Ending my Oil Addiction
posted by John Johnson on August 10th, 2007 Go to comments
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Niles’ post, as well as my reading of David Orr (Earth in Mind) and Michael R. M’Gonigle, Justine Starke, and Briony Penn (Planet U) have inspired me to tell the tale of my latest efforts toward a more sustainable lifestyle.
Next week my wife and I will celebrate 11 years of marriage. With the exception of maybe 18 months of that time we have been a 2 car family. Two weeks ago today I said goodby to the Honda Accord we have owned for 8 1/2 years. We live very close to the Lextran bus line and last year, when I began graduate school full time, I fully intended to give the car a rest and take the bus. I thought that would be a great way to transition to alternative transportation methods. Since I still owned the car, and bought the $300 parking pass, the alternative transportation plan didn’t materialize. Now it has.
The last 2 weeks have given me the opportunity to car share with my wife, get introduced to Lextran, and (just this morning) ride my road bike to work. This has been an empowering experience. Having a car does bring a certain amount of empowerment and freedom. Having the ability to get somewhere quickly and at relatively low cost does bring advantages. Selling the car was not a comfortable decision. Not only did I not want to lose an old friend, but I did’t want to give up my perceived control of transportation options. I had not used public transportation widely (only in Seattle and Chattanooga) and I just did not want to give up my freedom. At this point, however, I can say that the benefits have been worth it. I’m getting more excercise between the Lextran station and the AASHE office. I’m more in touch with the city I live in because I experience it at a different pace. And I certainly feel a sense of empowerment in knowing and choosing between various methods of transportation. I’m also getting some good reading done on the commute to and from the office!
The benefits of this decision to the biosphere are well known. I’m glad to be contributing to growing cycling culture in Lexington, reducing my consumption of vital resources and lessening the grip of cars and oil on my life. This is certainly one of the most important issues colleges and universities must give attention to in their quest for a more sustainable life. Maybe it’s your turn to give alternate methods of transportation a try or tell us your story of ending your oil addiction.
November 5th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
While i love my bike and ride it almost everyday, i have to admit that it is difficult and requires a real commitment. I have been hit by cars three different times on my commute to school in the last two years and one was by a propane truck that nearly ended my life.
With a lack of commitment to bikers rights and safety from Glenside and Abington townships in Pennsylvania, where Arcadia University is located and i live, respectively, it is difficult to convince students to bike to school and sow the seeds of a bike culture at the University.
Without bike lanes and driver awareness, bikers are taking a potentially grave chance when they ride to school. This is unacceptable, the University and surrounding townships need to work together to provide a safer enviornment for bikers!