When One Car is Almost Enough
For the past three months my wife and I have
been consciously trying to decrease our carbon footprint by living with one
car. Not in a car, although that might solve a number of other
environmental issues.
Up to that time we had a Prius (Jody's) and
Subaru Outback (mine) and rarely shared the vehicles. There were clear
distinguishing differences and reasons for that, at least according to Jody.
My car was Winestone (a red wine colored wagon) that I contended showed
the dirt more than Jody's taupe hybrid. She washed her car weekly; I
ran my Subaru through the drive-thru on the way back from a muddy
fishing or snow shoeing day.
Then there was the issue of a missing
piece from the front bumper. I had replaced the crenellated bumper a year
ago for the cost of $300 and within a week I hit a snow-bank and damaged the
same area of the bumper. It was as if it had never been repaired. Jody
would look at it and just shake her head with a look of not quite
incredulity.
"You are not meant to have a nice-looking car," Jody said
staring at the Subaru in disgust. Her tone of resignation was reassuring;
she seemed finally able to accept that what was would be.
Changing lifelong habits is sometimes difficult especially when
other priorities take precedence over getting a car washed
regularly.
Jody's Prius, on the other hand was always clean and clearly
driven by someone who cared about it. I think it was the visual
discrepancy between our two cars that drove her crazy. Our cars parked side
by side in our driveway created a juxtaposition of values.
A month
before Jody retired from twenty-eight years at the library we began to have
conversations about paring down, simplifying our lives. Since she would not
be working every day might we be able to get by with one car? It seemed
possible. She had a commuter bike that she could use for errands, shopping,
and visiting friends. It had worked well as a mode of transport for the
last few months before her retirement.
I did not need to have a car
every day. My office was only a mile away from our home and, if I did not
have to make rounds, the walk there and back would be enjoyable and
healthful. So two months ago we sold the Subaru as it was; cruddy
bumper and all. Jody's sister had been looking at buying a Subaru as second
car. When I heard about the interest rates available to them I offered it to her for an interest free cash deal. It felt good passing the car I had
for seven years to someone who would appreciate it, at the right price and
without the need to fix the bumper to make it saleable.
So for the past
month two months we have become a one car family. The most immediate
changes have been that we have to communicate about our daily plans more
frequently and occasionally have to adjust them according to the other's
transportation needs. If I drive the Prius to work and Jody needs it, she
walks to the office to pick it up. If she is using it at the end of the day
I walk home. There is no doubt that our use of the car is more on our minds
now than when we had two vehicles and really did not think about their use.
We used them because they were there, sort of like Sir Edmund
Hillary.
We walk more than we did. We do more things together. We feel
good about ourselves. We like the fact that people notice that we only
have one car in our driveway.
There is an issue looming in the
background however: my interest in buying a Smart Car. It began ten
years ago after a trip to Paris where Smart cars abound. I imagined driving
on the sidewalk. I imagined parking at right angles to the curb. I imagined
a car just for me and my fishing gear or tennis bag or golf clubs or snow
shoes, any of which was possible if you reclined the passenger seat. In
short I wanted one in the worst way.
Two years ago it was
announced that Smartusa had arrived and was planning to start manufacturing
the miniscule car to American standards. I sent in my $99 dollar deposit; it
felt as if Steve Jobs had a hand in the venture because the reservation cost
only $20 more than an IPOD Shuffle. A few months later I had a chance to
drive a demo and then configure my order according to my
needs.
Since paring down to one car I have been doing serious thinking
about whether we can afford or need a Smart Car. They are cute, fun to drive, get forty miles per gallon, and are as close as I will come
to owning a sports car in my life. In non-hedonistic moments I
consider getting a refund on my deposit and visiting The Apple
Store.
On the other hand if the Smart Car is good enough for the French
it should be good enough for an ecologically minded Francophile.
