For the second year in a row, more than two dozen Portlanders handed over their car keys as they literally gave up their car for a month as part of the second annual Portland Low-Car Diet. The event was sponsored by TriMet, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Department of Transportation, Multnomah County Department of Health, City of Portland, Bike Gallery, Amtrak CASCADES , New Seasons Market Online Shopping and FlexCar. The participants pledged to use TriMet, bicycling, walking, FlexCar and other modes of transportation to get around town for the next four weeks.

“Last year’s event was so popular we decided to make it an annual event,” said Bill Scott, General Manager of FlexCar’s Portland region. “As concerns about global warming increase and with the price of gas near all-time highs, more people are looking for ways to reduce their car use. The Low-Car Diet is a fun and supportive way to help people get started.”

Low-Car Diet participants will be given a free membership and $200 worth of driving credit from FlexCar during the month, as well as a monthly TriMet transit pass, a $50 voucher at the Bike Gallery, a free Chinook Book, free grocery delivery service from New Seasons Market, other “goodies” and transportation information designed to make their month-long car “diet” enjoyable. Should they complete the month without driving their own car, they will be awarded free hours of FlexCar use each month for a year and a round-trip ticket to Seattle or Eugene on Amtrak CASCADES . And if they decide to sell their own car and continue to use transit, FlexCar and other alternatives they will enjoy savings of up to several hundred dollars per month over owning a personal vehicle.

Participants will keep a journal of their experiences – both the ups and the downs – of their Low-Car Diet throughout the campaign. Excerpts will be posted on the event Web site at www.portlandlowcardiet.com.

Sarah Gilbert, one of last year’s participants who sold her car as a result of the challenge said, “Last year’s challenge really helped show us that we could reduce our dependency on our car. As a result, we sold our car. We feel good about the money we’re saving and the impact on the environment from driving less.”

Portland’s excellent transit system and bikeway network make the region ripe for a low-car environment. Fewer cars mean less pollution, less congestion and more room for open spaces – all hallmarks of Portland’s appeal as one of the best cities in which to live. And not only is driving less good for the environment and the pocket book, it’s good for health. Only 39 percent of adult Oregonians meet the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity. Incorporating this activity in the form of biking to work or even walking briskly to and from transit stops can help people reach this daily limit.

More information on the Low-Car Diet is available online at www.portlandlowcardiet.com or by calling 503-328-FLEX (3539). More information about all transportation options is at www.GettingAroundPortland.org.