Transportation Alternatives

BACKGROUND ON THE ISSUE

There are many things wrong with cars: pollution, traffic congestion, cost, and safety issues are just some of the deleterious impacts of our vehicles. These issues are particularly pressing for our children who will inherit an earth seriously impacted by global climate change.

POLLUTION
The U.S. is the world’s largest contributor to greenhouse gases.  The modern car releases it’s own weight in CO2 annually. Motor vehicle emissions represent 31 % of total carbon dioxide, 81%  of carbon monoxide, and 49% of nitrogen oxides released in the U.S. and 60% of the pollution created by automobile emissions happens in the first few minutes of operation, before pollution control devices can work effectively. Mobile sources, such as vehicles, are the largest source of air pollutants in Chicago. Kids are particularly vulnerable to air pollution and the rise in asthma rates is a startling reminder of this.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION
Chicago consistently ranks among the worst areas for congestion, with drivers in the area spending an average of 56 hours in traffic delays each year.  Americans spend an average of 75 minutes a day in their cars. And we are choosing to use the car even for short trips (less than 5 miles) despite that cars pollute at a higher rate for short trips.

COST
According to a study done by the Center for Neighborhood Technology, 18% of every dollar spent by the average American family is devoted to transportation. In the City of Chicago, the average car owner spends $7512 per year in vehicle-related expenses. 

SAFETY ISSUES
As parents, we also know that cars are safety issues. More children are killed by motor vehicles in this country than by any other cause.  The majority of those who die are passengers, nearly 1,800 children a year, with another 290,000 injured.  (Just a note, the SUV occupant death rate is 6% higher—8% for the largest SUVs—than it is for cars.)

THE GOAL

•    To be car-free and walk, bicycle, or use transit for all local travel.

REAL WORLD OPTIONS

•    Limit yourself to a maximum of one car as a family and make it the most fuel-efficient vehicle possible.  Limit your use by making mass transit, walking, and bicycling a part of your daily routine.

A FEW TIPS TO MAKE LIFE (OR A DAY) WITHOUT A CAR EASIER

1) JOIN I-GO OR ZIP CAR.
These are car-sharing organizations and from most neighborhoods it is an easy walk to a car that you rent by the hour. Take your first trip without the kids if possible so you can become familiar with the system without the mad rush of a looming appointment and trying to jam a car seat into a new vehicle.  Once you get used to it, it is very easy.  Visit: igocars.org or zipcar.com

2.) CRUISING AROUND WITH YOUNGER KIDS:

• Get familiar with slings, baby backpacks, and other carriers. Find something comfortable for the long run.  (My personal favorite is the Ergo, which can be worn on front, back, or side and is FAR more comfortable than others for older and bigger babies and on longer trips.)
• Get a stroller/carseat combination. There are tons of these for infants, but th eonly one I’ve found for toddlers is the Sit’n’Stroll 5-in-1. This makes taking cabs or car-sharing easier as you don’t have to lug baby and her carseat.

3.) GET YOUR BICYCLE KID-READY. 
Taking trips to the local store or to a friend’s house with your bicycle and your kid can be easy and fun.  Get a kid seat or a carriage you feel comfortable with. The back-mounted kid seat is probably the most common option, but now many people also opt for carriages that are pulled behind the bicycle (many of these can easily fit two children) or seats that are mounted on the front of the bicycle. There is even an option for older children that turns a regular bicycle into a tandem.  Find a system that is comfortable for you and feels safest to you! Make sure you put a helmet on your child—even in the carriage! (And YES! especially on the bike path!)

4.) USE MASS TRANSIT
Parenting on mass transit is usually much easier than in a car.  For starters, you don’t have to pull over to soothe a fussing baby or to stop an argument between older siblings. Your kids are almost guaranteed to like transit and the same goes with babies—just start early!  It is easier to use transit with a kid in a sling than a stroller. If you are using transit with a child and you will be hauling a lot of stuff (either in a stroller or otherwise) consider using the busses, in Chicago they are wheel-chair accessible and thus parent-with-over-full-stroller accessible too.