High Gas Prices

So gas prices around me are $4.10 a gallon this Memorial weekend (gouging?), and that really sucks, or so I thought initially.

Since the gas prices have skyrocketed, I've really started to become more energy conscious, I haven't bought a hybrid or started using a cloth shopping bag, but I've done other things. I have started asking for paper bags instead of plastic at the grocery store, shutting off lights in the house, and I bought a Honda Civic; gas mileage was a big part of that decision.

I don't think we should all become tree hugging hippies, but managing our resources responsibly isn't something that hippies have exclusive rights on. Our "Carbon Footprint" is kind of a buzz-phrase right now, but as much as we would like to think so, it's not our right as Americans to drive civilian tanks (big SUV's) for no other purpose than transporting people from point A to point B. I'm not against trucks, they serve a vital role in our economy, when actually used for their purpose (to haul stuff).

My point to this post? Don't be wasteful! Or at least recognize that maybe instead of relying on engineers to discover some alternative energy source to solve all our problems and continue to be irresponsible, ride a bike to work, carpool, do something to save oil.

Why oil and not energy? Oil is not renewable, and its products aren't biodegradable (plastic), you can grow more trees, but you can't make more oil in our lifetime.

Another obvious benefit to not burning so much oil? Pollution, I really hate blowing my nose at the end of the day and it being black from all the pollution. (Like when I was in Beijing, but that's a whole other story.)

Conclusion:
Don't be wasteful, figure out something in your life that you can change to use less oil.

Gas Prices in England. (Just some reassuring information that life in America ain't so bad.)