A pair of actor's from ABC's crime drama Castle are trying to live a car-free life a couple of days every month and are filming their experiences for a YouTube documentary series. True, Stana Katic and Seamus Dever aren't vowing to get rid of their cars completely or anything like that, but the reality is that celebrities have a different microphone than the rest of us. If nothing else, these slick videos are showing how easy it is to ditch the car and get around Los Angeles.
The first film following our heroes' commute, follows the pair on their bicycles. It's clear that neither is a regular bike commuter (correction: it turns out that Dever is, but he seemed to me to be playing the part of a new rider,) but that's part of the point. Katic is wearing a softball helmet. Later, Dever discusses how riding in bike lanes is preferable because "nobody tries to kill you," so I guess somebody hasn't spent a lot of time riding on Venice.
Yet, the two cruise to their destination with no problem. They each talk up the benefits of cycling for mind, body, soul and environment. The message is clear. If these two can ride to work, anyone can.
The two are equally cheerful about riding public transportation. Dever, resting on a "Give Me 3" P.S.A., opines that there's no reason for transit to have the stigma it does with some parts of the public before hopping on a Metro Local Bus. Katic seems at home on the Red Line, using some sort of electronic device while hanging on a poll.
To help beef up the videos, Michael Brune of the Sierra Club and USC Professor Jim Haw provide on-camera stats and figures to explain the importance to mind, body and planet of providing and using an array of transportation options.
They're going to continue updating the series throughout the rest of the week. You can catch the latest film, here.
