Carfree American story

Carfree American story,

 I have been car-free (d. not owning a car) or car-lite(d. owning a car but using it on a limited basis) for 14 years now.

In 2000, I realized I was living my life for the wrong reasons: just to make a lot of money, accumulate things, get others to respect me for my business success who really did not care who I was or what I did.. I was also very depressed, out of shape, and very overweight.

One day I looked in the mirror and did not like what I saw-a sad, frustrated, unhealthy person.

I had always admired the people I knew who lived car-free or car-lite and thought “that is cool, maybe someday that could be me”.

Living in a car-centric suburb of Kansas City I, like most people, drove everywhere. I personally had two cars. I thrived on the fact that someone would compliment me on the cars I owned, “wow nice car, congratulations” they would say as though I just did something incredibly noble. The truth was the car was completely unnecessary for my life: I lived a block away from a grocery story, I worked out my home most of the time. I could easily bike and walk to most my destinations.

My life was filled with endless “I wants” with little considerations of what I needed-the American Dream-like eat when your not hungry, drink when you are not thirsty, buy things you do not need, if you want it-then get it as you only live once. I needed change!




I started to walk for exercise. I gave up; cars, house, and much of the junk I did not need. After a few months I dropped 50 lbs and bought a bicycle. I got rid of the last car and became car-free. Over the two and half years I spent time writing about my experiences and about changes being made in my life. I became a yoga and Pilate’s instructor, and worked in a gym and eventually lost 140 pounds.

I kept a journal of my experiences and noting what it was like to live a car-free life in a city and suburb that was not car-free friendly; poor sidewalks, no bike lanes, little mass-transit, drivers not use to cyclists, my family even gave me grief. On the other side, there were many friends who were supportive of my life style choice and a lot of people were interested in it.

In 2004 I ended up taking a new job, and a short time later starting a business. I gave into pressure from my family to get a car (even just for emergencies they said) and become car-lite. For the next six years I became car-lite and missed the car-free life. I kept riding my bike and walking most places. Even car-lite I rode thousands of miles a year for transportation purposes.

In June of 2009 I decided to go car-free again, but this time for these reasons; for my health, my way to help clean the environment and respect the Earth, support my community relationships like buying only local products, and saving money by not owning a car, around $8,000 per year- per car.

In the last 14 years I have biked a minimum of 50,000+ miles most of which was for transportation, I have also walked hundreds, maybe even a few thousand miles. I have gotten more involved with alternative transportation advocacy groups, but still strongly feel the BEST way to advocate alternative transportation is to live a life where you incorporate it on a daily basis.

Now, in early in 2014 I am even more healthy than I ever been. in the last two years I lost another 80
lbs by eating more of a plant based diet. I walk more than I bike now only because I moved an live in an area where everything is two to three miles away. I still bicycle too, but have become more passionate about walking.

There are times when I wish I had a car, only for the convinence. I do love this life style and I realize, for those who live in a big city it may not even be interesting, but for the rest of us, living with out a car is a true adventure breaking all rules of the American tradition of having a car.


So, to you, want to be an Carfree

advocate, go walk or ride your bike and let people see you do it. As Gandhi said,

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

Carfree is a good way to slow the ravaged plagued society of Obesity, Pollution, and Community degradation.

Being carfree you will be healthy in your mind and body, the health of the environment, and you will engage in a positive way in your community.

How I have benefited personally living carfree?

Bill Poindexter 2014

Here is a short list:

Healthier both mentally and physically
Happier
Doing my part for the environment
I have many friends in my community and meet more every day.
I feel great.
I am more passionate about living and life!

.

I hope you enjoy this site. Please let me know your thoughts or ideas on how to make this site or the world a better place. I you are living a carfree life style or want to let me know and I will share your story!

Be Healthy!

Peace.

Bill Poindexter

Presidential Speech I would like to hear

Health. Without good health you have nothing.

My fellow Americans,

Ask not what your car can do for you, but what you can do without your car.

Without good health we have nothing.

It is my contention we have become a society of self destructive behaviors, which could be our doom if we do not make some simple changes.

The primary focus of my Presidency will be to focus on the Health of the country.

