Special assignment for fellow environmental activists who own cars!
Imagine there is something you really really want to do today or this week. Or something you really really need to do. You probably don’t even have to imagine it; you probably already have at least one thing on your calendar.
Now, imagine that your car suddenly broke down, and is in the shop.
How are you going to get to your planned engagement? Is your first thought that you would cancel? Ask the other person / people to postpone, or change their plans?
OK, good to know if that’s your default.
But let’s say you can’t change this thing or really really really do not want to.
So, how are you going to get there?
At one point I believe I counted eight or 11 ways that I can get from point A to point B despite the fact that I am a frail, delicate flower who furthermore does not possess a large four-wheeled road-tank.
See how many ways you can come up with. I’ll make a list in the next post.
True story: I am a life member of a major environmental organization, and at one of our local Zoom meetings, people asked me how I got to a place I mentioned visiting. (Can’t remember, maybe it was Orlando and maybe it was Deland. Some local-ish city I’ve been to many many many times.)
I was like, really? A meeting full of environmentalists, and you guys cannot imagine how I got here without owning one of your fancy “green” $50,000 cars. Not a single one of you knows about public transportation I guess. I assigned this homework but I don’t think anyone did it.
Anyway! Without further ado. I’m now going to list the various ways that I can get from point A to point B. Some of these can be used in combination.
foot
bus
bicycle (getting more dangerous around here these days because of the distracted drivers, but nonetheless a wonderful transportation mode)
train
hitchhike (not something I would likely do anymore except in very specialized circumstances)
Craigslist ride (maybe now that the economy is going down for real, actual rideshare on that site will start to rise again
Post on NextDoor or Facebook to ask locals if anyone’s going that way that day
Talk with a neighbor outside in real life to see if they’re going that way that day
Pay a neighbor to be my taxi (for a while, my designated unofficial taxi was a young Mom who was trying to make ends meet doing doordash etc.)
Actual taxi! (Yes! Support someone’s livelihood. It’s especially great if a taxi driver lives in my neighborhood, which has been the case at various times.)
If it’s a show or other treat, offer to pay for someone’s ticket, dinner, etc., if they are willing to provide the transportation.
Charter a van if there’s interest among a number of people in attending whatever the thing is
Rent a car (obviously only works if you have a drivers license, which I do). If you’re lucky you might even be able to get a drive-away rental. One time some years back, I got a driveway rental for like $40 for 24 hours, filled it with passengers and we drove to our various destinations in Louisiana and Texas.
Some trips, even if I feel like I really want to go or need to go, end up being able to be accomplished by teleconferencing or delivery service. I have had some wonderful phone visits with friends and extended family recently. In many ways it’s actually better because travel has various risks and can be tiring.
— Can you think of any that I missed?
Bonus assignment: Identify at least three of your neighbors who would probably really appreciate if you offer them a ride, offered to pick up things from the store for them etc. These need to be people in your immediate neighborhood, not people living 5 or 10 or 20 miles away. We need to look out for our elderly neighbors and others who may have transportation challenges.
By the way, I once told a congregation with many elderly membets that one of the best things they could do for the environment and for themselves was sell their houses, sell their cars, and buy the apartment building (or a few houses) next door to their church and move in there together.
Although many of the above options involve automotive transport, it’s still cheaper and easier and less hassle and better for the planet than owning a whole car. Plus you get to meet more people. Connections will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no connections. (To modify an old saying from the 70s.)