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How to get from here to there AND help the planet.You see, one of the best, easiest and most enjoyable ways to help the planet is to drive your car less. This is something I managed to do quite well actually, especially last winter when our car threatened to die and we decided not to fix it. (It's quite old, and we wanted to save our money to buy a new hybrid car if we could.) Suffice to say, we started figuring out ways NOT to need the car pretty darned fast! And guess what? Almost immediately, I discovered an off-leash park within walking distance for our dogs...how perfect! (I'd always found it a bit ironic that we 'drove' someplace to 'go for a walk', but don't get me started on that!) Then, my husband Mike caught a movie at the cheap theatre he goes to, by going on foot...again, perfect. And then, on the way back from the theatre, he popped into the grocery store...what could make more sense?? In other words, here we were, no car, and, no, we weren't going to starve, become house bound, or lack for entertainment. Whaddya know, eh? That being said, although walking can be a terrifically invigorating way to bring color to your cheeks, today I'd like to suggest something a little more radical as an alternative to your car. I promise it will make you the envy of absolutely every kid (and adult!) who sees you rush by: Hop on an electric scooter! Scooters are fun, and using one is a tremendous gift to the planet. Even just a few trips NOT taken by car makes a very big difference. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the electric scooter has got to be the ABSOLUTE funnest way to get from here to there EVER invented!! Check it out: You can travel up to 15 miles per hour on one of the very hip new models of electric scooters...and that's with the top down! Giggle. (Seriously though, that's more than three times as fast as your regular walk or jog. Can you feel the wind on your face??) As far as power goes, the scooter's rechargeable battery plugs into any wall outlet and gives you juice for your next trip. Now, if you've ever seen the neighbor's kids, you'll know that a scooter isn't hard to ride. With an electric powered one, you won't even have to push or kick, just glide and accelerate! Heck, some of the commuter models now even come with seats. Decadent, eh? Depending on the model of scooter, you'll have a choice of braking mechanisms, and because the wheels are relatively wide, gliding is nice and smooth. Oh, and did I mention all the grins you'll get just for driving one of these? The 'Mommy, I want one of those!' and stopped pedestrians with slack jaws watching as you whiz by? Not to mention complete strangers who applaud when you master a fancy trick turn! Talk about a joy ride... Since a couple years ago, new, stronger and more robust scooters aren't that hard to find anymore, and run a full range of price, starting with a very lightweight version at about $100 up to $1,000 for all the bells and whistles. Based on what I see, it'll cost you $250-350 for a good solid commuter version that would serve very well. Word is that scooters will be a hot Christmas gift again this year, so if you're interested you may want to start looking into it now, whether it be for you or fpr a kid/kid-at-heart close to you. Try going to www.google.com and searching under 'electric scooter' or, here are a few links to get you started: http://www.awesome-scooters.com
And there you have it! Hopping on an electric scooter to get where you want to go is a whack of fun, as well as good for the planet. Oh yes, one last neat thing about scooters. When you get where you're going, all you need do is fold it up and sling it over your shoulder, or lock it down just like a bike. No more getting stuck in traffic, fighting for parking, double parking and getting towed, being late for your appointment...you get the picture!! What you can do... And that leads me to the bigger point, which is -- if you're someone who's had their fill of car-related stresses like parking, gas prices, insurance, etc., and you want to... do something to help the planet, but you don't
know how; There is just one thing I invite you to do: I challenge you to use your car as little as possible. Whether you seize the day and go get yourself that scooter, you drag out your bicycle or decide to whistle while you walk, I bet you enjoy it, and by saying 'no' to your car, the planet will thank you. Consider it an official Joy to the Planet gauntlet. Giggle. Are you up for it? Before I go, here's a bit of context: in North America, more than half of our car trips are 5 miles or less. Finding another way to travel these shorter distances, each of us helps the planet by saving nearly 500 gallons of gasoline in just one year. (That's about half what you'd use in an entire year.) So between now and next week's Joy to the Planet lesson, why not see how many times you can NOT use your car? Start with just one 'no-car day' on a quieter day for you. Whatever method of transportation you choose instead, I hope you smile along the way because it is definitely a smiling matter! And...that's all for this week! You now know how to have fun getting from here to there, and help the planet. So the next time you're feeling guilty or just want to do something green, give a thought to how you get around and drop me a line about what you decide to do. I'll be back next week with lesson #03 of Joy to the Planet, when we'll talk about another way to enjoy life...AND help the planet. Until then, Signing off to enjoy life and help the planet...what about you? My best, Andrea Lee |
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