Addressing the driving issue: Finally

National Public Radio ran this great report today about an Atlanta woman and her child who moved from the suburbs to the city. By removing her commute, the move greatly reduced her carbon footprint.

It was nice to hear this issue being addressed as far as parents are concerned. Most green parenting stories I see talk to parents who buy organic or use all-natural products. Not that these things are bad, but it's only in passing the stories mention the parental resistance to giving up the minivan.

At first I thought, "Oh great. Another story of how the rich are becoming oh so green." But the woman, Malaika Taylor, talked about how she couldn't afford a house inside the city but could move into an innovative development that incorporates residential and commercial life.

Taylor didn't have the environment in mind when she made these decisions, much like my own family's decision to try a more simple pace. She just wanted to get her life back. It's at the core of how the environmental movement can be a catalyst to returning sanity to the American family.

I love how she describes her new commute-free life.

"Maybe I'll work out. Maybe we'll play a game. It makes a huge difference just in the quality of our life. We get to spend a lot more time together. I think she's happier. I'm happier. It makes life a lot better."