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From: scott@...
Subject: Re: [sustran] Low-Car Diet Challenge Program - And Car Free Days
(Our Convenient Truth)
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X-eGroups-Approved-By: fekbritton <fekb@...> via web; 16 Aug 2006 06:22:28 -0000
I really like this concept. In fact, I?m hoping to implement a=20=20
variation in Ann Arbor this spring. I?d like to make a couple=20=20
comments on Eric?s suggestions for LCD:
1) The term ?Low Car Diet? is not associated exclusively with a=20=20
month-long challenge to give up auto-use. It has been used in Ann=20=20
Arbor for two years as a tag-line for our Curb Your Car Month, which=20=20
included all sorts of promotions and events. After assuming we had=20=20
come up with an original phrase, we found that many other local=20=20
efforts had used the phrase to describe a variety of programs.
There was some concern initially that this phrase would put to much=20=20
emphasis on physical condition, thus not speaking to those who were=20=20
either already in good health, or were not particularly concerned=20=20
about health issues. While it is hard to know who the campaign=20=20
missed, I don?t think anyone complained about the phrase, so we went=20=20
with it for another year.
2) I think many of these points are too specific. Details like=20=20
keeping a log, the length of the event, setting up a booth, requiring=20=20
an essay, and prizes may or may not fit into the existing context of=20=20
the local effort. I understand that Eric is just throwing out ideas=20=20
here. I just want to add that each version of this event would (and=20=20
should?) reflect local resources, key players, and issues.
3) Is this a competition and should it be a competition? Prizes are=20=20
always nice, but there is a risk with prizes of people participating=20=20
for the wrong reason. At the end of the event, I assume, you are=20=20
hoping to show that being car-free is not so difficult as one might=20=20
imagine and that there are some definite benefits over driving=20=20
(besides the prizes). You don?t want it to come off as a test of will=20=20
power or endurance, and you certainly don?t want people to feel that=20=20
cheating would pay off in a big way. In our car-free challenge, the=20=20
winners are entered into a drawing for the grand prize, which avoids=20=20
the eyes-on-the-prize? attitude and excessive competition.
4) Celebrities. I think getting some big names to participate is an=20=20
important part of promoting an event like this. Eric points to the=20=20
importance of media and suggests having participants blog their=20=20
logbooks. I think adding record-keeping requirements would tend to=20=20
reduce interest by the general public, but media exposure and=20=20
real-time personal updates could be combined by getting a media=20=20
personality who already has frequent public interaction (via blog,=20=20
radio, newspaper, TV, etc) to participate and integrate their LCD=20=20
experience with existing communication channels.
5) Implement LCD in conjunction with other events. Obviously Eric is=20=20
promoting this as a WCFD event. In Ann Arbor we run a month-long=20=20
program called ?Curb Your Car Month? which incorporates Bike to Work=20=20
Day, transit promotions, city walking tours, lectures and symposiums,=20=20
frequent organized bike rides, a car-free challenge where local=20=20
businesses compete to get the most employees to try going car-free,=20=20
and other events. This allows us to keep momentum and awareness high=20=20
for month-long activities like LCD. The month-long events also help=20=20
boost the kick-off and wrap-up events for the month.
6) Panel of experts. In planning for our LCD event, we are trying to=20=20
put together a panel of people who currently live car-free as a=20=20
support network for people who are willing to participate. I think=20=20
this is a good way to:
a. Raise awareness that there are a lot of people living car-free=20=20
already and that it is not as difficult as you might imagine.
b. Provide tips that consider the local context for people interested=20=20
in reducing their use of a car.
I hope this is helpful and would be willing to share more detailed=20=20
info on my efforts and progress with anyone interested. It would be=20=20
great if others did the same.
-Scott
Quoting Eric Britton <eric.britton@...>:
> Exec Sum: This is a wide open public brainstorm on what I believe could =
be a
> very creative sustainability exercise with real impact. I'll try to =
=20
> get the ball
> rolling with this first draft, and then see what you may all do with it. =
With
> your kind permission, I propose that we discuss this and post=20=20=20
> whatever projects,
> etc that might come out of it via the Lots Less Cars
> (http://www.lotslesscars.org <http://www.lotslesscars.org/> ) Idea =
=20
> Factory, for
> which the group mail address is LotsLessCars@yahoogroups.com, Okay, let's=
go.
