Author Archives: Anne

Ideas for Seattle

Posted on December 7, 2009 | 5 comments

Seattle Skyline from jarnott at Flickr

It must be a lot of pressure to take the helm of one of the world’s smartest cities.

Car Free Days has high hopes that Mayor-Elect Mike McGinn will continue to listen to the citizens of Seattle while taking Seattle to the next level.

We have a feeling it’s going to be a little harder to connect with the citizens of Seattle as mayor than it was as candidate. As candidate he just had to listen. As mayor he has to listen, and then act in a way that pleases everyone. The pressure of trying to make everyone happy is enough to make a mayor wall themselves off behind grumpy power-broker staffers (Nichols) or crawl into a hole (Schell).

Still, being the optimists we are, we’re willing to look for positive signs that the new mayor will keep lines of communication open, such as his recent (and apparently ongoing) series of town hall forums. We’re also pretty stoked about the new Ideas for Seattle website. Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in bigger than here, Human Powered Politics, news, seattle

Tagged change, Ideas for Seattle, Mike McGinn, politics, seattle

No Imact Man? Is Moderation a More Sustainable Message

Posted on December 5, 2009 | 13 comments

I just finished reading No Impact Man. On loan from the library, it languished on my nightstand for two weeks before I decided to read it. Even with the due date looming, I still picked it up and put it down several times before finally struggling to the finish.

Why did I have such a hard time with this book?

It started with the title, No Impact Man. No Impact? Really? Is that possible in our modern society? Is No and Never just too extreme?

I’m idealistic by nature. I’m all for changing my habits to benefit the planet and live more sustainably. I long for the simplicity of my youth and wish my kids could have an equally carefree childhood. Riding a banana seat bike down the middle of the street, helmet-less and barefoot and without a care in the world—that’s livin’. Tim and I are doing our best to raise our family with simple ideals in mind. But we know that all or nothing is not realistic these days, if for no other reason than it being too tough a message for most people to accept.

Wouldn’t we being doing more good if we got people to embrace a sustainable moderation message?

I know book titles (and blog titles for that matter) must be catchy to entice people to buy/read them. Shock sells. And people are probably buying the book because they are intrigued by No Impact. “Somewhat Less of an Impact” isn’t as exciting. Why else would Colin’s ass cleaning routine (some sort of secret routine devoid of toilet paper) be the question most interviewers asked him over the course of his project? Maybe people want to read about extremes.

Fine, but I’m pretty sure most people don’t want to live that way. Continue reading →

13 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, consumerism, Human Powered Politics, sustainability

Tagged books, moderation, No Impact Man, sustainability, transportation

Change your World, a night with Alex Steffen

Posted on December 3, 2009 | 3 comments

A few weeks ago Tim and I attended a highly inspiring talk by Alex Steffen at Town Hall.

We had hoped to go with Julian of Totcycle (family bike folks represent!), but that fell through. For Julian and others who couldn’t make it, check out a few of these to get a flavor. Alex is also the keynote speaker at three of the major events during the Copenhagen summit, so if you are in the neighborhood…

The entire evening was magical: introduction by mayor-elect Mike McGinn in his first post-election appearance, the inspiring and motivating talk by Alex, yummy beer in eco keg cups from Fremont Brewing, followed by hop-lubricated conversation with like-minded Seattleites interested in changing the city. Plus all of this bookended with rides to and from downtown with my favorite cycling buddy.

We left Town Hall filled with hope for positive changes in Seattle. We all have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to grow Seattle into a dense sustainable city designed with people in mind.

How are we going to do this? Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted in bigger than here, bikes, Human Powered Politics, neighborhoods, sustainability

Tagged Alex Steffen, beer, change, density, sustainability, Town Hall Seattle, urbanism, Worldchanging

Town Hall Events, Biking Mayor and Party for Val

Posted on November 10, 2009 | 2 comments

photo courtesy of Worldchanging

Worldchanging is hosting two events at Town Hall this Wednesday, November 11th and Thursday, November 12 featuring Seattle’s own –Alex Steffen, executive director and co-founder of Worldchanging, publisher of best selling tome on sustainability and internationally renowned speaker.

What’s not to like? Food and drinks provided by Skillet, promises of live music, introduction by mayor-elect, Mike-likes-bikes, McGinn and a free glass of beer from Fremont Brewing Co. We’ll be there on Thursday – come on down and join us!

Click the event link to get the scoop and buy tickets Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, bikes, Human Powered Politics, seattle

Tagged Alex Steffen, events, mayor, Mike McGinn, seattle, Town Hall, Val Kleitz, Worldchanging

And I’d like that delivered, please….

Posted on October 22, 2009 | 13 comments

carfreedays dry cleaning delivery service

our neighbor's dry cleaning delivery service

How does everyone feel about delivery?

