Wednesday is for Where I Live

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

I live in Boston. For almost the last 10 years I lived in various suburbs of, none of them more than 5 miles away, but this past summer we moved downtown and what a lifestyle change it's been! All for the better.

Farewell, car

We donated our car sometime in November, just in time to avoid the pains of the season's first major snowstorm. It is not fun having a car in the city with only on-street parking available which is impossible to find as it is. Since I work from home mostly and Duck takes the subway to work, keeping it no longer made sense. Now we just use zipcar (a very cool urban service) when we need a vehicle.

Farewell, car

The side effect to not having a car anymore, besides the reduction in bills from not having to pay for insurance or gas, is that we are totally jacked! Two or three times a week we walk to the grocery store with our backpacks, and are not afraid to fill them with a large cantaloupe, a gallon of milk, a bag of apples, a roast chicken and a couple of bottles of wine, give or take several other items, and haul all that stuff home. We're walking everywhere, patronizing local shops and with a mall and two major bookstores nearby, I've find that we're shopping online less and less. Which means no need for shipping.

We support our local stores, we get our exercise, we reduce our monthly bills, we reduce our carbon footprint.

It's a nice win-win-win-win.

Comments [16]
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Wednesday, March 19, 2008 6:17:36 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Hello! I found you blog a little while ago, and I've been lurking ever since, but after reading this post I had to delurk just to give you a high-five for your carlessness. We were carless for the first 4 years of marriage, and it was great!

win-win-win: ain't that the truth.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 7:32:43 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I grew up in NYC and I love the city/"carless" life! I live in suburbia now, which we all know is not designed for pedestrian living. Speaking of "carlessness", my car died..literally, as of 5:33pm. That's something else you're missing. I noticed you donated a VW--I have a Jetta which I LOVE...despite its death (the ultimate reduction in my carbon footprint, LOL!!). Anyway, it's good to have you back, I was surprised to see 2 posts! Take care.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 8:06:08 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
What a great post! I loved downtown living (Toronto) and miss it much. For years we were car-less, walked everywhere, used the subway, shopped locally, supported small businesses, it was wonderful. Good for you and Duck - enjoy it! My husband and I are hoping that we'll get to move back to a major city soon.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 8:30:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
oh dear...you make me so homesick! i miss boston so much!
Thursday, March 20, 2008 12:10:17 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Its great to read about knitters using car sharing services! Have heard a lot about zip car despite living in Sydney, Aust. (Should disclose, my husband runs the local service here, Goget.)
Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:07:12 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
We've lived for the last 5 years in Chicago without a car, and never missed it. We also use Zipcar when necessary, but usually just walk or take public transportation everywhere. If we ever move out of the city, I know we'll need one, but for now we're loving the car-less lifestyle.

I lived in Boston for about a year after college (those pictures make me homesick for New England!) and never had a car there, either. I totally agree, it is a win-win-win!
Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:19:40 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I think that's totally awesome. We downsized to one car two years ago and never looked back -- and we use the one car far less than we thought we would. It's a win-win of walking more and polluting less (and much cheaper!)
Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:07:39 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Living in downtown Toronto, I know what you mean! We do still have our car (a VW Jetta, diesel), but use it approximately once every 2 weeks or less, and that's almost always to leave the city entirely! I love shopping in the markets, walking to work (except when it's super cold, of course), and all the other benefits of core-urban living.
Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:13:52 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Sounds delightful. So many win's here I don't know why anyone would go back :) I wish CA had such a nice mass transit system, but outside of SF & LA there's nothing even remotely convenient.
Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:17:34 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
how i miss living in the city. as much as i adore my car -- i have a mini -- i miss not being in the middle of everything. i lived in boston for 17 years, didn't have a car, either walked, took the T, or rode my bike everywhere and had thighs that could crush a man.

since moving to the burbs i've totally fallen apart and if my car were any bigger, my ass would be too. *sigh*

Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:41:06 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
That is very, very cool! Our transit system needs a bit of work to be truly useful - it shouldn't take me two hours to go the 8 miles to work (8 minutes by car), y'know?? We do have HourCar here, which is probably very similar to Zip Car.
Thursday, March 20, 2008 2:29:41 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Thats great that you got rid of your car, and it makes me think everyone should live in the city.
Sunday, March 23, 2008 10:03:20 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Have you read:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Well-Without-Owning/dp/1580087574

I sold my Toyota Echo in 2004 and haven't missed it! I'm in Western, MA which is such a weird mix of rural/urban, because of all the students.

I just walk and ride the bus. I just started using Zipcar and I LOVE it, I only wish they had a bigger fleet out here, it's sometimes hard to get a car. Go, Zipsters.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 3:22:23 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Congratualtions on carlessness, it's the best! We are carfree in Oslo, Norway. I'm looking forward to learning more about Boston. Thanks!
Friday, April 11, 2008 1:58:11 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Have we run into each other?? I didn't realize you were in Boston now... I am so out of the loop...
Monday, April 21, 2008 8:54:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Boston is such a great town. I live in Jacksonville, Florida, but I spent the summer of 2007 at the SMFA by the Fens. I miss it so much. Your blog rules, btw.
kellypope
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