Living without a car

We are a 1-car family, and my wife and kids were away for a few days last week and so I was left without a car. Years ago I lived alone and had no car, and got used to doing all my food shopping by bicycle, every other day, wearing a rucksack. It was really no hassle back then, so last week I shopped by bicycle again and I was reminded just how easy it is.

I found that I can easily shop for 1 days worth of food for myself and my family, just by wearing a small rucksack and cycling to my local farm shop. It took me less than a half hour to get there, shop and get back.

Since then, I have been thinking how we can be blinded by the convenience of our cars, when actually many day to day activities are surprisingly easy without them.

Maybe you could try it some time. Try shopping for yourself or your family for a day or two, by bicycle (or walk!) and carry your food home in a rucksack. It’s exercise, so it’s good for you, and it’s obviously better for the environment, and it might help you to see that sometimes there is an alternative to driving, for local journeys, and it helps you get fit too!