Earth Day reality

For me Earth Day is something I think about everyday. I am fully aware of the Earth and its beauty. I think there is too much placed on the Day or Week or Month where people are focused on the Earth. I believe we should be focused on the Planet 100% of the time. I know, it is complicated, but it is going to get more complicated the more we f... it up.


Food for thought...

“We’re so self-important. Everybody’s going to save something now. “Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails.” And the greatest arrogance of all: save the planet. Save the planet, we don’t even know how to take care of ourselves yet. I’m tired of this shit. I’m tired of f-ing Earth Day. I’m tired of these self-righteous environmentalists, these white, bourgeois liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is that there aren’t enough bicycle paths. People trying to make the world safe for Volvos. Besides, environmentalists don’t give a shit about the planet. Not in the abstract they don’t. You know what they’re interested in? A clean place to live. Their own habitat. They’re worried that some day in the future they might be personally inconvenienced. Narrow, unenlightened self-interest doesn’t impress me.

The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles … hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worldwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages … And we think some plastic bags and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet isn’t going anywhere. WE are!

We’re going away. Pack your shit, folks. We’re going away. And we won’t leave much of a trace, either. Maybe a little Styrofoam … The planet’ll be here and we’ll be long gone. Just another failed mutation. Just another closed-end biological mistake. An evolutionary cul-de-sac. The planet’ll shake us off like a bad case of fleas.

The planet will be here for a long, long, LONG time after we’re gone, and it will heal itself, it will cleanse itself, ’cause that’s what it does. It’s a self-correcting system. The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed. And if it’s true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new paradigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn’t share our prejudice toward plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn’t know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, “Why are we here?”

Plastic… asshole.”
―George Carlin             

                                               Some things to think about...

Back cover from the last Whole Earth Catalog



Peace,
Carfree American.

Interview with Carfree American

From World Carfree News Association....Planet Earth Series
by John Cutty

We are here today with Bill Poindexter, aka Carfree American.

CA: Hi John, thanks for having me.

JC: How long have you lived with out a car?

CA: This June will be my third year Anniversary of living Carfree. I have done it before in spurts, but this is the longest I have been carfree.

JC: Why do you not own a car? I mean, you are not normal, right?

CA: Hehe, normal is a relative term, wouldn't you say. In America, and much of the planet, owning a car is considered normal. A few years ago I realized I would rather live without a car than with one. I found living carfree forces me; to stay physically and mentally fit, I pollute much less, I interact with my local community more, and I save money. To me, my life is normal...everyone who is reliant to their car is abnormal.

JC: That is a strong statement.

CA: Strong but true. I know there are good uses for car travel, but I feel we as a society, should look at it as a last resort for transportation. For example, when you get up in the morning you should ask yourself where do you have to be that day. Then ask:

"Can I walk, bicycle, or take mass transit?"

The car should be the last resort. A healthy body, mind, environment, and community should be a priority. Living carfree is a way to promote that healthy lifestyle.

JC: Certainly, more people would be healthier if they walked or bicycled for transportation. What is your favorite mode of transportation?

CA: Right now I have to say walking. I recently moved to an area where there are grocery stores, restaurants, theaters, drug store, dentists, doctors, library, all with in a three mile radius of my home. If I need, or want, to go to a place further away I take my
bicycle.

JC: What is the hardest thing about being carfree?

CA: Extreme bad weather, or when you are sick with flu.

JC: Do you sometimes wish you had a car?

CA: Sure, but just for a minute, then I walk or bike somewhere, my senses come alive and I wonder why I missed the car. Or, occasionally I will catch a ride with someone or use a taxi, but then I always feel like the journey would have been nicer from the seat of a bicycle. I guess you might call it "temporary autoholic insanity" as it is like even though I have been without, I still feel like I need it. It is nuts.

JC: Bill, that is all the time we have today. Thank you for your time and insight on living carfree.

83 year old bike commuter-Stan

I met Stan this morning while having coffe at a Panera in Prairie Village, Kansas.

He is an 83 year old Bike commuter

 This is Stan, he lives in Kansas City Missouri.

He has been commuting by bicycle for the 30 years. As you can see by his attire Stan is living proof you can where regular street clothes while bicycling.

Stan's commute this day is 6 miles round trip, he usually rides more but just got out of the hospital, so he says his endurance is down. At 83, he is an inspiration.




I hope I am able to ride like him at 83!

Carless in Montana



Ginny Sullivan

 This from the Adventure Cycling Association

CARLESS

Speaking of Adventure Cycling staffers, here's a link to a terrific story from the December 23 edition of the daily Missoulian about Ginny Sullivan, our special projects director, and her family's newly adopted car-free lifestyle in Montana's Garden City. "The lifestyle change hasn't been insurmountable for the Sullivans, who already did much walking and biking to get around town," writes reporter Keila Szpaller.

"[Sixteen-year-old] Mac would prefer to have a car for trips to places like Target, but he believes the family will be able to sustain the transition despite some obstacles. 'I think that we can pull it off, but when we need to go out to get dog food, it's quite a challenge,'

Mac said." Read the rest of the story here:

http://bit.ly/uh9szG

Transportation Law of 4.

Carfree American has developed the, "Transportation Law of 4" or TL4.  TM

Simply put, TL4 encourages people to think about, and try, alternative transportation before they jump in their car for a trip to the Quik Shop for a soda.

For driving adults: TL4 works like this, you need or want to go somewhere.

You ask yourself this question first: "Can I walk, bicycle, or take mass transit?" Then you ask yourself, "or should I take the car."

Four options.