In these new fangled modern times you can have just about anything delivered: Thai food, Indian food, groceries, pet food and even dry cleaning. The possibilities are endless. Continue reading →

13 Comments

Posted in shopping, traffic

Tagged delivery, neighborhoods, trucks

Walking or riding or skipping to school

Posted on October 5, 2009 | 10 comments

Walk&Wheel-brown-crop

October is International Walk to School Month. At our local elementary, we don’t discriminate. Walk, bike, hike, skip or even take the bus. Just don’t drive to school in October!

Our elementary school received a Seattle Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School grant last year. We’re using some of the funds from the grant to host a Walktober celebration this month. Kids keep track of their “active” trips to school and earn prizes if they make a minimum number of trips by foot, bike or scooter (any way other than a personal automobile).

Basically we’re bribing them.

We should really give prizes to the parents. What do you think would work? massages? coffee? gift certificates to the pub?

Cause it’s really up to the parents to make it happen.

– Anne

10 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, kids, neighborhoods, School

Tagged bike, ride, Safe Routes to School, School, walk

Most American everyday cyclists are men. Why?

Posted on September 28, 2009 | 34 comments

I just read this article about women and everyday cycling that Xtracycle posted on their Facebook page. It’s a subject we love to talk about and one we’ve covered before.

The article (and some of the commenters) point to a lack of cycling infrastructure in most American cities as a reason women feel unsafe on the road. They also mention that household and child rearing responsibilities make it more difficult for women to go by bike.

What do you think? We’d love a lively discussion in the comments. Are safety concerns keeping women off bikes? Lack of showers at work? Too many kid juggling duties?

Tim and I talk about this a lot in our household. Unfortunately we don’t have any major new insights. All we can think to do about it is to keep encouraging people to ride and to raise our own kids who we hope will grow up thinking going by bike is normal.

What about you? Any thoughts on the not-enough-chicks-on-bikes issue? We’re all ears.

– Anne and Tim

34 Comments

Posted in bigger than here, bikes

Tagged cycling, cycling gender gap, everyday cycling, women

World Carfree Day is September 22

Posted on September 20, 2009 | 7 comments

Get ready to leave your car at home on Tuesday, September 22 in honor of World Carfree Day:

World Carfree Day is an annual celebration of cities and public life, free from the noise, stress and pollution of cars. Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets and neighbourhoods to celebrate World Carfree Day and to remind the world that we don’t have to accept our car-dominated societies.

Come on, it’s just one day, give it a try. Take your bike or the bus or your feet instead of your car.

I took a peek at the events page and it looks as if (for most of the country) World Carfree Day doesn’t have many organized events. If you live in Santa Cruz or San Francisco, Broomfield, Boulder, Louisville, Ashland, Galveston or Roanoke, by all means get out and celebrate.

Otherwise, just leave your car at home on Tuesday and go about your daily business.

– Anne

7 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, bikes, Human Powered Politics

Tagged 2009, carfree, World Carfree Day

PARK(ing) Day 2009

Posted on September 19, 2009 | 3 comments

Among many other things lately, Parking Day completely snuck up on us this year.

Originally created by Rebar, San Francisco art and design collective, PARK(ing) Day is an annual, one-day, global event where artists, activists, and citizens independently but simultaneously temporarily transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks.

We at carfreedays think subsidized on-street parking is a waste of public space. That makes it easy for us to get excited about PARK(ing) Day. Green space where a stinky car would have been waiting between trips? We’re all for it.

I had a few free hours yesterday, a lovely Seattle end-of-summer kind of day, so I took some time to ride around and check out some of the impromptu “parks” in South Lake Union and downtown Seattle. I enjoyed a mini-South Lake Union complete with picnic area, sailboat and kayak, tried my hand at a putting green, albeit badly, and enjoyed a delicious Michou sandwich at Pike Place Market (not a PARK(ing) day site but a prime location for car- freeness).

I intended to ride up to Capitol Hill where the bulk of Seattle’s “parks” were set up but I ran out of time.

What was your favorite PARK(ing) Day site?

How was PARK(ing) Day in your city?

more photos here

– Anne

3 Comments

Posted in bikes, Human Powered Politics, neighborhoods, seattle

Tagged open space, PARK(ing) Day, parks, seattle

Rack’em up and roll’em in: SDOT seeks corral input

Posted on August 25, 2009 | 5 comments

In addition to the weather, Tim and I love to talk about bike parking, bike racks and anything related to parking and racks. If you ride a bike, you need to have a secure parking spot for it upon arrival at your destination.

SDOT wants to know where on-street bike parking is needed around the city. So go ahead and send them your suggestions! Email requests to bikeracks@seattle.gov.

I already commented, telling SDOT to expect some from me. But unless you only want them in front of cafes, bars and restaurants (when I ride a bike, I get hungry, thirsty and I need a place to park my bike!) you better submit your spots, too.

– Anne