• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

17 Atlanta Residents to Drop Thousands of Pounds in City's First-Ever ''Low-Car Diet''

Posted on: Wednesday, 1 August 2007, 09:06 CDT

At high noon in Woodruff Park today, 17 Atlanta residents will hand over their car keys as they literally give up their car for a month as part of the first-ever Atlanta Low-Car Diet. The event is sponsored by MARTA, The Clean Air Campaign, Downtown TMA, Midtown Transportation Solutions, Atlantic Station Accessibility Program, Clifton Corridor TMA and Flexcar. The participants pledge to use MARTA, bicycling, walking, Flexcar and other modes of transportation to get around town for the next four weeks.

"With commuting time up 20 percent versus last year and the high cost of gas, people are increasingly looking for transportation alternatives," said Liz Wattenberg, General Manager of Flexcar's Atlanta region. "The Low-Car Diet will show people how easy it is to get around without owning a car. Flexcar allows people who live and work in Atlanta to have access to a car just when they need it -- saving time and money and making a 'low-car' lifestyle truly possible."

The Low-Car Diet participants will be given a free membership and $200 worth of driving credit from Flexcar during the month, as well as a free MARTA Breeze card. Their "Survival Kit" contains transit maps, a mini-umbrella, a coffee travel thermos, First-Aid kit, Downtown Connects Card, and various other goodies. And if they decide to sell their own car and continue to use transit, Flexcar and other alternatives, they will enjoy savings of up to several hundred dollars per month over owning a personal vehicle.

Participants will keep a journal of their Low-Car Diet experiences -- both the ups and the downs -- throughout the campaign. Excerpts will be posted on the event website (which also contains participant biographies and photos) at www.atlantalowcardiet.com.

It's no secret that congestion along the Peachtree corridor and the high price of gas have many people frustrated and looking for options. With Atlanta's multi-faceted public transit systems, growing downtown core and numerous walkable amenities, it's possible to enjoy life without the hassles of looking for parking, being stuck in gridlock and paying $60 a tank.

The experiences of the 17 participants will help show both the challenges and the benefits of transitioning to a low-car lifestyle.

More information on the Low-Car Diet is available online at www.atlantalowcardiet.com or by calling 404-817-3599.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category