First the physical and mental health of the people.
Second, the health of the environment.
Thirdly the health of the community.

The people:
The health of the population will be the largest determining factor of the health of the country. Without good health, people cannot take care of themselves, or their families. They cannot hold jobs effectively. They become dependent on health care, when in fact they should be able to take care of themselves. Mental and physical health illness, in most cases can be reversed by living a lifestyle of good nutrition, exercise, feeling of self worth from a job, and a community that recognizes them as an important part of the whole. Making some simple changes will, I promise you, achieve a healthier society. For instance, people asking themselves simple questions before they leave their home can change their thinking and health for the better, like; “Can I walk, bicycle, to my destination or do I have to take mass transit, or a combination?” or “Do I need this, or do I want this?”

Thomas Jefferson, who suffered from depression, said he felt the happiest when he walked for three hours a day around the grounds of Monticello.

Environment:
The health of the environment is of paramount importance. We are the stewards of our environment and MUST take full responsibility. Too long we Americans have lived with the attitude of having choices when it comes to the environment. I am here to sternly say, we do not have a choice. For our future generations we HAVE to make changes NOW! One of the primary things we must do is limit car use. The car should be used as a last resort when it comes to transportation and travel for us to have a healthy environment. Benefits will be cleaner air, less noise, visual beauty, and a feeling of doing what is right. No one can argue if you turn on a car in a garage and close the door the room will fill with poisonous gases and you will die. Think of the planet is a big garage, and it can only handle so much of the poisons. Yes my example if childishly simple, but it proves its point.


Community:

The health of the community is necessary. We are social beings. We need interaction, self worth, neighbor support, and friends . Stronger communities will: bring better education, more jobs, stable businesses, financially stable people, happier families, cleaner environments, less crime, and better physical and mental health. Communities must become smaller not larger, and more of them. The days of the American to hop in the car and drive 20 miles, unnecessarily, to take their family to dinner, when numerous local restaurants are within walking or bicycling distance are numbered.

Neighbor helping neighbor is how this great country was founded. Communities will make America stronger as a whole.

Let us get America healthy again and show the world we are a great country. Let me also say it is important to understand we all share the planet and must get along. I believe we can live together in peace as long as we all take steps to create…no….make a healthy society by taking care of our; personal, environment, and community health.

How?
Simple techniques like changing our thinking toward better health. Like before you leave your home you ask, can I walk or bicycle to my destination, then, or do I have to take mass transit, or maybe a combination of the three, and then do you ask: do I have to car pool or take the car. By living this way you will be promoting the above heath and making the world a better place.

Being aware of the universal law of Cause and Effect. Our actions have consequences. Good or bad.
Change is easy. You may be uncomfortable, but that is normal part of change.

Folks, one last thing. Time is not a luxury we have. People are unhealthy, the environment is sick, and communities are being disbanded by urban sprawl and overuse of cars. Waiting for the time bomb to explode is stupid, when we all have the ability, intelligence, and good sense to make the change needed.

So, let us, together, make America a healthy place to live.

Carfree American

Who are the carfree Americans and why are they so cool?



Chrissy and her daughter, Hannah

Making a difference?

"This is Bill, he is part of a new carfree movement sweeping the country." Chrissy said as she introduced me to her husband. "He writes about living carfree and how if benefits people." She explained with sincere enthusiasm.

I see Chrissy and her two kids when they bike to the store.

Her husband, less impressed, said, "cool." and went back to his bagel and kids.

She is just one of hundreds of people who I have talked to, bumped into, taken pictures of, written about, or inspired over the last few years by living carfree.

FYI there are more carfree Americans than you think! And yes, they are cool. I will tell you why.

First, you can own a car and be carfree. What? It is true, being carfree can be just a walk or bike ride to the store, or maybe a bus ride to the theater, or maybe a cab ride to get a pizza. Carfree is being in the moment, with out the use of your car. If you are lucky enough to be able to live completely without a car, you are one of the lucky few. Most of you will keep on owning a car throughout your life. Sorry to you hardcore carfree purists, but it is a fact.

