ReZoom

Life in an urban area can bring unexpected conveniences - like the chance to shed 2,000 pounds of extra weight.When Steven Jones, 47, contemplated his most recent move, "walk-ability" was one of the primary criteria for his new neighborhood. Since going car-less a few years ago, pedestrian access is vital to Jones – which means not only being able to walk to a subway stop, but being in a neighborhood where walking will be pleasant.

Jones didn't set out to live a car-less life, and he didn't start this latest chapter of his life with some high-minded environmental conviction. Like most, when it takes 12 minutes to hop in the car and drive to the office versus 40 minutes to walk to the subway and commute the same distance, it's very easy to take the low road and get in the car every morning.

His lifestyle change started, instead, with a flat tire. Jones needed to take his '92 Ford Probe into the shop – again -- and he simply couldn't muster the energy to make the phone calls and the arrangements to get it done. "I thought, I'm just going to take the subway to work," Jones recalls, "and then it became, Maybe I can do this every day. And then, Maybe I can walk to the grocery store."

Before long, Jones had shaken his car habit completely.

The decision to go car-less brought unexpected benefits. It's too hard, for example, to haul home large amounts of food. "I walk past the ice cream and I think – Wait. Ice cream is heavy, it's not good for you, it's not worth it. If I want ice cream, I can go to a 7-11 and get a pint. I have to really want it."
In addition, Jones thinks nothing of a 10-block walk that used to seem daunting and it feels good, he says, to be living a life in alignment with his values. Jones currently works at the NTL Institute, a training lab for applied behavioral science, but he was involved with the Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities for many years. "I used to drive to meetings and I would park around the corner so the people riding bikes and getting on the subway wouldn't see me. I'm now doing my part," he says, "I'm supporting mass transit, I'm not contributing to pollution, I'm reducing my energy depending and I'm saving money. When I talk to people about smart growth, I can speak from a place of credibility and legitimacy."

Today, Jones and his partner live in a Washington D.C. neighborhood not far from the Kennedy Center, the Potomac River and the lively streets of Georgetown.

And, there's certainly no doubt that Jones has no regrets about his move or his lifestyle change. "A few weeks ago on a warm sunny afternoon, we took a spur-of-the moment walk through the neighborhood," he says, "Within a few minutes, we were on the shore of the Potomac River watching canoeists pull their boats up of the water for the day. Off to our left, people were out jogging, walking their dogs and playing with their children. To our right, people were enjoying dinner and drinks at restaurants overlooking the water. I realized that we had this glorious afternoon experience simply because we were able to walk to it."

"If it had required getting in a car and going there it probably wouldn't have happened," he continues. "If you've got nowhere to walk, after all, then you're not going to walk."

At ReZoom, one of the ways we want to help build a better world is by being kinder to the earth. Check in for regular tips and ideas on making your life and home more environmentally friendly.