Buy Local
The organic food movement has changed the way American’s look at food. We no longer take for granted how produce in the supermarket was grown, the meat raised, and the prepackaged food put together. We read box labels and ingredient lists looking for unnecessary additives. We question where food came from. Seeing this, food companies identified the organic food niche and now market food as organically grown. Americans more then ever understand the saying ‘you are what you eat’.
There is another food movement that is as important and maybe even more relevant with today’s high gasoline prices. It is Buy Local. How far does food travel to get to your plate? Much of the food we see in our supermarkets, organic or not, comes from hundreds, even thousands of miles away, often spending days being trucked or flown from field to store. Transportation of food costs money, energy, and adds pollution to our ecosystem. Your local farmer’s market, community garden, food co-op, or seed savers group specializes in food grown locally. Some independently owned supermarkets supplement their stocks with locally grown food. Select restaurants (Charleston, Twin Cities) fill a niche by only preparing locally grown food. There is a name for people who buy and eat only locally grown food. Call them locavores.
There are many benefits to buying local. By cutting out the middle man, more money from the purchase of local food ends up in the farmer’s pocket and stays in the local economy. Local food systems encourage multiple cropping, in other words, growing multiple species and a wide variety of crops at the same time and same place, as opposed to the prevalent commercial practice of large-scale, single-crop farms. This encourages crop rotation, keeping the soil in better condition. More, smaller farms decrease the risk of a bio-terrorist attack crippling the entire nation’s food supply. That’s something even President Bush could get behind (maybe). Criticisms to the buy local food movement include loss of variety and availability year round. Local food proponents turn these negatives into positives by saying that local food translates to more variety because farmers are free to try small crop varieties and regional varieties. And by eating with the seasons, you eat foods when they are at their peak taste, and are the most abundant, and the least expensive. This is something our grandparents would appreciate.
The Buy Local movement can be applied to anything, not just food. How many goods do we get from half way around the world? Do we need them and can we Buy Local?
Showing posts with label common sense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label common sense. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 9 of 10)
The 3 R’s
We live in a disposable society. We buy new clothes when we haven’t worn out the old ones. We throw away extra food when we’ve eaten our fill. It’s a sad truth, but Americans are a wasteful people. I think we could all benefit from a few “Back in my day…” stories from grandparents who grew up in leaner times. Luckily, a simple set of rules for improving our wasteful habits is already laid out. Just incorporate the three R’s into your daily routine: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Reduce. There are many ways to implement this rule into your daily life, but it starts with shopping smart. Purchase goods that use less packaging, especially plastic, because guess what, if it’s plastic it’s made from oil and it takes oil to get it to the store. For example, instead of buying pre-shredded cheese for your salad or tacos, buy a block of cheddar and grate it yourself. Cheese doesn’t go bad overnight, you save packaging material, and by buying in bulk, you save a little money at the same time. Another example, instead of buying bottled water, get a home filtration system. 60 million disposable plastic bottles per day are disposed of in the U.S. alone and millions of gallons of fuel are wasted transporting filtered tap water around the world. Not only is it wasteful, but it doesn’t make economical sense. Why pay two dollars a bottle for filtered water when America has some of the safest drinking water in the world and it comes out of the tap for fractions of a cent?
Reuse. The grocery industry shares responsibility with consumers for the wasteful “paper or plastic” question at the end of the checkout lane. We’ve gotten used to disposable bags, but grocers and consumers are seeing the light and jumping on the green bandwagon. There is a new niche market that sells reusable shopping bags; some are even 'fashionable'. Chain grocers like Safeway and Albertson’s sell their own reusable bags for a small price and sometimes offer them free during promotions. Safeway has an in-store recycling program where you can bring in used plastic grocery bags also. Less “paper or plastic?” means the store saves a little money, a few ounces of oil are saved for other purposes, and a few trees are saved from the mill.
Recycle. Everyone knows to separate paper from plastic and steel from aluminum, but there is a form of recycling that Nature practices everyday, composting. Composting removes kitchen, garden, and yard waste from the landfill and yields an organic rich material. All you need is a little space dedicated to it. You can actively compost, passively compost, compost with worms, use bins, or just pile the refuse in the corner of your yard. Any way you do it, the end result greens up your garden, your lawn, and the earth.
