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The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) wants you to consider a challenge: could you go for five full days without driving alone?
That’s the basis of their new “Five Days of Freedom” campaign, which is somewhat of an update to “Car Free Day” events held previous years.
“Rather than asking the community to ditch cars outright, we’re encouraging central Ohioans to reconsider some driving habits and try doubling up on trips and errands, and filling more seats than just the driver’s seat,” explains Evelyn Ebert, Air Quality Coordinator at MORPC.
In addition to carpooling, MORPC is encouraging the use of biking, busing and walking during the five-day challenge, which pledge takers can commit to anytime between now and the end of October.
“The ‘freedom’ refers to your freedom from high gas prices, stressful highway traffic, parking hassles, and lonely drives,” says Ebert. “The average driver uses 581 gallons of gasoline per year, and with gas prices hovering between $3.50 and $4.00 per gallon right now, it’s not difficult to see why it makes good fiscal sense to explore alternate transportation options.”
Beyond the personal benefits touted as reasons for accepting this challenge, MORPC is also committed to finding solutions to improve air quality in Central Ohio. Ebert cites a reduction in automobile exhaust as one way to achieve that goal.
“Fewer vehicles on the road means fewer pollutants in the air,” she says. “The air quality in the region has been steadily improving over the past several years, but hot, stagnant days create conditions in which smog is likely to develop.”
While the issue of air quality is one to be taken seriously, Ebert says that MORPC wants to keep this challenge fun and engaging for all types of commuters.
“Where driving alone can be tense and demanding, riding the bus is peaceful, carpooling is social, and bicycling is a blast,” she adds. “We want people to get imaginative with this! Kayaking, ziplining, rollerskating, and riding horseback are all encouraged modes of transportation!”
You can take the Five Days of Freedom pledge at www.morpc.org/5, find out more about RideSolutions, or connect to the campaign via Facebook.
We’re thrilled to be able to offer great prizes throughout the campaign, so if you’re up for five days without driving alone, be sure to pledge through http://www.morpc.org/5.
Those that pledge today will be entered into a drawing to win a free Giant Cypress bicycle from Cyclist Connection in Canal Winchester.
Easier said than done in Columbus suburbs – I (in the far south part of the Hilltop/far north part of Grove City) have more options than most (bus runs down both 3C and Demorest) would require multiple transfers to get virtually anywhere I’d want to go, and even though they’ve added a bike lane to Clime Road, you’re taking your life into your own hands trying to get to one of the bike paths. Walking? Again, not much of an option to run errands. Would love to hear some suggestions that are actually doable for those of us who aren’t in the urban center where busses run regularly.
The main suggestion for people who live in areas without bike/bus/walk options is carpooling. ;)
Hi Columbusfoodie, thanks for your feedback! Remember, the campaign doesn’t ask people not to use cars, just not to drive alone. You could also form a carpool with the help of MORPC’s RideSolutions program (http://www.morpc.org/ridesolutions/carpool.asp ) for getting around or combine shopping trips and errands with neighbors.
Walker: LOL, I can’t even get you city folks to head to Foodie Central for the fun stuff, let alone for errands and/or work. I don’t think I live in their target audience area, but fully support what they are trying to do with this campaign.
Evelyn: You haven’t met my neighbors, have you? ;-) It’s a good week when one of my neighbors isn’t calling the cops on another one, or there isn’t bloodletting at the school bus stop. Well, not quite, but close… I’m having a hard enough time convincing all the neighbors that the new recycling program is a GOOD thing, and not just one more hoop to jump through. But again, fully support what you’re trying to do. I try to combine all of my errands into one or two days a week, which isn’t much, but is something at least. Just wish I personally was able to do more.
columbusfoodie, let me weigh in. The Five Days of Freedom campaign has a place for people like you. There’s a link on the web site (www.morpc.org/5) where people who feel that they can’t pledge to go five days without driving alone can send us a message explaining why they feel that way. The information that you posted in your previous messages is exactly the kind of information we’re looking for. We recognize that not everyone is able to go five days without driving along; we’re trying to get these stories so we can figure out what we can do in our region to make it easier. Even if you do pledge to give it a try, if you can’t make it after giving it your best shot, that’s OK too. We still want your story. We’re not trying to get everyone to give up their cars; we’re just trying to figure out what it would take to help people cut back on how often they drive alone.
Does driving alone to the COTA park-n-ride disqualify that day?
odi_et_amo – Apologies for the delayed response, but it is our feeling that there is almost always a way to avoid driving alone. In your case, it might be biking to the park-n-ride or carpooling there with another commuter.