Palmer Events Center
Celebrate World Carfree Day
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 25, 2007
Dear Editor,
In honor of World Carfree Day, which took place for the eighth consecutive year without U.S. acknowledgment on Sept. 22, let's try a little thought experiment. Let's imagine how our lives might change if we separated living space from car-storage space. Suppose that the residents of neighborhood N in Austin store their cars, not in driveways or on the public street but in a garage a mile or two away. What is the result?
Since no cars are stored on the street, there is room for pedestrians to walk. Since people live at least a mile from their cars, everyone walks, bicycles, or travels by wheelchair at least a little. Children go outside to play. Old people walk around and enjoy life. Driveways turn into house lots or small parks. The scenery improves dramatically, as does the air. Noise and stress levels drop. People feel better.
Neighborhood N has lower health-care costs than the rest of town, due to lower rates of osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, respiratory ailments, and car-crash injuries. Neighborhood N has a reduced carbon footprint and lower street-maintenance costs.
If you have children, neighborhood N is clearly the place to live. If you're old and afraid to walk among speeding cars on streets without sidewalks, neighborhood N is for you. In fact, neighborhood N is for most of us.
In honor of World Carfree Day, let's spend five minutes thinking outside the box – you know the box I mean.
In honor of World Carfree Day, which took place for the eighth consecutive year without U.S. acknowledgment on Sept. 22, let's try a little thought experiment. Let's imagine how our lives might change if we separated living space from car-storage space. Suppose that the residents of neighborhood N in Austin store their cars, not in driveways or on the public street but in a garage a mile or two away. What is the result?
Since no cars are stored on the street, there is room for pedestrians to walk. Since people live at least a mile from their cars, everyone walks, bicycles, or travels by wheelchair at least a little. Children go outside to play. Old people walk around and enjoy life. Driveways turn into house lots or small parks. The scenery improves dramatically, as does the air. Noise and stress levels drop. People feel better.
Neighborhood N has lower health-care costs than the rest of town, due to lower rates of osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, respiratory ailments, and car-crash injuries. Neighborhood N has a reduced carbon footprint and lower street-maintenance costs.
If you have children, neighborhood N is clearly the place to live. If you're old and afraid to walk among speeding cars on streets without sidewalks, neighborhood N is for you. In fact, neighborhood N is for most of us.
In honor of World Carfree Day, let's spend five minutes thinking outside the box – you know the box I mean.
Your truly,
Amy Babich
Amy Babich