Don't drive on Wednesday!

Thanks for not driving every Wednesday. That is a translation of this brochure that was put on the windshields of all the cars in a nearby parking lot (i.e. the cars not being used this past Wednesday). The slogan for this campaign is "not the car if under 10 km" (sounds better in Swedish: inte bilen under milen...rhymes.) The backside has a bit more information that I am going to translate for you as I am so impressed
with Swedish public efforts regarding sustainability. The back reads: Choose a more active way to get to work, school or shopping. Short car trips cost our environment, your private economy and not least our health. Perhaps you belong to those who think that their efforts won't make a difference? It is precisely the opposite! If we all began with taking one day week without the car, the effect would be quickly noticeable. Bike, walk or take the bus where you need to go, We promise, every soul (or spruce cone) will thank you!

OK, I was doing well with the translation until that last line...something is not quite right. HA!...kotte is a word I don't know and the lexicon says "soul" or "fir cone." (Maggan, if you are you out there, help me out.)

Anyhow, I appreciate thinking about how social marketing may be a positive force in getting people to think about environmental decisions. I know it is fashionable to question whether the individual matters, but given my current work considering the individual human relationship with the natural world, I AM INTERESTED in how our relationships translate into behavior...

I feel quite lucky to be living without a car. Kerry noted in a recent email seeing a huge RV pulling a Hummer in Duluth. I do not miss such imagery. I fear that our assault on landscape and our over-consumption (myself included) creates visual mindsets of norms that are so whacked. It is not perfect here and I am not about to launch into America-bashing; really, it is the opposite, I spend a lot of time thinking about all the great people and places back home and how much I love my home...that is precisely why I get worked up.

Here is a final thought that may or may not pull all of this rambling together. All of my train time this year has me dreaming of the Northstar train between Duluth and Mlps/StP, I think there is great potential to start to change mindsets regarding the use of our cars if we have quality alternatives...I so hope to return to find that project in high gear!

Trainscape and Spanish friends waiting for trains...