We live in a disposable society. We buy new clothes when we haven’t worn out the old ones. We throw away extra food when we’ve eaten our fill. It’s a sad truth, but Americans are a wasteful people. I think we could all benefit from a few “Back in my day…” stories from grandparents who grew up in leaner times. Luckily, a simple set of rules for improving our wasteful habits is already laid out. Just incorporate the three R’s into your daily routine: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Reduce. There are many ways to implement this rule into your daily life, but it starts with shopping smart. Purchase goods that use less packaging, especially plastic, because guess what, if it’s plastic it’s made from oil and it takes oil to get it to the store. For example, instead of buying pre-shredded cheese for your salad or tacos, buy a block of cheddar and grate it yourself. Cheese doesn’t go bad overnight, you save packaging material, and by buying in bulk, you save a little money at the same time. Another example, instead of buying bottled water, get a home filtration system. 60 million disposable plastic bottles per day are disposed of in the U.S. alone and millions of gallons of fuel are wasted transporting filtered tap water around the world. Not only is it wasteful, but it doesn’t make economical sense. Why pay two dollars a bottle for filtered water when America has some of the safest drinking water in the world and it comes out of the tap for fractions of a cent?
Reuse. The grocery industry shares responsibility with consumers for the wasteful “paper or plastic” question at the end of the checkout lane. We’ve gotten used to disposable bags, but grocers and consumers are seeing the light and jumping on the green bandwagon. There is a new niche market that sells reusable shopping bags; some are even 'fashionable'. Chain grocers like Safeway and Albertson’s sell their own reusable bags for a small price and sometimes offer them free during promotions. Safeway has an in-store recycling program where you can bring in used plastic grocery bags also. Less “paper or plastic?” means the store saves a little money, a few ounces of oil are saved for other purposes, and a few trees are saved from the mill.
Recycle. Everyone knows to separate paper from plastic and steel from aluminum, but there is a form of recycling that Nature practices everyday, composting. Composting removes kitchen, garden, and yard waste from the landfill and yields an organic rich material. All you need is a little space dedicated to it. You can actively compost, passively compost, compost with worms, use bins, or just pile the refuse in the corner of your yard. Any way you do it, the end result greens up your garden, your lawn, and the earth.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 8 of 10)
Green Your Dream Home
The first concerns when undergoing a home renovation project or building new from the ground up should address heating, cooling, and lighting, the largest energy drains in a home. Consider the following options to green your dream home because a home renovation should improve your eco-lifestyle, not waste more energy and money.
Start by adding a layer of insulation. Any home built before 1980 more than likely is under-insulated. Choose a form of insulation that fits your needs (blown cellulose, foam, fiberglass). By increasing the amount of insulation in the attic alone you can reduce your heating/cooling bill by as much as 10-50%.
Get off the grid. Support your electricity needs by installing solar panels. There is no better way to get off fossil fuels than to take advantage of an unlimited renewable resource, like the sun, and in a place like Las Vegas with 200+ days of sun per year, using solar energy is good common sense. They are expensive. A five-kilowatt system that meets the needs of a conventional home could run between $30,000-40,000. Put the initial cost in perspective, though. If you are shelling out $200 a month for heating/cooling/lighting, solar panels will pay for themselves in 15 years and as the cost of natural gas, electricity, and heating oil increases, even sooner. Other advantages to solar power: solar panels add value to your house, there are government incentives in some states that will reduce the cost of installing solar panels, and as more people choose to go solar, the cost of materials will decrease.
Install a geothermal heat pump. Anyone with a split unit air conditioner is familiar with the idea of a heat pump. In a simplified explanation, the evaporator coil extracts heat from the air inside and transfers it to the condenser outside your house where heat is dispersed to the outside air leaving cooled air to be recirculated through your house by a fan. Geothermal heat pumps are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but instead of using heat found in the air, they use the constant temperature of the earth to heat, cool, and in most cases provide hot water. Studies show that approximately 70% of the energy used in a geothermal heat pump system is renewable energy from the ground. An average American home will need a three-ton unit costing approximately $7500 to install, nearly double that of an ordinary heat pump system (small change in the long run). Add electricity supplied from a small solar panel to power the recirculating pump and fan, and you’re heating and cooling your home efficiently, off the grid, with a green mindset.
