Arlington's Car-Free Diet Blog

Commuters Urged to Ditch Their Wheels for 'Car Free Day'

Clunker Cash for Car-Freedom? September 22 and Beyond!

All the excitement about the success of the Cash for Clunkers program and the release of a recent study about how homes in more walkable neighborhoods are worth more than similar homes in less walkable neighborhoods got me to thinking, what would have happened if car-freedom had been part of the Cash for Clunkers equation?

What if folks who traded in a clunker had been allowed to use their cash to purchase or pay the mortgage on a home in a walkable neighborhood rather than buy a new, more fuel-efficient car?

We've all heard how the Cash for Clunkers program has helped to revive auto sales, but not as much publicity has surrounded the findings of a CEOs for Cities study by Joe Cortright entitled “Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities.”

The study analyzed data from 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 major markets, including Arlington. Using additional data from Walk Score, "Walking the Walk" found that in 13 of the 15 markets, higher levels of walkability were directly linked to higher home values.

My theory is that if some of the folks who participated in the Cash for Clunkers program had been given the choice to go car-free, perhaps they might have invested their clunker money in a home in walkable neighborhood.  And just as Cash for Clunkers helped the auto industry, choosing to go car-free could have benefited the economy by enhancing the local tax base. This choice would also contribute to individual wealth by increasing the value of what is, for most people, their biggest asset.

Whether or not you've made the choice to go car-free or car-lite, here's cause for celebration! World Car-Free Day 2009 is this Tuesday, September 22, so make plans now to leave your car at home or go car-lite on Tuesday! Whether you walk, bike, take transit, carpool with a friend, or work from home, car-freedom can be yours! 

Just pledge to go car-free or car-lite at www.carfreemetrodc.com. If you already commute car-free or car-lite, you can still pledge as a way to highlight your choice of using alternative modes of transportation. (Either way, make sure you register so you can win prizes!) 

Then as Car-Free Day turns to Car-Free night, join Arlington County Commuter Services to celebrate your car-freedom at Arlington's Car-Free Diet Celebration. The festive night of car-free fun runs from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday at Mister Days in Clarendon. We'll be celebrating World Car-Free Day and the launch of Arlington's new Car-Free Diet Seven-Day Plan with free food, raffle drawings, trip planning assistance and more! 

Thanks to Arlington's Car-Free Diet Retail Partners, you can continue the celebration all week with Car-Free Day discounts at participating establishments from September 22-25. Just print out this Car-Free Day coupon and be sure to thank our Retail Partners for supporting World Car-Free Day!

Oh, and if Arlington's World Car-Free Day goings-on aren't enough to convince you to ditch the gas-guzzler, the entire week of September 21-25 is Try Transit Week! What more incentive do you need?

Whether you walk, bike, bus (ART 41 and 77 or Metrobus 38B and 24P) or Metro (Orange Line-Clarendon), we hope to see you at Mister Days on World Car-Free Day!

Lauren Hassel
WALKArlington

World Car-Free Day is Sept. 22

 World Car-Free Day is September 22 every year. It's a day when everyone in the whole world (yes, the whole wide world) is encouraged to give up their car and try an alternative such as transit, walking or biking. The idea being that if you can give up your car for a day, you can give it up for two days or three days until you are living a car-free lifestyle. And if more people go car free, the world will be less polluted, the streets will be less crowded and we won't be as dependent on foreign oil. The idea is also to show governments that people are willing to give up their cars and that resources should be put towards better bike lanes, sidewalks and other projects that make it easier to go car free.

In Arlington, we have been encouraging people to give up their cars, even if it's just a few days or trips a week, with Arlington's Car-Free Diet. Many people have shared their stories with us about how they are living a car-free life and it is easier than they thought. (See their stories here on the Car-Free Diet blog.) 

There are many car free events planned for the DC metro area to celebrate World Car-Free Day, here are two that will be held in Arlington:

Confident City Cycling Class
Saturday, Sept. 19
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Arlington's Car-Free Diet Celebration                                
Tuesday, Sept. 22
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Mister Days
3100 Clarendon Blvd.

This event is the kick-off for the Car-Free Diet Seven-Day Diet Plan. There will be free food, door prizes, free trip planning and more info about the Seven-Day Diet Plan. Mister Days is located near the Clarendon Metro Station as well as convenient to ART 41 & 77 and Metrobus 24P & 38B.

In addition, many Arlington Car-Free Diet Partners are offering discounts on Sept. 22 and during Try Transit Week, Sept. 21 - 25.

Plan to join us on September 22 and participate in World Car-Free Day. You along with the whole wide world will be celebrating going car free.

Bobbi Greenberg is the Marketing Director for Arlington County Commuter Services within the Department of Environmental Services.

Going Car Free is a Great Feeling

I decided to go car free in April 2009. I thought if I could last the summer without a car, I would be good to go. And so far so good!

I moved to Arlington from Herndon in 2008. I took the Metro to work in Silver Spring and much of the time I would leave my car at home during the week. I was making monthly payments and paying for gas for a car I no longer really needed. So when I decided to give up my car, it was scary. But so far I rarely think about it. I Metro to work and I'm learning to use the Arlington bus system so much better. And I'm also managing my time so much better now as well.

It's great. I don't even pay attention to how much gas costs anymore. I'm guessing I'm saving about $600 a month from not having a car and that's a great feeling.

Millie Sanchez, Arlington, VA