I made huge strides towards using my bike rather than my vehicle this month and plan to continue this direction. The biggest surprise to me has been that I now seem to prefer to take my bike rather than drive. In the past, I've complained about the hassles of biking - the time it takes, the inconvenience of having to lock and unlock it at every stop as well as taking out all previous purchases so they don't get stolen. These are still a little annoying when I'm in a hurry, but less annoying than driving and dealing with stupid drivers. It's also nice when I can take bike paths and back streets, avoiding the bulk of the traffic lights on a ride.
I plan to continue to track my bike mileage for each trip but I will probably track the vehicle mileage more broadly. For driving, perhaps simply tracking the total miles driven per month with a list of why the vehicle was taken instead of the bike. (For example: dog training, heavy rain, trip out of town, etc.)
I hope this challenge has been useful to you. I've created a new logo that anyone can put up on the sidebar as a reminder to choose alternate transportation. This one doesn't link to or mention the challenge, so it won't become dated.
Here's the code to post this logo on your sidebar:
<a href="http://chilechews.blogspot.com"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2H3G4C5T6s0/SpyNyal-CnI/AAAAAAAACmg/ug8KE1oie5Y/s400/Park+your+car+mini+logo.jpg" /></a>
- Copy the code above.
- In Blogger, go to your layout options, and click on Add a Gadget.
- Select Text.
- Click Edit Html
- Paste the code you copied in the body.
- Then click Rich Text to confirm the image shows up.
- Save.
When you view your blog, the sidebar image should now appear.
Many thanks to all who participated in this challenge as well as to those who provided moral support!
9 comments:
Thanks for reminding us to get our kms down! It's a work in progress, but all changes start with that first step...or pedal...or bus ticket!
We're now keeping a log book in the car, and will be *trying* to remember to log each journey, reviewing regularly and looking for ways to get our kms down further.
Since I was already carless, I didn't post about it. My goal for this month was to walk to work more often than I took the bus, for my health's sake rather than for environmental reasons. I'm happy to say I did walk far more often -- in fact, several times I was on the way to the bus stop, realized I really wanted to walk instead and just walked on past it (it takes about 5 minutes longer to walk than it does to ride).
One thing has changed a bit, though. I work second shift and get off at midnight. This summer has been particularly bad for assaults in an area that I have to walk within a couple of blocks of, so I have more often been taking advantage of the university's safe ride program for women, which is a small bus that picks me up at my office and takes me to my doorstep. I really like walking home, but it's been a bit scary, so most often I've caught a ride -- and over the summer it's usually been just me and the driver. Not so environmentally friendly, but justified, I think. Now that school is back in session there'll be more women riding, so I won't feel quite so guilty. Still, I wish I could walk home more. (Before this summer a male coworker walked the same route and I usually walked with him, but he moved and doesn't go by my apartment anymore. No more walking partner.)
I will probably soon have to do a "big" grocery shopping trip for nonperishables; I'll walk (or bus if it's raining) there and probably call a cab to take me home. I only do this four or five times a year, so I don't feel too guilty about it.
Daharja - logging each trip is a great way to really see where the miles go. (Same as writing down everything one eats. *grin*)
Debbie - good going on your walking. I'm relieved to hear you are taking advantage of the safe ride program. It's definitely justified!
We appreciate it ... my one report covered everything, that's my excuse -- and the discovery that one doesn't have to drive while canning (good thing, that!).
I didn't join the challenge but have been riding to and from work, I come home at lunch and go back. The weather in Oklahoma has been unseasonably cool so going back in the middle of the day is no big deal. I also ride for pure pleasure and last week I logged 57 miles. So even though some of us didn't sigh up we are driving less and human powering more. When's the next challenge?
Risa - that's partly why I ended the challenge. For many people, they made what changes they could right off the bat and didn't have anywhere else to go.
DiElla - good for you! I'm looking forward to cooler weather here eventually. (Not today, I'm drenched in sweat.)
When, or what, is the next challenge? ;-)
I don't know. My own personal challenge is to get this dang house picked up, cleaned, and organized. I also want to do an inventory on non-food supplies such as soap, toothpaste, and the like. All this also means one last shot at some decluttering before we find a house and move.
Thanks for hosting the challenge, I was pleased to see all the participants reduce their auto miles. And especially cool breezes to you Chile for your transportational transformation!
My next challenge is to scan all paper that I've been holding on to - mainly tax returns. I had them mailed to me from our friend in Philly. I can't believe how much f*cking paper I have. I don't have a file cabinet, but I hate all this paper.
My old bus route is back Tuesday, so it should be even easier now to leave th' truck in th' park'n'ride. But I have only fourteen work days to go now before I can leave it in the driveway all week.
The plan will be to study Craigslist for freebies and make calls all week long, and then line up a collection route for pallets and other wood, insulating materials, free canning jars and the like, and combine it with grocery shopping with my son, once a week. Unless he moves in with us, there's no getting out of getting out sometimes. But I think my overall miles (or kms, as Daharja says) are down 85-90% from a year ago. :D
Here's to the Tucson Bike-Assist Avenger! Long may her muscles grow!
Beany - a friend of mine went the scanning route and was able to ditch huge volumes of paper from her office.
Risa - how is your weekly scavenging/bargain hunting plan working out now that you're retired?
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