Cars and Shek
Other than utilities, the biggest thing that leaves a sizable footprint on nature is to own and drive a car. My car usage has reduced to 20% from previous months since I have started riding a bicycle. A car is a wonderful invention and has certainly gone to improve the standard of living of man. The correlation goes that owning and using a car equals good standard of living and the better the car you own, the better is your image and higher is your standard of living. I own a fairly good car. It is a 2007 Saturn Aura XE, 3.5L V6 engine, leather, nifty electronics, great sound system, good comfort, lots of room and in general a good value for money. Moreover, I love driving a car and plan to autocross some day. So why is it that I enjoy not using it and I feel that my standard of living has improved since then?
I bought a bicycle and started riding it to have a more active lifestyle. The idea was to go to and from work on it. Gym memberships never worked for me and I have always enjoyed bicycling. The joy of not depending on my car was a surprise to me as I used it less and less. I started going to the grocery store on my bike, the DVD store, visiting friends, departmental store etc. I even went to the beach!
This proves to me that there is a disconnect between owning a car and having a higher standard of living. The fundamental definition of ’standard of living’ needs to be addressed.
I value health most. Mental health first, then physical health. My job stimulates my mind and my blogs stimulate my mind. I read just enough to keep me thinking without losing my thinking voice to the authors words. I should play Sudoku more often. I lsiten to a variety of music from blues and acoustic rock to hard rock and techno. I listen to NPR and BBC radio. I enjoy having healthy debates with friends. I think I am doing a fair share in maintaining my mental health.
Riding the bicycle to do everyday errands keeps me physically active. I am overweight, always have been, so this helps getting me on track. I take long walks with my dog and will resume training for a 15K marathon soon. That leaves the car only as a mode of convenience. I realize that my Amish-like views towards a car is rattling the hornet’s nest. If you have grown up like me as accepting a car as a part of life, you may think that I am a tree hugging nutcase. But tell that to the 30% adults in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee (link) who are obese. The easy math is that we don’t burn what we eat because it is too easy to drive a car. Is living with heart disease and diabetes the accepted outcomes of a high standard of living?
So the car and I have come to an equilibrium. The less I depend on it, the better is my standard of living. Ofcourse I will use it to maintain my physical health and drive it on particularly busy days. I will maintain a log of when I drove my car and suggest improvements in italics. Please see link: Car Dependency for more updates.
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January 21st, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Generally I do not post on a person’s blog, but I’d just like to mention that this article really compelled me to do so! Thank you for your perceptive post.