Zipcar members & employees share wishes for the future of cities
Imagine the cities of the future—better design, more parks, fewer cars overall. A better place for everyone, indeed, as evidenced by Zipcar’s recent commitment to placing 25% of our EV fleet in disadvantaged communities.
We asked our members and employees to explain how they’d like to see their cities evolve—and even better places to live—in the future. Here’s what they had to say.
Integrate More Green Spaces
“Boston’s construction is exploding, which means buildings everywhere. There’s a handful of big green spaces, but not many smaller spaces conveniently located for dogs, or relaxing during warmer months.” —Paul, Zipcar Employee, Boston
“I'd wish for Boston to have less concrete and more jungle. I'd love to see more public green spaces sustainably designed to bring the beauty of nature into all parts of our city. Public green spaces, green walls, and roofs can all help improve air quality, increase biodiversity, and enhance the aesthetic appeal of our city!” —Hayley, Zipcar Employee, Boston
“More parks with playscapes and gardens! Where there's an abandoned lot, turn it into a park for everyone to enjoy full of native plants and flowers to beautify the concrete jungle!” —Ashley, Zipcar Employee, Boston
“More support for the advocacy group New Yorkers for Parks as they fight for one percent of the city budget to go to the Parks Department! It is less than half of that now and the current preliminary budget for 2023-24 would cut it by another $46million. Our parks deserve more money!” —Debra, Zipcar Employee, New York City
Create Denser Neighborhoods
“I'd love to see San Francisco—and large urban centers across California—go full throttle and massively build homes and densify. Allowing people to live close to where they live, work, and play means that more trips can be made by foot, bike, or transit. It's time to abolish the super-commute and embrace the 15-minute city!” —Jon, Zipcar Employee, San Francisco
Remove Cars
“I wish there were less vehicles in Boston. Boston traffic is a nightmare for most folks, and having longer bike baths that extend into Dorchester, South Boston, Back Bay or having more Zipcars available could help limit traffic congestion and emissions in a sustainable way.” —Cecilia, Zipcar Employee, Boston
Bolster Renewable Energy
“I wish to see more renewable energy sources powering our city! We have improved a lot over the years, but we can still do more. Having more building switching to solar power or decreasing fossil fuel usage will make all the difference!” —Tyler, Zipcar Member, New York City
Make Room for Trees
“My wish is to plant more trees.” —Sue Ellen, Zipcar Member, New Jersey
End Single-Use Plastic
“I wish for a waste-free society where stores let us bring our own containers, or bring back mugs, cups, and containers to refill products instead of buying single-use plastic every day. I wish for single-use food ware in restaurants to be compostable and actually composted.” —Carolyn, Zipcar Employee, New York City
Expand Public Transportation
“I would love public transportation options to expand. In Atlanta there are plenty of opportunities for it. We live in a culture that heavily relies on car ownership, and car ownership should be seen more as an option and not a necessity.” —Nikki, Zipcar Employee, Georgia
