If you’ve ever considered driving less — or even getting rid of your car altogether — you’ve probably experienced de-car-ing anxiety: The fear that you’ll no longer have the freedom to do the stuff you think you love to do. What if I want to ditch my health kick and make a midnight run to Target for a cheap gallon ice cream? How will I get to Wal-Mart on a whim to buy that bargain plastic doohickey that’ll break in a month? Why should I give up the ability to make impulse buys that blow my recession budget and fill me with regret later?

Alright, alright — There are more legitimate reasons for getting in the car too (though I must point out that many de-car’d people report huge money savings, not just from car, gas, insurance, and maintenance payments but also from an unexpected but natural decrease in regrettable impulse buys). But the car could also be keeping you stuck, holding you back from discovering great alternatives — like the local candy and ice cream store or nearby Goodwill (excellent place to find plastic doohickeys for prices cheaper than Wal-Mart’s!) — in walking distance of you!

That, basically, is the reason website developer Kathryn Benedicto decided to pursue One-Mile Radius Living — finding walkable spots in her ‘hood to get the same things she was driving long distances to get. Kathryn says she got her idea after realizing that her driving habits kept her thinking like a car commuter even when she wasn’t commuting!

When I was a regular commuter, the stores I knew about were mostly along my commute path, and I’d often stop by on the way home from work. But on weekends, I’d mindlessly get in my car and drive to those same stores, because they were the only ones I knew. I’d remain blissfully ignorant of similar stores that were within walking distance but that I’d never driven by. I suspect many commuters fall into the same trap.

No one likes fighting traffic — So why relegate yourself to a 7-day commute when 5 days create enough suffering on their own? Kathryn decided to figure out what she could get locally — then started walking there instead.

This simple One-Mile-Radius Living trick can “help cut your expenses, keep you physically fit, reduce global warming, and help build community, all at the same time.” Just map out a 1-mile radius using WalkScore or Google Maps (which has a special tab for walking directions), check out what amenities exist in that area, then start walking to those places.

Of course, the One-Mile-Radius lifestyle will be easier for those living in more dense urban areas. Still, the idea isn’t about limiting yourself only to the stuff within a mile radius; it’s about getting stuff within that radius if you can. Aldra Robinson of Consciously Frugal notes that we often miss the great stuff that’s right in our backyards:

I lived in my current location for three years before I realized that there was a small wetlands area within walking distance. Of course, I spent that entire three years bitching about how I didn’t have enough green space in my uber urban environment. Perhaps if I had been less of a lazy tool and a little more pro-active in getting to know my neighborhood, I wouldn’t have had such complaints.

Aldra’s since discovered much to love in Long Beach, Calif.:

Despite fierce gentrification efforts that have shoved big box and chain stores down our throats, there are still dozens of locally owned shops and artists surrounding my abode. Had I not bothered to get off my duff and out of my car, I never would have discovered the gem that is my city.

The lesson here: Even if you don’t think your ‘hood’s all that walkable, take a good long look at what’s around you first BEFORE complaining there’s nothing and giving up. Abhishek Mukherjee of Shek’s Footprint says his neighborhood scored just 20 out of 100 on WalkScore — meaning that his town’s not very walker-friendly — yet he’s been inspired by the One-Mile-Radius Living idea and has managed to go car-free for 5 months! His advice is not to stress about stuff you can’t do, but to discover what you can — and to extend the eco-travel range with a bicycle:

Most people usually live close to a park, a grocery store, a restaurant, a bakery or a coffee shop. Starting small opens up a huge plethora of places and businesses one can commute on a bicycle.

Jesse at Philly Eco City was luckier, finding 9+ restaurants, 4 gyms, and even a hardware-home center within a mile radius. Jesse shares a handy Google hack to help you with your own One-Mile-Radius Living:

Google maps is great if you are looking for one single type of store in your neighborhood – say: all the Pharmacies. You would Google: “Pharmacy near ..256 Elm Street….”

Ready to try One-Mile-Radius Living yourself? First find out your own Walkscore — all you have to do is plug in your zip code — and share in the comments what cute spots you’ve discovered near you — and plan to start frequenting –

Update, 8/24/09: Walkable neighborhoods: The privilege of paying more to walk more

Top photo by chego101; bottom screenshot via Walkscore

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