Transport
The Western way of life seems inextricably tied to car use. Most of our journeys are by car, to protect us from the weather, to carry loads or for speed depending on the need. This does mean we loose the opportunity to exercise and we use fossil fuels not our own energy.
From the age of 4 years old our daughter walked one and a half miles to nursery, and then Primary School five days a week. From the age of three our son did too. They came home on the school bus.
This walking not only kept them fit, it ensured they were awake and ready to learn by the time they arrived, we had had the chance to chat over whatever subject they chose and the dogs got walked, all by 9.30 in the morning. I/we have now been doing this nine years and I miss it during the holidays.
Just recently, our school has had bike racks installed. This is great but if we cycle to and from school the dogs don't get walked and the chat doesn't happen. So we bought a mountain bike tandem. So we still do the morning walk, with all it's gains, and now I cycle the tandem single handedly to school and my son and I cycle it back. On a tandem you need to talk all the time, sometimes about the road and co-ordinating pedalling and sometimes just to chat about the day. It also gives my son another 15 - 20 minutes exercise and me over half an hour more, great. When I was looking for the tandem I was advised by several sales people that it is not possible to cycle a tandem alone, this is not true. I still need the car some times, for longer distances, taking sick animals to the vets, picking up animal feed.
In 2012 we ran a year with one car, which my husband used for work. It revealed several things. Firstly it is possible to live with just one car in a rural setting if you are clever with your thinking, such as the tandem. Secondly, there are times you need a car this may be a car share formal or informal or a taxi. Thirdly and most surprisingly it didn't change our mileage.
So we looked at other options.
Just recently, our school has had bike racks installed. This is great but if we cycle to and from school the dogs don't get walked and the chat doesn't happen. So we bought a mountain bike tandem. So we still do the morning walk, with all it's gains, and now I cycle the tandem single handedly to school and my son and I cycle it back. On a tandem you need to talk all the time, sometimes about the road and co-ordinating pedalling and sometimes just to chat about the day. It also gives my son another 15 - 20 minutes exercise and me over half an hour more, great. When I was looking for the tandem I was advised by several sales people that it is not possible to cycle a tandem alone, this is not true. I still need the car some times, for longer distances, taking sick animals to the vets, picking up animal feed.
In 2012 we ran a year with one car, which my husband used for work. It revealed several things. Firstly it is possible to live with just one car in a rural setting if you are clever with your thinking, such as the tandem. Secondly, there are times you need a car this may be a car share formal or informal or a taxi. Thirdly and most surprisingly it didn't change our mileage.
So we looked at other options.
