There are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint, especially where I am in California. There are many resources for learning about how to do this.
What I suggest, however, may seem drastic: stop driving. Don’t cut back. Stop entirely. It takes getting used to, and the lifestyle is NOT for everyone, but there are people (like me) who love it. You’ll never know if you’re one of us until you give it a try.
I don’t just tolerate not having a car – I enjoy it. There are many, many benefits to this lifestyle. I can’t post my list of advantages because it’s currently 137 items long. The biggest consideration is financial. Even if you don’t care about the environment, you can save an incredible amount of money not owning a car.
And just think, when living car-less becomes a more widespread practice (as it will be, look at Europe), you’ll be way ahead of the curve!
If you’re interested in other benefits of not having a car, or want tips on how to make it practial, I’m willing to help :)
I’m moving back to LA next year, where people insist “you HAVE to have a car.” I’m going to give it a try with no car. I hope more than anything that I never have to go back to vehicle ownership for the rest of my life.
