Make Every Day Earth Day - #7
It's alot easier to live without a car than most people who don't can fathom, even in some suburbs.
We don't own a car. I know. You are shocked and horrified!
We live in a suburb 25 miles from downtown DC, a couple of miles from the nearest subway station. And yet I have no trouble whatsoever making my way to and fro work five-days-a-week. I simply jump on a quick bus to get to the station. What makes living here easy, too, is that our townhouse is adjacent to what is arguably the best New Urbanist community in the country. While its sometimes "Downtown Disney" quality works my urban sensibilities, it's awfully nice to have 2 grocery stores, a home improvement store, a five-and-dime, a movie theater, dozens of restaurants and retails shops, a post office, and an arts center right across the street.
Man, that place was great when I was growing up. Everything's easily accesible to a kid on a bike.
Posted by: Matt F | 02 May 2006 at 14:59
Damn, that sounds sweet. I'd kill to have a metro and nearby amenities like that.
Posted by: tim | 02 May 2006 at 16:35
I spent a year without driving, living outside of Philadelphia within walking distance of a commuter rail station. For the most part I found it quite liberating. I would go into center city for concerts and the like without a second thought, or even a first thought about where I was going to park. The only thing that was a real hassle was grocery shopping. You can't do this everywhere, but if you have access to decent public transportation, the lifestyle has some definite advantages.
Posted by: Richard Hershberger | 02 May 2006 at 16:47
I've never owned a car. The grocery store is around the corner and we are able to indulge our wanderlust with the money we save.
Posted by: Randy Paul | 02 May 2006 at 22:26
What? No half hour drives burning a buck of gas just to return some movie rental? No cowering in the basement during a windstorm with no power? No entire weekends spent working in the yard, part of it planting stuff just to screen off your neighbors junk-n-bramble collection?
It’s, it’s un-American!
Posted by: fred | 04 May 2006 at 13:24
ah, to be in a major metropolitan area with good public transportation.
having lived in sf, and having just returned from paris, and having relatives in new york whom we visit as often as possible, i know it can be done.
however, we currently live in los angeles, which is one of the lousiest places on earth for being car-less.
Posted by: skippy | 05 May 2006 at 01:03