How to Live Well Without Owning a Car
Ratings2
Average rating4
15
Ratings2
Average rating4
You don't need to own a car to live well in America. In fact, you'd probably be better off without one. In this groundbreaking guide, award-winning journalist Chris Balish exposes the true costs of car ownership and shows how car-free living can put anyone on the path to financial freedom. Using the book's car cost worksheet, first figure out how much owning a car really costs-you'll be surprised. Then, see how easy it is to transition to a car-free or car-lite lifestyle using Chris's strategies for commuting, running errands, taking trips, dating, socializing, and more. You'll also find hundreds of tips and success stories from car-free people in cities and suburbs across America. Without car payments, rising gas prices, and traffic jams to worry about, you'll have more money and leisure time to spend as you choose. Discover why getting rid of your car may be the soundest and sanest lifestyle change you can make. Reviews View a video clip from NBC's Today Show: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25609661/ "Chris Balish offers a mix of the practical-a worksheet to figure out a car's total cost and impact-as well as the horrifying: The average American walks just 300 yards a day." —Sierra Magazine "If ever there was a practical inducement to get out of the car trap, this is it. For the multitude of Americans stuck in traffic and spending thousands of dollars a year on their cars, Chris's lively and pragmatic step-by-step solutions provide a way out." —Jane Holtz Kay, author of Asphalt Nation "Chris Balish's book can help environmentally conscious Americans live their values. If you're concerned about pollution and global warming, follow the program in these pages. There can be life without a car. And a good life at that!" —Ed Begley, Jr., actor and environmental activist "[Chris Balish's] prescriptions are feasible and most important, reasonable." —San Antonio Express News "Even if living car-free or car-lite isn't for you, you'll still learn a lot from this book. I did." —Michelle Singletary, Washington Post Listen to Chris Balish talk about living car-free in Los Angeles on NPR's Morning Edition.
Reviews with the most likes.
I was fortunate enough to finish this book in under a day, thanks to a quiet work day and a lot of tedious scanning to do. This book is essential to anyone who does not have a license, own a car, or like driving. It's also useful for people who want to cut back on their emissions, save more money, and improve their health. Balish offers anecdotes to personalize the book, though the best parts were definitely the actionable tips and recommendations for living well without a car.
Reading this in 2020 it seems a little dated, but most of it holds up. I've never owned a car so I didn't need to be sold on the idea and already familiar with public transit. I was hoping for some additional ideas - didn't really find much, but some parts were a bit interesting such as Seattle's ‘The One Less Car Challenge'.
