Arlington's Car-Free Diet Blog

On World Car-Free Day, Come to Clarendon and Walk from Rush Hour to a Happier Hour

  This Monday, September 22, come celebrate World Car-Free Day with a WALKArlington Walkabout of Clarendon, Arlington's original downtown! This rush-hour-to-happy-hour evening tour will take walkers from Clarendon's Metro Park through the pedestrian-friendly core of this thriving urban village and back again. Speakers will share anecdotes about Clarendon's unique history, cultural resources, gathering places, and car-free lifestyle. After all, Clarendon was car-free before car-free was cool!

The hour-long Walkabout kicks off at 6:30 p.m.; walkers should arrive by 6:15 p.m. so we can head out on time! Meet at the west end of the Clarendon Metro escalator awning, near the large pine tree. Check out the Clarendon Walkabout route map to see where we'll be heading. (For this abbreviated Car-Free Day Walkabout, we'll cover stops 1-4 and 7-10 only.)

WALKArlington's Car-Free Day Clarendon Walkabout is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

And thanks to Arlington's Car-Free Diet and the Clarendon Alliance, Clarendon's many restaurants and shops will be offering World Car-Free Day discounts and promotions to customers who've gone car-free. Just take the Car-Free Diet Challenge to get your coupon, print it out, and bring it along on Monday!

So, ditch the car and take Metro's Orange Line to Clarendon, hop on Metrobus, ride Arlington Transit (ART), bike or walk. Explore all of your transit options at www.commuterpage.com/art/villages/clarendon.htm !

And don't forget to come back to Clarendon from noon to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, for Clarendon Day, Arlington's biggest party!

Lauren Hassel
WALKArlington
Arlington County Commuter Services
Department of Environmental Services

January 29 Car-Free Diet Expo Features "How To Live Well Without Owning A Car" Author Chris Balish

Co-host of the TV show The CW Now and author of How To Live Well Without Owning A Car, Chris Balish, will be visiting the area from Los Angeles as he attends Arlington's Car-Free Diet Expo on Tuesday morning, January 29. This is your chance to meet the author and get an autographed and free copy of the Special Arlington, Virginia Edition of his book, which can be your practical guide for going on the Car-Free Diet.

Says Google about the book:

"The first practical, accessible, and sensible guide to living in North America without owning a car. It exposes the true costs of car ownership and shows how getting rid of your car can simplify your life and put you on the road to financial freedom. The book is packed with realistic, economical alternatives to owning a car, including chapters on carsharing, carpooling, and even car-free dating. It includes more than 100 real-world tips, strategies, and success stories from people who are happily car-free or "car-lite," from cities to suburbs. According to a 2004 American Automobile Association study, the average American spends $8,410 per year (roughly $700 per month) to own a vehicle."

The Expo, held at the hotel Palomar in Rosslyn, has two sessions. The first from 8:00 - 10:00 am is designed for the business community and property managers to help them help their employees and tenants go car-free or car-lite. The second session from 10:30 until 12:00 noon is designed to give anyone practical tips on going car-free or car-lite. All attendees will receive a free autographed copy of Mr. Balish's book and be eligible for many prizes being given away by the dozen vendors there to provide you with information. RSVP today!  Send us an email or call 703.247.9299.

And here's a fun YouTube video of a report from a L.A. TV station report about Chris' story about the book. Hope to see you at the Expo!

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and a biking/Metro commuter from Rosemont in Alexandria.

Learn How To Go Car-Free or Car-Lite at Arlington's Car-Free Expo January 29

The first must-attend "green" event of the 2008 season is Arlington's Car-Free Diet Expo. The event, to be held at the brand spanking new and gleaming Hotel Palomar in Rosslyn (2 blocks from the Metro) on the morning of January 29, has something for everyone. Breakfast will be provided. Attendees can register to win many door prizes and everyone will get a chance to meet Chris Balish and receive a free autographed copy of the "Special Arlington Virginia" edition of his book "How To Live Well Without Owning A Car."

Employers and property managers will get to learn about the services of Arlington Transportation Partners. Everyone will get to attend speed learning sessions with national experts covering information on transportation services and programs as well as other green services available in Arlington. Fresh AIRE and Arlington Recycles staff will also be on hand to teach you what your business or property can do to be environmentally friendly.

Exhibitors include Zipcar, TeleworkVA!, GoLoco, Whole Foods, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, Fresh AIRE, Bike and Walk Arlington, Arlington Recycles and many more (for a full list visit the Expo web page). Each of these vendors will be providing great prizes including free energy audits and more. These will be listed on the web site shortly.

Visit Arlington's Car-Free Diet Expo web page for more information and don't forget to RSVP. Send us an email or call 703.247.9299. See you on the 29th!

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and a biking/Metro commuter from Rosemont in Alexandria.