>
>
>
> The idea that we should like to put before you this morning for the =
=20
> next wave of
> Car Free Days at any time and anywhere in the world would be for a public
> announcement of a high profile coordinated Low-Car Diet Challenge=20=20=20
> Program. Here
> are a couple of the possible working parts if you will bear with me.
>
>
>
> 1. What is an LCD Challenge Program? A laid back invitation, support and
> award program which invite people to "give up their car for one=20=20=20
> month". (IF you
> click here
> <http://news.google.com/news?&num=3D100&hl=3Den&newwindow=3D1&rls=3DGGLG,=
GGLG:2006-25,GG
> LG:en&btnG=3DGoogle+Search&lr=3D&as_ft=3Di&as_qdr=3Dall&as_dt=3Di&as_righ=
ts=3D&safe=3Dimages&s
> a=3DN&tab=3Dwn&q=3D%20%22Low%20car%20diet%22%20-carb> you will be taken =
=20=20
> to the latest
> Google listing which at this point offers in addition to latest news on t=
he
> subject more than 67,000 LCD entries. That's at least a start . and an
> indication of the media worthiness of this approach)
> 2. Minimum qualifications: You have to have a car, and you have to agree =
to
> keep the little log (honestly?) for the full month (or at least that=20=20
> part of it
> during which you are trying to stick to the diet . . . and yes it is=20=20
> allowed to
> cheat if you must, but you have to do it in public. )
> 3. One idea could be to do a "public launch" of the program on the occasi=
on
> of your next Car Free Day.
> 4. Ideally, the LCD Challenge would be jointly sponsored by a number of
> local organizations, companies and groups. Any car share operators =
=20
> who might be
> present, the public transport operators, taxi companies, bike clubs,
> environmental groups, hospitals, public health, local lung and clean=20=20
> air groups,
> maybe some of the merchants who understand that this can work for=20=20=20
> them too, etc.
> And a foundation or two or just local people and families who care. =
=20
> Quite a list
> if you think about it. (And why not, the local AA, drug treatment, and
> anti-smoking groups who after all have long experience in this.=20=20=20
> Turns out that
> we have more than one monkey on our collectives backs)
> 5. It could be good to have a visible public booth in some central area
> with people to talk to who can help explain the program, a few useful and
> perhaps a bit funny tracts explaining how the whole things works,
> 6. We would want people to come into the booth to talk and learn about it=
-
> and that already would be a first small victory. (After all, how=20=20=20
> many people in
> your city have actually heard of a "Low-Car Diets?)
> 7. It would be important that all this be media savvy and bring in local
> media - maybe even as one of the partners? (The local media could even o=
ffer
> prizes themselves, why not?)
> 8. One idea might be to invite the local papers, radio and TV (great
> possible friends and hungry for local stuff) to come to the booth on say =
an
> hourly basis. There they would see not only the exhibit and the "LCD
> Thermometer" which shows hoe many people (a) have come to talk about=20=20
> it and (b)
> actually signed up for the LCD. And them maybe some interviews with =
=20
> either the
> organizers of some of these people who have decided to give it a whirl.
> 9. The pre-launch media build-up would also be critical of course.
> 10. What about the idea of having some way to show a number of short vide=
os
> which support this idea? We already have quite a collection of=20=20=20
> videos and clips
> and in addition to the five minute trailer for Contested
> <http://www.ecoplan.org/wtpp/general/sneakpreview.htm> Streets and the
> wonderful ninety second Man in
> <http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3D6479435200757745813> the Stre=
et
> interview in Groningen, you will surely be able to find one or two =
=20
> handfuls for
> people to gander at which help to explain what at the heart of it all thi=
s is
> all about. (Again to get there you go to http://www.newmobility.org=20=20
> and click
> them on the to menu. IF you want to talk about others, I will be=20=20=20
> pleased either
> to talk to you about this or via private email.)
