The further I get into Veganism the more I realize how much of a footprint I leave on this earth. I have always considered my self an environmentalist but this new lifestyle forcing you to look deeper then just using canvas bags. Other than plastic grocery bags the most visible luxury that impacts our environment are cars.

Despite their omnivore ways my parents have reduced their impact on global warming by purchasing a Toyota Prius. The car is loaded with tons of cool features but the one that is the most compelling is it’s 60mpg hybrid engine. I have always convinced my self that when I have the financial stability to purchase my first new car I would get something similar, perhaps a Honda Civic Hybrid. Upon further reflection I started to wonder if I could do more, or one better. To quote a book I’ve picked up recently, How to Live Well Without Owning a Car by Chris Balish,

Wouldn’t it be great if someone invented a form of personal transportation that:

• Is practically free
• Is immediately available on demand
• Doesn’t require any licensing, taxes, stickers, or fees
• Could travel faster then cars stuck in traffic
• Doesn’t pollute the environment
• Helps us get exercise while using it
• Doesn’t make us pay for parking
• Doesn’t force us to pay high gas prices
• Helps boost our self-confidence
• Improves our outlook on life

That’s the exact moment when it hit me that I could simply dust off my bicycle! As dumb as I may sound acting like I just had an epiphany it really is an astonishing simple solution to a very complex problem. Under the correct conditions riding a bike can be very beneficial both financially and environmentally speaking.

Unfortunately I live in the suburbs and my work is 7 miles away and the only route involves a major highway and several busy roads that lack bike lanes or side walks. I was convinced that I could survive such a journey but quickly received a reality check when a car almost hit me a few days ago. In an increasing amount of cities car sharing has become popular such as Zip Car. This is basically a service where you can rent a car by the hour, with insurance and gas covered. This lets people reek the benefits of life with out an automobile while still enjoying the convenience of one when necessary. Getting rid of your car has many benefits but you have to live in an area and find ways to get your resources to work for you.

For me it doesn’t quite pan out well because of the lack of sidewalks and public transportation. On the bright side I am still intrigued on the concept and plan on moving further into an urban area after I graduate from college. I plan on reducing my impact in ways that I am capable of doing at this point in my life and further improving my life style as I am financially able to do so. Hopefully four to five years from now I will riding my bike to work from my future condo in Portland, Oregon; but for now I’ll just stick to joy riding and canvas bags.

Categories: Rants and Raves
Tags: Activism, environment