Results tagged “fuel consumption” from iVillage - Simply Green
It's ridiculous! Why has it taken me so long to commit to riding my bike more consistently to the store, the gym, my daughter’s school, and our local pool? I’ve always done it on occasion, but I am embarrassed about how mindless I've been.
Knowing that small steps can lead to big and lasting change, it’s better late than never. For those of you who are scratching your heads in reaction to the current astronomical gas prices and the poignant realization of our over-reliance on the slick black stuff, it’s time to get the bicycle out from the back of the garage, pump up your tires, and make use of a fantastic alternate mode of local transportation.
It is definitely my time to step up my commitment to traveling locally by bicycle... but did I have to feel the increased need on the hottest days of the year thus far?! And when I get a passionate idea in my head, there’s no stopping me; I just do what I need to do, sweat and all. So my daughter and I have been gallivanting around town on my bike with the child extender and crocodile horn, encouraging each other to go faster and taking turns singing. We enjoy our time peddling together, have made it fun and have learned that if you go fast enough, you can catch a breeze, no matter how humid it may be. Gifts present themselves when you least expect them!
Happy peddling!
With the rising demand for ethanol and other biofuels in wealthy countries, including the U.S. and Great Britain, and the demand for a more protein-rich diet in developing countries like China, the world is struggling to cope with the enormity of the shift in supply and demand that has gradually been taking place over the past five years. Soaring world food prices have ignited protests and killings in Haiti and prompted violent outbursts in bread lines throughout Egypt. Worldwide international aid is scrambling to help poorer nations cope with the skyrocketing food prices that are now the result of low food reserves, higher energy prices and grain crops being converted to biofuel.
The effects of our living without regard to our gross amount of food waste and fuel consumption is finally catching up with us. Until we address accountability of our actions and realize that what we do over “here” affects people over “there,” the food/fuel crisis will continue to spiral out of control, taking us right down with it into poverty and malnutrition. Can that really happen? Let’s not test the water.
The good news is that because it is a situation we’ve created, we are the ones who can turn it around! It’s time we pick up the slack, tighten our belts and hunker down to some honest soul-searching by asking, “What is my part in all of this, and how can I make a difference?”
So here are some of the things I’ve come up with:
- First, whether making choices as a nation or as individuals, let’s remember Sir Isaac Newton’s theory of “every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”
- When it comes to buying food, make sure we buy only what we need in order to reduce spoilage waste.
- Globally, nations that supply the world with grain need to stop driving prices up by hoarding their reserves.
- Let’s support our local farmers with gusto! Farmers who are not government-subsidized need to stay in business in order to help ease the food burden as a whole.
- Globally, grand-scale assistance for small farmers in developing countries needs to be enacted to make sure they have seeds and fertilizer in order to expand production.
- Check in with the businesses and local establishments that you patronize to encourage them to recycle if they are not already doing so. And don’t forget the local schools! I am surprised at how few establishments in my hometown recycle, but I’m working on it. Remember that the adage “the squeaky wheel gets the oil” holds true, so keep at it!
- Last but not least, read all you can to educate yourself about biofuels and the current world hunger crisis. The two are related, and something’s got to give. Make it a priority to educate yourself and act on this important issue.
As a part of your research, you might want to check out WorldBank.org.
Wake-Up Call
I knew it was going to be impossible to avoid on a holiday: sitting in traffic, that is. We know that travel on Memorial Day means we will have to count on it.
For the first time ever, I actually turned off my engine while in bumper-to-bumper traffic on an entrance ramp. I was surprised to see many other folks do the same. One dude got out his skateboard and did a few tricks for us. A nice way to prevent getting hot and bothered, I thought, and talk about being prepared!
After setting a lifetime record on the amount I spent on gasoline to fill my '99 Volvo, I was prompted to consider the gas I was consuming that day, as well as how much it would cost to make the day trip I had planned for the next day. "Can I make it through the two travel days on one tank? Wow, I just filled up, and I might have to fill up again tomorrow night." Sad to say, but I was one of those who handed over my gas card, said “fill'er up please,” and that was it. It was part of my regular budget, and there was no need to think about it. But the wake-up call has arrived, and we now have no choice but to think about it.
I was too young in the '70s to understand the embargo and resulting crisis, but now I get it, loud and clear, and it's beginning to pinch. Without a doubt, our lives are overdependent on oil and gasoline. Driving my daughter to school daily (although we will ride bikes now that it’s warmer), visiting friends, running too often to the supermarket—we have become fuel addicts, and we are not alone. Ever increasingly, it seems that gas is what makes the world go around.
A Captive Audience
So as I continued to sit in stand-still traffic for more than an hour, and after a lovely conversation with the gal in the car behind me about an essential oil that takes away the sting of insect bites, I tuned the radio to NPR, which was doing a segment on gas consumption of all things! I listened intently, learning that not only are Western countries consuming more and more resources, but Third World countries are also consuming more. In India, China and Africa, more and more people are leaving their countryside lifestyles to get jobs in nearby cities, turning in their bikes for fuel-burning cars. The standard of living is increasing globally, and the world is feeling the effects of diminishing resources from the shift of supply and demand.
I do believe things happen for a reason, and for me, being a captive audience really forced me to listen and take notice. The timing could not have been more perfect, and I was listening.
We are fortunate to be living during a time of great opportunity, but we don’t always take full advantage of it. Let’s shift out of the current gotta-have-it-NOW mindset to a what-can-I-do-with-what-I-have thinking, and even carry it over into our businesses. My gym, for example, is thinking out of the box, now offering membership discounts for getting there on foot or by bike. What a great incentive idea! And from there, I’m sure more ideas will flow.
Story of Stuff
I have a new friend who lives on an island in Norway that is government-subsidized to explore and research new and different ways to live more environmentally sound and aware. She and her neighbors take the environment very seriously, and she shared a powerful video with me. I want you to watch it and absorb it. It takes 20 minutes, but I assure you, it will be well worth your time. Share it with your family, friends, email list, corporations, and municipality and government officials.
And please remember to leave guilt at the door. It does nothing but tear us down. Allow the video to prompt you to take a more proactive approach by doing your part to chisel away day in and day out, no matter how big or small the effort. Just as long as you do something, REGULARLY.
Check out StoryofStuff.com and let me know what you think!
