Today starts Commute Another Way Week here in Maine, encouraging people to forgo their solo gas-guzzling car commutes and instead walk, bike, carpool, or try whatever energy-saving alternative moves them (kayak, rollerblades, ferry, train). Last year, when it was still Commute Another Way Day, 5,000 participants saved 3 tons of pollution, 4,600 gallons of gasoline, and $76,000 in commuting costs...in one day.

The now weeklong event is tied to the national Bike-to-Work Day (Friday, May 18) and Bike-to-Work Week (May 14-18), though many community events promote both biking and walking—the main idea being to curb your car.

Driving a car is the single most polluting thing that most of us do, according to the EPA. The obvious benefits of walking or biking instead are better health, less pollution and carbon emissions, and energy and money savings. But it’s also just more fun to start your day with a walk or bike ride.

Here at Trailspace my commute consists of walking to the office in my house. Commuting another way wasn't an option, but I've been working on reducing my still-too-high carbon footprint and wanted to participate. So, now that it’s spring (and the road's shoulder is no longer a large snowbank or thick mud), my son and I take the jog stroller whenever we visit our local library/playground. It’s more fun having him along for the ride (and more of a workout pushing his 32 pounds, plus "kid gear").

You may not be able to curb your car completely (though feel free to accept that challenge), but we can all find ways to drive less: hold off on that single errand until you're ready to do a bunch at once, run (literally) some of your errands, bike to school with your child. Find a bike month event near you and make walking and biking part of your lifestyle, not just a special day or week once a year.

Will my runs to our library alone stop global warming, air pollution, a national obesity crisis? No. But even though I can't do everything, in fact because I can't do everything, I still must do something.