Go old school. Remember before air conditioning, when all homes had front porches and homes in tornado alley all had a ‘storm cellar’? There was a reason homes had porches and basements and it wasn’t merely for aesthetics and added home value. In mid-August when evening temperatures cool to slightly less than ‘hotter than hell,’ what better place to try and catch a cool breeze than on the front porch. The front porch was also the meeting place to exchange the news and gossip amongst neighbors after a long hot day. Someone living in tornado alley understands the utility of a basement, but it is also a cool place to escape to when the temperatures outside are unbearable. Porches and basements may not be as comfortable as sitting in an air conditioned room on a hot day, but for a little physical discomfort you can reduce your monthly energy bill and help ease America’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Finally, a little planning goes a long way in saving you energy and money. Here are five simple things you can do in the construction and positioning of a new house that can make a difference in your energy bill.
1. Place the house with the long or main axis of the house running east and west for maximum solar gain in the winter.
The first concerns when undergoing a home renovation project or building new from the ground up should address heating, cooling, and lighting, the largest energy drains in a home. Consider the following options to green your dream home because a home renovation should improve your eco-lifestyle, not waste more energy and money.
Start by adding a layer of insulation. Any home built before 1980 more than likely is under-insulated. Choose a form of insulation that fits your needs (blown cellulose, foam, fiberglass). By increasing the amount of insulation in the attic alone you can reduce your heating/cooling bill by as much as 10-50%.
Get off the grid. Support your electricity needs by installing solar panels. There is no better way to get off fossil fuels than to take advantage of an unlimited renewable resource, like the sun, and in a place like Las Vegas with 200+ days of sun per year, using solar energy is good common sense. They are expensive. A five-kilowatt system that meets the needs of a conventional home could run between $30,000-40,000. Put the initial cost in perspective, though. If you are shelling out $200 a month for heating/cooling/lighting, solar panels will pay for themselves in 15 years and as the cost of natural gas, electricity, and heating oil increases, even sooner. Other advantages to solar power: solar panels add value to your house, there are government incentives in some states that will reduce the cost of installing solar panels, and as more people choose to go solar, the cost of materials will decrease.
Install a geothermal heat pump. Anyone with a split unit air conditioner is familiar with the idea of a heat pump. In a simplified explanation, the evaporator coil extracts heat from the air inside and transfers it to the condenser outside your house where heat is dispersed to the outside air leaving cooled air to be recirculated through your house by a fan. Geothermal heat pumps are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but instead of using heat found in the air, they use the constant temperature of the earth to heat, cool, and in most cases provide hot water. Studies show that approximately 70% of the energy used in a geothermal heat pump system is renewable energy from the ground. An average American home will need a three-ton unit costing approximately $7500 to install, nearly double that of an ordinary heat pump system (small change in the long run). Add electricity supplied from a small solar panel to power the recirculating pump and fan, and you’re heating and cooling your home efficiently, off the grid, with a green mindset.
Go old school. Remember before air conditioning, when all homes had front porches and homes in tornado alley all had a ‘storm cellar’? There was a reason homes had porches and basements and it wasn’t merely for aesthetics and added home value. In mid-August when evening temperatures cool to slightly less than ‘hotter than hell,’ what better place to try and catch a cool breeze than on the front porch. The front porch was also the meeting place to exchange the news and gossip amongst neighbors after a long hot day. Someone living in tornado alley understands the utility of a basement, but it is also a cool place to escape to when the temperatures outside are unbearable. Porches and basements may not be as comfortable as sitting in an air conditioned room on a hot day, but for a little physical discomfort you can reduce your monthly energy bill and help ease America’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Finally, a little planning goes a long way in saving you energy and money. Here are five simple things you can do in the construction and positioning of a new house that can make a difference in your energy bill.
1. Place the house with the long or main axis of the house running east and west for maximum solar gain in the winter.
2. Window roof overhangs extended at least 30 inches provide shade from direct sunlight in the summer, but allow sunlight to warm the house during the winter when sun is lower in the sky.
