Friday, July 18, 2008

Going Green


I've been without my car for a couple of weeks and have been walking and bussing around the city. It's been a great way to see the sights, get some exercise and lessen my carbon footprint. A few things have occurred to me as I've gone (temporarily) green. If the weather was always as sunny and warm as it is now in our lovely Vancouver summer, I could give up my car for good. But, trying to get myself to and from the library with great armloads of books on a November day when the rain is pelting down, might be an entirely different experience. 

Secondly, travelling on foot and bus allows me to see the city in the way I see other cities when I travel. I always walk to get a sense of the place I'm visiting. I've learned lots about Vancouver lately: where the urban gardens are, where the international students congregate, the best ways to get from Point A to B on the bus, what a wonderful multicultural mix of people we have, and much more. 

Finally, instead of taking a walk for exercise, I simply walk to do whatever I need to do in a day. What a concept! I'm loving it! So, for a few more weeks while I'm car-less, I'm going to think hard about what it means to go green, at least in terms of transportation. Maybe I'll be making a big shift. I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, it's time to walk to the grocery store to buy something for supper... 

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