Those who know me in real life are familiar with the fact that I DO NOT possess a car, let alone a driver’s license. Many people are surprised and constantly bugged me for an explanation. To most, having a car is second nature in this fast-paced world, but I like actually like NOT having a car. Yes, there are times when it’s frustrating especially with a toddler in tow and the cab or bus isn’t in sight, but in the long run, I believe that we are saving quite a bit of money without having to pay for car instalments as well as fuel.
If you want to go car-free, check out my list of alternatives below. And by the way, this post is created to answer the challenge posed at one of my favorite green living blogs – Reducefootprints.blogspot.com. I’d love it if you commented about the efforts you are currently undertaking, or if you want to share your own experience!
1. Take the bus
I like taking buses and trains, and instead of driving, you can just sit back and relax, and enjoy the view. There’s also something rather appealing about people watching – imagine what the lady with her set of noisy twin sons is thinking about, or what ails the man in the wrinkled sports coat sitting in the corner. Take along your iPod or MP3 player and enjoy the ride!
2. Ride your bike
When’s the last time you felt the pleasing breeze in your hair? You don’t have to sit in a Corvette with the top down to experience this. Just ride a bicycle and you’ll definitely enjoy seeing the world whizz by. This is great for the environment too, because unlike cars, bicycles do not emit noxious gasses that pollute the surroundings, and neither do they make awful vrooming sounds too.
3. Walk, walk, walk!
And walk some more 
Walking is good for your body, and I enjoy taking daily walks with my toddler who has just begun to discover the true pleasures of walking. There’s no reason to be jaded with walking – put yourself in the shoes of a baby who’s just learning to walk and you’ll see the finer points in walking.
Hope you enjoyed the post and again, I look forward to your comments!
I just jumped over from smaller footprint. I am so with you. I do own a car, but I don’t really drive it.
I do however wish we had more public transpotation where we live, and then I would give up my car all together.
Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Kelli
Thanks for the comment, Kelli. Where do you live? Perhaps we could share more ideas on reducing carbon footprint in the future. The public transportation in my area isn’t very good at the moment too, so I know how you feel… :-/
AWESOME ………Great idea, carbon footprint. thanks for sharing
Helooo!
I like your tips, especially the one about public transportation and people watching. I also enjoy watching the scenery out the window — It’s soooo much better then dealing with traffic!
I’ve been meaning to write a bit about Google Transit, so when you asked for tips I wanted to share this info. Google Transit is easily accessible from Google maps. Assuming your town is in the Google Transit program, you simply choose the public transit option from the menu when getting directions from Google Map. It will give you bus arrival times too so you don’t even have to wait on the bus for too long. (Google rocks!)
Anyway keep up the good work and keep spreading the word about green alternatives.
Regards,
John @ FE