Prius owner practises what she preaches

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Sarah Elton

Profession: Author and food writer

Age: 35

Hometown: Toronto

Notable achievements: Author of Locavore; writes regularly for publications including Chatelaine, The Globe and Mail, Maclean's and The Atlantic's Food Channel.

Currently: Food columnist for CBC Radio's Here and Now; working on a new book on Global Food, available in 2013

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Sarah Elton practises what she preaches.

As the food columnist for CBC Radio's Here and Now and author of Locavore, she puts her money where her mouth is. She buys locally grown food and is devoted to reducing her carbon footprint. That's why she drives an environmentally friendly car - a 2008 Toyota Prius hybrid.

Why did you buy a Prius?

I was working on my book, Locavore, at the time and I was reading lots of studies about food miles. I kept reading that the largest portion of the food miles often comes from people driving to the grocery store to pick up their food.

We had to buy a new car. We were driving an Echo and we just had a second child. I was in the passenger seat with my knees at my nose. My husband and I chose the Prius because our first and foremost consideration was environmental. We wanted to reduce our carbon emissions.

Did you look at other hybrids like the Ford Escape hybrid or Honda Civic hybrid?

We looked at other cars, but I could never drive an SUV because of what it represents.

We looked at other hybrids, but I liked the Prius the best. It had the best mileage.

What's the best feature on it?

When you go to the gas station you don't pay much for gas. It's amazing. I usually pay about $30.

We drive mostly in the city. We live downtown and we have a very little parking spot. I walk and bike mostly for short trips. When I do take the car it's when I have to drive somewhere.

My husband's family lives in Scarborough so we do have to drive there.

I looked at my gas mileage and in that severe cold, it was 6.2 litres/100 km. Usually it is 5.2.

What's also good is the back-up camera - it's fantastic you can parallel park in the tightest of spots.

What's the worst feature on it?

It has a bad blind spot, especially on the sides. When you're changing lanes you really have to look over your shoulder.

What does a Prius say about you?

We always joke when we're driving the car that people will think that we're not very aggressive drivers because we're driving a Prius.

I'm very concerned about climate change. I spend my days learning about all the bad ways that climate change is wreaking havoc with our world and how we're wreaking havoc with the world by driving. At least, when I drive the Prius it's a choice to reduce my carbon emissions.

Are you a car girl?

No. I'm not a car enthusiast. I'm a biking and foot person.

We live today in Canada so you need a car. It's very difficult to be a family living in the city even if you live downtown without a car. Even to get groceries you need a car. To get to swimming lessons and home for dinner. In our city, even if you live downtown, sometimes it's hard to get around without a car.

We drive to my in-laws and go visit my parents who have a farm in the country. When we want to go on family vacations you need a car. So I appreciate the car for what it is.

What was your first car?

It was a very old car named Betsy. It was third-hand through my husband's family.

It was named by his cousin when he bought it. It was a Toyota Corolla and we sold it right when the United States invaded Iraq.

No one wanted to buy it. We sold it for $500. The person who bought it was a young guy who was shipping cars because all the laws and regulations around imports and exports had gone out the window and he shipped it to Iraq because there was a huge market for all these old Toyotas - those were the ones they knew how to repair; they didn't want new ones. So our car went off on an adventure.

Any rules in the car?

We have rules, but they're just not sticking very well.

It's very dirty - on the outside, too. Usually it's always dirty on the inside because my children throw their stuff on the floor.

Both the grandfathers are so horrified that they've taken it upon themselves to clean our car. It's pretty embarrassing.

What's your best driving memory?

Driving in August near my parents' farm when the fields are a golden colour, driving to Georgian Bay going for a swim.

What's your worst driving memory?

The worst would be in China last fall when we were driving on the edge in these tiny little mountain passes that narrowed practically to dirt tracks and looking over to my right and thinking if that wheel moves even one foot we're going down thousands of feet.

That's my most recent bad driving memory.

I had been in a car accident in the Czech Republic a long time ago. When I got out of the airport my friend picked me up in Prague and we got into a van. I said, 'Where's the seat belt?' He said, 'You and your Ontario ways! You'll see - you don't need a seatbelt here.' Within 20 minutes we had a pretty bad collision. Luckily, no one was hurt.

What do you listen to on the road?

Children's music, much to my husband's horror.

I like to listen to podcasts. My husband likes to listen to CIUT, university campus radio. I like to listen to CBC. We fight over CBC vs. CIUT.

If I could bring you the keys to any car, what would it be?

I'm happy with this car. I don't covet a luxury car.

Is the Prius a keeper?

We tell our six-year-old this is the car she's going to learn to drive on. We're waiting for the electric car.

The interview has been edited and condensed.

pgentile@globeandmail.com