Green Streets Initiative

Boston Globe story about going car-free features Green Streets Director

Green Streets Director Janie Katz-Christy and her family were "shadowed" during the summer by Boston Globe reporter Emma Brown and photographer/videographer Yoon Byun to see and experience how they get around without a car. The reporter and photographer borrowed the family's tandem bicycle (that was quite hilarious and exciting, and we wished we'd had pictures of them!) to ride with them on some errands, and also accompanied them by bus to kids' rehearsals for the summertime OpenAir Circus. Read their report and see the video here: http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2008/09/13/auto_traders/

One Young Woman is Choosing to Go Car-less. Here's Why:

Meghan Perrier doesn’t own a car and doesn’t want to, either. When she moved to Somerville last December, she was surprised by how easy it was to live without one.

“I had so many different options for travel,” she says. "People think it’s really difficult but I think it’s easier.”

Since moving to Somerville, Meghan has been working as a teacher and camp counselor. It was a big decision to give up her car but she has no regrets.

“The other day a woman was late to pick up her kids because her car had been stolen. I think if I had a car I’d be worrying about it constantly. I’m glad I don’t have one.”

"So what?" you say, "Anyone could survive in Somerville without a car"? But Meghan doesn’t just stick to the city. She likes to visit new places on weekends. Maine, Vermont, and Cape Cod are some of the places she has traveled, no car necessary.

“It’s funny,” she remarks, “You’d think being from Vermont that I wouldn’t have a car for environmental reasons. That is a nice benefit for me, but really it’s just so much easier and less expensive to live without a car.” She laughs. “I guess that’s the way it is for people a lot of times. We’re very selfish.”

Besides not worrying about her car being stolen or damaged Meghan is also happy she doesn’t have to pay for car insurance, gas, and especially parking.

“I have friends who are always waking up thinking, is it the third Tuesday of the month? Where’s my car? And rushing out to move it before they get a ticket. I just pay my 60 dollars a month for a T pass.” Meghan’s primary modes of transportation are the bus, the train, and her own two feet.

“There’ll be times when cars speed past me while I’m walking,” she confides with a smile, “but most of the time there’s traffic and I’ll pass them and think, I’m going to get their faster than you.”

By Paige Doughty

Bike to Car, and Back to Bike

May 14, 2008

Bicycles are charming machines.  They are pleasantly simple in construction but have the potential to be overwhelmingly powerful in conviction.  I’ve always had an affinity toward bike riding.  It started as a blissful pastime shared with my family around the neighborhood on sunshiny summer afternoons, cruising our hybrids around the north Texas suburbs where I grew up.

After my 16^th birthday, my attention shifted to cars.  I became dependent upon my vehicle almost immediately. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the distances between destinations, and the cars trucks and SUV's people use to move around them. My bike went to college with me, but so did my car and I relied on it a lot, making the 6 hour round trip drive home on weekends.  In retrospect, I became increasingly disenchanted by highway transportation, controlled by the power of the right pedal to rush through the endless stretches of central Texas roadways. 

The car and bike both moved to Boston with me in June 06.  Driving was a completely different experience in the city.  At first I felt afraid of the narrow, pot-holed streets, none of which had any lane lines painted. I used mass transit a lot, busing from my apartment in Arlington down to Porter Square then taking the T downtown.  I learned that for me, mass transit is not the best choice for everyday transportation.  I took back to behind the wheel and carpooled with a friend into work for several months.  My commutes where always stressful and I usually started my workday annoyed.  Unfortunately, my bike sat collecting dust with a flat rear tire from the first and only ride I had attempted since my move. 

In February 07, I was rear-ended driving home from work.  The impact forcefully pushed my vehicle into the car stopped in front of me.  I was uninjured, although shaken, but my car was not so lucky.  The insurance company totaled it in early April and I was not in a position to purchase a new car.  A hiking buddy of mine offered to lend me a bike of his in order to get around for the summer. 

I was hooked immediately, though it wasn’t always easy.  I was introduced to other cyclists and slowly began learning the ins and outs of city bike riding, from how to safely negotiate traffic, properly lock my ride to reduce the chance of it being stolen, to how to go grocery shopping more often so that I could fit what I needed in my backpack. Now, two years later, I’m a year-round commuter, riding from my apartment in Somerville to my job in Woburn.

My bikes are more than just transportation though. They are the best way for me to connect to my world and make me feel conscious and alive. There are experiences I have while riding that I know I would completely miss if I were boxed into a car. I get to hear the birds chirping, smell the bread from the bakery up the street, feel the rain fall onto my face. I whistle while rolling past cars parked in traffic jams. Every day, every ride there is something to appreciate. It’s impacted my life in more ways than I could have imagined. I’m doing what I can to become more socially conscious and responsible. I became a vegetarian, learned how to grow my own tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, and bring canvas bags with me when I shop. I replaced using Styrofoam cups for a thermos for all those trips to the coffee shop. I’ve lost over 20lbs since I’ve started riding full time and feel great inside and out.

And the best part of bikes is sharing the passion. I’ve motivated my sister, my boss, and many friends to start riding and plan on continuing to spread the word.  I’ll definitely be in green on last Fridays, enjoying the cycling camaraderie around our city streets.