Car free is care-free: the case for car share co-ops.

A car. It represents a lot more than just a means to get from point A to point B. Cars are also about freedom, success and individuality. In Saskatchewan, with this province's vast spaces, it is virtually impossible to imagine life without a car.

But now, in cities throughout Canada and Europe, groups of concerned citizens are challenging the way we use and view our cars, by establishing car share co-ops.

Car share co-ops are an innovative attempt to strike a balance between reducing the environmental impact of car use without compromising any of the convenience of individual car ownership. Quite simply, car share co-ops bring a group of people together to share in the ownership and access to cars. The usual ratio is one car for every ten drivers.

Car sharing is not the same as car pooling - with car pooling, a group of individuals are transported to a common destination at the same time. Car sharing, on the other hand, provides an individual access to a vehicle when other …