> 11. Prizes and for what? Let's start with the prizes. It seems to me if t=
his
> whole thing is to swing, the prizes should be many, varied, interesting a=
nd
> directly related to what this whole thing is all about. (I guess=20=20=20
> that leaves out
> your Hummer). Since the whole thing is to have a high profile, it should =
be a
> no-brainer to bring in companies and others who wish to be=20=20=20
> identified with doing
> this wonderful ting for heir city.
> 12. For what? Well, it would seem to me that anyone who tries and sticks =
to
> it for the full month this should somehow be feted and reworded. Of =
=20
> course the
> most important reward is what they are going for themselves and=20=20=20
> their families,
> and for the community by being neighbors. And as leaders and roll=20=20=20
> models (at an
> age where these are in rather short supply).
> 13. It might be a good idea if they were invited to keep a very simple lo=
g
> book which they could fill out in three or four minutes each day=20=20=20
> just to trace
> their progress. The actual log book might have one page per day, and=20=20
> plenty of
> room for comments and observations.
> 14. One idea might be to invite them to put their logbook 'real time' in =
the
> web so as to publicly trace their problems, fears, accomplishments, =
=20
> occasional
> disagreements perhaps, attitudes for the whole thing. People should also =
be
> encouraged form the beginning to understand that this is not an easy=20=20
> thing, and
> that even if they start and later decide to throw in the towel that =
=20
> this is no
> disgrace. Not everyone who desires to stop smoking or snacking in=20=20=20
> front of the
> boob tube makes it the first time around. The important thing is to =
=20
> try. And, if
> they shoes to, to try in public.
> 15. The idea of a short essay is a good one, but I wonder if as Chris
> Bradshaw has just pointed out that the real victory will be to have one m=
ore
> person or family (hey, maybe two?) move over to a car-lite life=20=20=20
> style. Perhaps
> that could be the last two pages of the LCD logbook.
> 16. Then, exactly one month after the Big Launch, the wonderful public
> report, award ceremony, and maybe a round table and debate. Invite the ma=
yor.
> Invite the editor of the local paper. Invite the head of the local Chambe=
r of
> COmmerce or downtown business association. Make it into a bit deal. And=
oh
> yes, have fun and make your children proud of you.
>
>
>
> As hapless 'author' of the World Car Free Days movement back in 1994=20=20
> in Toledo
> Spain with the public CFD call, Thursday - A
> <http://ecoplan.org/carfreeday/general/thursday-full.htm>=20=20=20=20
> Breakthrough Strategy
> for Reducing Car Dependence in Cities, I have all too often been=20=20=20
> disappointed in
> the level of, let's call it, 'social entrepreneurships' behind most =
=20
> of the Days
> -- all too many of which have turned out to be rather drab affairs, quick=
ly
> done, little loved, and even more quickly forgotten. In a phrase,=20=20=20
> sorry to say,
> real losers. Oh dear. Fortunately there are out there in the world a lot =
of
> bright and hard working people with ideas of their own, and as a result t=
here
> have been some really wonderful Car Free Days, -- and the proof has =
=20
> often been
> that they were not quickly forgotten but actually have helped starting th=
e
> transformation of the community toward a more sustainable New Mobility
> environment. Which of course was the whole idea in the first place.
>
>
>
> So here we are more than a decade later and I really do think that if we =
push
> this year for LCD challenge programs in as many places as might be =
=20
> ready to pick
> up this challenge, well that would be a wonderful step ahead.
>
>
>
> Your turn.
>
>
>
> Eric Britton
>
>
>
> PS1. Get this news out. Hit your lists and already try the local media.
>
>
>
> PS2. If you plan to do this or even if only to consider it, would=20=20=20
> you be so kind
> to keep the list informed. Your example will be important for us all.
>
>
>
> PS3. And why not? Maybe some of you will turn this into an article or a m=
edia
> release. If so, terrific and make sure you share it with us all. Team wo=
rk -
> our only chance. Our Convenient Truth
>
>
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