Choose Car-Free

Summary: Bike, Walk, or Use Public Transport for a Greener Tomorrow!

Description

The typical Massachusetts household drives an average of 60 miles each day, assuming two cars per home.  All of our driving is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. 

Make a commitment to walk, bike, take a ride, or use public transportation for a regular errand each week. Take your child to and from school, meet with friends, mail a package, and grocery shop--start with one and increase the number of carless errands over time. You also help keep businesses vibrant by walking or biking to the local stores and restaurants in your neighborhood. Apps such as Google Maps can make it easy to find the best walking or biking routes and trip times. 

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, and walking and biking are both considered moderate exercise. Good for the environment and good for your health.

We’ve outlined 10 steps to kickstart your car-free journey! Check them out in the STEPS TO TAKE tab!

Deep Dive

Swampscott goals and actions in the Transportation focus area prioritize low-carbon mobility. Transportation is responsible for 36% of emissions in our town. We promote safe and accessible walking and biking, an improved public transportation system, and support an  accelerated transition to electric vehicles.

Taking Action

We are working to increase publicly available EV charging stations in town. Currently six charging ports are available at the high school and two ports at Town Hall. 

What You Can Do

• Work from home and use virtual conferencing instead of traveling when possible

• Use the MBTA. Check out the MBTA mass transit options and trip planner

• Carpool and/or consolidate errands to reduce the number of trips and vehicle miles traveled (VMT)

• Bike, walk, or use other people-powered modes of transportation

• Consider going electric (bike, scooter, or car) for your next vehicle

General Resources

1. MassCommute website to explore commuting options (trip planning tool)

2. Learn about electric cars and incentives

Organizations and programs that promote safer walking and bicycling

• Safe Routes to School  

• WalkBoston/WalkMassachusetts 

• MassBike 

Studies on transportation and climate change

• Harvard Gazette. "Driving is more expensive than you think"

• State of Massachusetts. Commission on the Future of Transportation in Massachusetts 2020 Report 

• "Assessing the potential for carbon emissions savings from replacing short car trips with walking and cycling using a mixed GPS-travel diary approach" (ScienceDirect, May 2019)  

• Transportation for Massachusetts. Transportation and Climate Initiative   

• State of Massachusetts. Transportation & Air Quality  

• EPA. Green Vehicle Guide    

Steps to Take

1. Replace a drive to the gym with a walk around the neighborhood.

2. Commit to running errands on foot or by bike at least once a week. Support local businesses.

3. Plan your routes: Identify destinations you visit regularly and find bike paths, walking routes, or public transport options.

4. Walk your children to school regularly. Walking to school not only improves children's physical health, it improves their ability to concentrate.

5. Park once, shop twice. Are there two places you want to visit within a short walk? Park at one and walk to the other. 

6. Think before you drive. Could you walk or bike instead?

7. Be an advocate for walkable or bikeable cities, so roads and walkways can be designed to be safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

8. Start small: Begin with short trips to build confidence and gradually increase the distance.

9. Use technology: Download apps for route planning, public transport schedules, or bike-sharing services.

10. Encourage others: Share your commitment with friends and family to inspire them to join you in choosing car-free options.

11. Submit testimonials: Let us know how it went! Write a testimonial on this site, go to the testimonial tab on this  action. 

Get creative and find your own ways to drive less, while inspiring others in the community to do the same!