So, I say to all you who at some point in your day, or week, can manage to take a carfree trip by foot, bicycle, mass transit (or other-rollerblade, electric bike, skate board, etc) you are cool.
You are making the world a healthier place.

By taking a carfree trip you are promoting:
Physical and mental health
Environmental health
Community health

I learned 11 years ago, without good health you have nothing.
We, as human beings, have a responsibility to stay healthy, keep our home/planet Earth healthy, and live in healthy communities.

Right?

Seriously, let us make this world a better and healthier place. Take the time to try living carfree at some point in your day and reap the benefits.

Loretta Henderson cycling solo...AROUND THE WORLD!

whether you are traveling the world like Loretta Henderson or bicycling to the local grocery store like Chrissy and her kids, Hannah and Cole, you can make a difference.



What is in his future?

 True we do not know how much a difference we are making, but I assure you a difference is being made.

The future:
There is a story I heard years ago about a guy who was jogging on a beach at dawn. As he approached the beach he noticed it was covered with thousand of starfish that had washed up on it from a storm the previous night.


With the sun quickly rising the starfish seemed to be doomed.





See the enormity of the situation the man thought to himself, "I feel bad, but what can I do, I am just one man and there are thousand maybe millions of starfish."

The man still decided to continue with his workout carefully trying not to squish too many of the starfish. In the distance he could see the figure of a person that seemed to running back and forth from the beach to the ocean.

As he got closer he saw a young woman, covered in sand and sweat. She was frantically gathering the starfish and throwing them as far out into the ocean as she could mange. The man could see she was passionately sobbing.

He called out to her, "what are you doing?"

She Yelled back, " I am saving the them! Help me!"

He replied, "There are thousands more, the sun is up, how can you possibly think you will make a difference and save them all?"

The young woman looked him in the eyes with a look of defiance. She reached down and picked up one starfish, and threw it in the ocean.

"Made a difference for that one!"

 The future starts with you...

you,
      we,
           us can make a difference,

but it starts with one.

Peace,

Bill

Why I became carfree...

I have always admired people who walked or biked for transportation; they always seemed thinner, happier, generally healthier.

 I went to vacations to places where people biked or walked for transportation and I would ask myself, "why can't I live this lifestyle at home?"

I came up with all the normal hooey excuses like: no time, to busy, it will limit where i can go, what if there is an emergency, it is not practical in the suburbs,  I would be too sweating when I arrived some place, I need special clothes-shoes-gear, I am lazy, etc, etc, etc.

I don't have kids, but I am sure I would have used that one if I could have.

After coming up with all the excuses I could. I saw and talked to people who live life being carfree and carlite(owning one car but primarily using other forms of transportation).

At the time I owned two cars and drove them like I owned a oil company.

I would drive to the gym(to ride the stationary bike), and I would see a little old lady, small, hunched over, walking or riding a bike to the same gym. She had to be in her 70s. I was in awe, she was in great shape, she had the legs of someone 30 years younger. I started to notice more people using the feet or bicycles for there transportation and it was inspiring.

If one person can do it, so can I. So can I. So can I.

I bought a bicycle in 2000. I had not ridden for ten years and I had become very heavy and out of shape. At the time I started losing weight and had been walking and going to a gym. I remember I kept thinking how cool it would be if I could bicycle everywhere. I was insecure in the fact I was heavy, I came up with more excuses not to ride, the bike sat in my garage, but I started to ride it in the neighborhood, then, over time to the gym.

The feeling of relying on my own body for transportation was amazing. It was different than going on a ride for exercise (although that was a great benefit). I felt like I was doing something something special.

Overtime, I decided to get rid of the cars and ride the bike and walk for all my trasportation needs. I lost weight, felt happier, became more tune with my community. The initial bike rides in the neighborhoods became 20-30 mile rides. My self esteem grew. All the excuses and reasons I thought up not to do it had become ridiculous.

My awareness of the world became acute as I had no more walls separating me when from it when I went somewhere. I realized how important our environment is and how I had a responsibility, as we all do, to protect it or ourselves, our children. Health became the most important subject to me. Not just my own personal health, but the health of the planet. I realized without good health we have nothing.

Good health in mind and the fact that other people could live carfree, made me carfree.

Peace :)