car-lite
I've been thinking about going car-free for a while.
Shoveling snow off my car, I had enough...almost. Not enough to quit apparently. My car has carried me through jobs downtown and back, through the freshly fallen snow powdering Utah, past the mountain passes of West Virginia to the sagebrush of New Mexico. I have a lot of great memories, driving to Park City, to a hot spring or a waterfall in the mountains.
However, my preferred way of transport is walking. I've walked many miles in cities like Seattle, Richmond, and Québec. Not only do I feel good doing it, it is also a low-impact, zero-waste form of transportation, reducing my carbon footprint.
In 2022, I was experimenting with low-waste living. I bought a shampoo bar and learned how to filter water without plastic, among other zero-waste practices.
After reading the book "How To Live Well Without Owning A Car," a couple months ago, I decided to declutter my car. It became clear to me that it is possible if you are prepared and know your options.
I was without a car for a week. I dropped it off at someone's house so they could help me sell it. I thought it was the last time I would use it.
A year before, I actually did experiment with driving it less but due to a job change, I was using it again. I did take the streetcar to work from the south valley of Salt Lake City to downtown five days a week. I enjoyed looking out the window, sometimes listening to a synth-wave song or reading a paper book.
During the week without my car, I signed up for Instacart+ since I thought I would be using Instacart more. I also go to a local writing meetup. This time, instead of driving there, I rode the bus. I listened to "To Sell is Human" while staring at people crossing the street or chatting outside the coffee shop. The first part of the trip I didn't listen to anything at all.
Currently, I am riding my rental scooter to work [which I got when I didn't have my car]. If it's too cold or it's raining, I take the bus. I purposely chose a place to work with a short commute in order to further reduce my carbon footprint and to save time and energy for more important activities. I also scooter to the two coffee shops near me as well as the library and gym. If it's too cold, I either take the bus or drive if I am very exhausted after work.
I try to only drive on the weekends, but of course I tend to break my rule. I'm car-lite instead of car-free. The medium is preferable.