The Car-Free CEO Club
Has anyone heard of a CEO that doesn’t own a car? If you know of any, drop me a line, because I’m selling my Prius. Maybe we can start a car-free CEO group on Facebook!
Yup. I’m selling my 2002 Prius with 45K miles on it. I’m selling it with some regret, because the car has never let me down in the seven years I’ve owned it. But my trusty steed has to go, because:
- It uses a gallon of gasoline for each 35 miles I drive. The odometer reads 45,886, which means I’ve burned over 1,300 gallons of gas since purchasing it.
- In burning that gasoline, I have generated 19,422 lbs of CO2 emissions
- The car has been towed for street cleaning at least five times. I’m still trying to figure out the CO2 emissions from that!
- I have spent too many Saturday afternoons vacuuming dog hair off the carpet and washing the seat covers
- Even though my Prius is classified as a SULEV (a Super Low Emissions Vehicle) it nonetheless generates .2g of nitrous oxide per mile driven. Nitrous oxides react with volatile organic compounds in the air to form ozone pollution that reduces the rate at which trees grow.
- Street trees in Boston are dying because of pollution and other adverse conditions. Look out your car window. See the newly planted trees? They aren’t making it. And even well-established trees are dying.
- I drive because “I don’t have time to take the subway.” Well, something funny has happened. The more time I save, the less I have. My life is flying by because I “don’t have time.” Now I’m going to make the time to walk, to wait for the bus, and to ride the trains.
So, who else is car-free? I looked around and didn’t find any CEOs on the Internet. I thought that Craig Newmark, founder of Craig’s List, didn’t own a car, but it turned out that he owned a Saturn for ten years and now he owns a Prius. But here’s what he says about cars: “The whole institution of the car is a bad idea.” Although he owns the Prius, he walks to work or takes the train.
Would you like a super-clean low-emissions hybrid vehicle? I posted my car on Craig’s list for $9,500. Craig Newmark would be proud.
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I think you are starting a great, new movement among CEOs. Most green experts have confirmed that cars of ANY SORT, hybrid or not, are too much for the planet.
Rhea
27 May 09 at 1:06 pm
Great decision Susan! I’m not a CEO but do own a small business, The 42nd Estate (a freelance writing & social media consulting firm).
I’ve also been car-free for over a year and so far have loved every minute of it. Don’t miss the car at all and in fact enjoy riding my bicycle way, way more than being stuck inside a box on wheels.
I would highly recommend picking up a bicycle. It’s a great way to stay in shape and around Boston is often a faster way of getting around than a car or the T.
Hit me up if you need any tips or support. And congrats on escaping the car!
Adam Pieniazek
27 May 09 at 2:56 pm
You’re making the right decision — I’ve been car-free since April 2004 when I donated my 16-year old car to charity, and I haven’t once regretted the decision.
Between Zipcar (which is adding more and more hybrids all the time) and Enterprise’s 1/2 price weekends, I get all my out-of-town trips and “big haul” needs taken care of for less $$ annually than I was paying for insurance and maintenance on my car. Best of all, I’m now blissfully unaware of my neighborhood’s street sweeping schedule.
The T *can* sometimes be a big pain if you need to be someplace at a specific time, but I recommend using the whole system — busses and commuter rail included (as well as the bike recommended above) — to maximize your options!
Have fun!
Bonnie
27 May 09 at 6:06 pm
I’m a freelance writer/photographer and I’ve been car-free for eight years in August. My husband I drive zipcars about once a month to keep up our driving skills and to group errands that need a car.
Once in a while we rent a car for a trip. Mostly we walk or use the T or join friends when they are driving somewhere which makes those trip more efficient.
Penny
31 May 09 at 3:02 pm