Car “Lite”

It takes a bit of planning to live without a car in the USA, but so worth it! I live within a mile of grocery stores, a major medical center, 3 yoga studios, a historic bookstore, a city library, multiple colleges and universities, too many restaurants to mention. I do own a car. I use it mostly to visit the grandkids (who live out of town) or give a disabled friend rides. Walking slows down living to a human pace— literally. It helps regulate the negative emotions and helps keep my blood pressure in check. I’m fortunate to live 2 blocks from the Metro and can take the Metro to access the train (Amtrak) and the airport.

Three of my four adult children do not own cars. They ride their bikes or the Metro to work and school. They have shared with me the the financial benefits of not owning a car that allowed them to save money for a creative project, pay off university loans early (saving interest) and live on a sparse income during a period of work instability. Those that bike appreciate the health benefits of the daily exercise and all of us are mindful of not burning fossil fuels unnecessarily.

There is a place for cars–for decades my job as a hospice nurse required that I own one. It would have been almost impossible to juggle the schedule of three active teens in a town with poor public transportation without limiting their activities without a car.

But, I love this new lifestyle. Every day that my car sits in the lot feels like a win for me and the planet.