Wanted to point you to an essay I wrote for MinusCar.blogspot.com, a site dedicated to the idea of reducing our car use and trying alternative forms of transportation.
From
The MinusCar Project
In an age of massive consumerism, bigger is better, the person with the most toys wins mentality, some folks are starting to see that the Emperor is not wearing any clothes. For some they caught a glimpse of the recent movie concerning global warming, others it was their empty pocket book at the pump, others still have been riding their bikes around town all along.
And slowly, some people are getting it. Some of us are realizing it’s okay to slow down. Two car garages don’t necessitate two cars. Bike lanes aren’t a waste of space. Rush hour and traffic jams really are stealing away our lives. Suddenly people realize using your muscles and breaking a sweat isn’t just something you do at the gym or on the toilet.