For children and non driving folks: When you are going someplace with a driver, again ask yourself, and then ask driver, "Can we walk, bicycle, or take mass transit? Or do we have to take a car?"

There are times when the car is a good choice and necessary.Walking, bicycling, and/or mass transit may be a better choice. It is always nice to have other options.

I am comforted knowing I have access to a car anytime. I can borrow a neighbors, take a taxi, or rent a car. I have borrowed a car six times since being carfree.

TL4 is something to think about. I would like to encourage you to try this for one month. Let me know if you are game and I will do a follow up story on you.

The alternatives ways to transport yourself are cool and fun.

And besides,

You can always drive your car.



Peace and happy roads,

Bill

Brent Hugh, Director Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, Car-lite Profile

Tell me a little bit about you (name, age, occupation, carfree or carlite, where you live).

"Brent Hugh, 47, Exec Director of MOBikeFed, car lite, Raytown, MO."


Your family bikes for transportation, tell me about that and how it has affected your lives?

"It's made our teenager more independent. He goes everywhere he wants independently now (13 yrs). It has made us all healthier."

"The thing I didn't know/realize before starting, is it has made me more able to tolerate the climate--hot, cold, humid, dry, etc. Partly it's because you know how to deal with it (clothing etc) and partly because your body adjusts."


When did you start using a bicycle for transportation and what effect has it had on your life?

"Started biking in about 1998 when my doctor told me to lose 25 lbs or else."

"It was 3-4 years after that I realized I could bike to the drug store about 2 miles away, and it was downhill from there. (Before that I had ridden certain routes for exercise/recreation but since I was avoiding all traffic these never went near stores or commercial areas.)"


Please describe a typical day in your cycling life?

"Ride girls to school on our recumbent tandem + trailer bike (me plus two girls); Jonathan accompanies us on his own bike."

"Then maybe I ride to a meeting downtown KCMO or near the Plaza or KU hospital area, then ride home."

What kind of bike(s) are you currently riding?

"Rans Rocket recumbent and Rans Screamer recumbent tandem are my main rides."

"I also have a Trek mountain bike I ride occasionally, a 1970s Schwinn road bike I take on trips, and a Trek recumbent that is my "backup bike"."


In your opinion, what’s the best part about cycling for transportation?

"Fun!"


What’s the worst?

"There are some places you just can't go, even if you're fairly hardcore."


Do you have a favorite carfree/carlite story? (Something that really makes you smile or could possibly encourage others to use a bike instead of a car for transportation?)

"Stopped at a garage sale, some woman said, "You just get around **everywhere** on that bike!"--as though she didn't believe it possible I was covering such massive distances. Then she mentioned where she had seen me--about 2 miles away, or 10 minutes by bike . . ."


What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone starting/ considering commuting by bike?

"Don't set yourself up for failure. By that I mean, don't start out by saying, "I must do this every day, no matter what, and if I don't, I'm a failure." Because sure enough the day will come when it is too hot, too cold, to rainy, you have too much to carry, or whatever. If you can accept that 'Sometimes I bicycle and sometimes I travel another way' then all is OK. But if you envision yourself as a 100-percenter then that day you drive because of the huge thunderstorm or whatever because your reason to quit altogether."

"Start out small--say one day a week--and then gradually build up."

"Do it when you enjoy it. If you don't enjoy riding in rain, don't. If you don't enjoy it in weather over 95 or whatever, don't. If you don't like to ride below freezing, don't. And so on."

"There are ways around all of those difficulties and eventually you'll find them. But if you start out by forcing yourself to go when you are actually going to be miserable, pretty soon you won't enjoy it any more and then you'll stop doing it."

What changes regarding transportation would you like to see in the United States?

"Routine accommodation of bicycling and walking on every street and road."

"Go in and back-fill all the roads/streets we've built in the last 75 years or so where we forgot the bicycle accommodations."


Do you recommend cycling to friends/family members/youth or others? Have any taken you up on it?

"Some have, mostly my children."

"My parents and brother have recumbent tricycles they really enjoy."   


Find out more about Brent and how to join the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation
Dr. Brent Hugh, LCI #1335
Executive Director
Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation
Director@MoBikeFed.org
Phone: 816-695-6736
Fax: 210-579-2265
http://www.mobikefed.org/

The Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation is a coalition of bicycling, walking, running, and trails organizations and businesses representing over 30,000 Missourians and speaking for the 2 million Missourians who bicycle regularly and the 5.8 million who walk.

Join MoBikeFed's advocacy alert network:

http://mobikefed.org/email.php#announce

Carfree American supports the MoBikeFed and would like to encourage you too also. These folks work tirelessly for the rights of pedestrians and cyclists. They also are the ones who lobby for us so we can have street which are bike friendly and safe for our children!

Carfree Family of seven



A rare photo of all 7
Summer of 2011

 Can you have a Carfree Family?

YES!

A year ago, a Hillsboro family decided to get rid of their minivan.

Now the family of seven traverses the suburbs by bike. In this video, 15-year-old Vivianna talks about what the year has been like.







Thanksgiving is just like any day for our carfree family: food cooking before dawn, mom out for more before the store opens. Grateful for organic food, family, cycles, and the sun's brief appearance during a beautiful ride! November 24, 2011

 

 

We at Carfree American are so proud of this family of seven taking away the excuses of not being able to be carfree because of a family-they are proving YOU CAN HAVE A FAMILY AND BE CARFREE TOO!

You all are an inspriation!!!

 

See more pictures of the carfree family and let them know what you think on their

 Carfree Family Face Book page

 

Happy Holidays and may you walk, bike, or ski for transportation this winter!

 

Peace,

Bill