had sat for a year or two. The tires were flat, there was a rip in the seats, the batteries were dead, and it wasn’t considered “street legal” in our town. I took it off their hands, sold my truck, and used the money to get it running and able to legally drive on our city streets. I get laughs and stares at this, but I also get questions and positive comments too. It can also lead into an interesting discussion with neighbors who don’t quite know what “green” is, or why the county wants them to separate their recycleables on trash day.
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