3. Position windows in the house to take advantage of summer breezes from prevailing winds to cool the house.
4. Position unheated areas and the garage on the sides of the house to act as buffers against the brunt of winter winds.
5. Plant trees to provide shade on the side of the house that receives the most sun exposure during the summer and as buffer from the prevailing winds in winter.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 7 of 10)
Make Your Home Energy Sufficient
The previous posts in this series have focused on fuel-efficient methods of transportation. While greening up your commute goes a long way to decreasing America’s reliance on oil, most of us spend more time in our homes than in our car and the home is a perfect place to save energy and money. Let’s start with the basics, things you can do without demolishing a home and rebuilding or retrofitting an existing structure.
Before you buy, think smaller. In the case of energy efficiency, smaller is better. The economy of the 90s not only allowed us the ability to super-size our rides, but super-size our homes as well. And just like with larger vehicles, larger homes take more energy to run. Ya, ya, ya,… I know what you’re saying. I’ve heard the excuse before. “But my home is an investment.” Listen, you have to be able to afford your monstrous house before you can live in it. Or did you not learn your lesson the first time it was foreclosed on. One of the best ways to reduce your energy bill is to live in a home that fits your family’s size and needs. Not everyone in your family needs their own bedroom and bathroom. Less space means less energy necessary to heat and cool your home. My favorite advantage to a smaller home: less time needed to clean it. More energy for me!
People will tell you that success in business is all about location, location, location. This simple motto extends to your home also. To be energy efficient, start with a home that is near public transportation or places you frequent. You can jump on the commuter rail to get to work or walk to the store to pick up groceries for the day without firing up your car. By doing this alone you already have a heads up in the energy race.
Turn it up in the summer and down in the winter. It’s just common sense. Turning down your thermostat during the winter and putting on an extra layer of clothing saves you money. Turning down your thermostat six to ten degrees when you are away from the house and at night when you’re underneath the covers will also save you a chunk of change also. Another benefit, you get to wear more of those fashionable winter sweaters. Did you know it costs more energy to cool a house than to heat it? By turning up the temperature on your thermostat in the summer you can save 5 to 10% on the operating cost of your air conditioner for every two degrees of cooling you are willing to give up. Use a programmable thermostat instead of a rheostat. It will take all the thought process out of remembering to adjust it manually and increase your overall savings.
Don’t be a dim bulb. Use energy efficient fluorescent light bulbs. A 15 watt fluorescent bulb lasts 10,000 hours compared to 500 for a 60 watt incandescent and uses one quarter the energy. Yes they’re more expensive, but they pay for themselves in the long run.
Use energy efficient appliances. For example, front-loading washers use 40-60% less water and 30-50% less energy than typical top-loaders. Your clothes will last longer with a front-loader also, because they gently tumble your clothes instead of jerking them around with an agitator. Couple the front-loader with drying your clothes on a line during the summer to further reduce your energy consumption. Look for appliances marked with the Energy Star label.
If you have forced air, clean or replace air filters as recommended. Energy is lost when air conditioners and hot-air furnaces have to work harder to draw air through dirty filters. Cleaning a dirty air conditioner filter can save 5 percent of the energy used. That could save 175 pounds of CO2 per year.
Wow, that was easy. We didn’t even have to knock down any walls. I’ve saved the dirty work for tomorrow.
The previous posts in this series have focused on fuel-efficient methods of transportation. While greening up your commute goes a long way to decreasing America’s reliance on oil, most of us spend more time in our homes than in our car and the home is a perfect place to save energy and money. Let’s start with the basics, things you can do without demolishing a home and rebuilding or retrofitting an existing structure.
Before you buy, think smaller. In the case of energy efficiency, smaller is better. The economy of the 90s not only allowed us the ability to super-size our rides, but super-size our homes as well. And just like with larger vehicles, larger homes take more energy to run. Ya, ya, ya,… I know what you’re saying. I’ve heard the excuse before. “But my home is an investment.” Listen, you have to be able to afford your monstrous house before you can live in it. Or did you not learn your lesson the first time it was foreclosed on. One of the best ways to reduce your energy bill is to live in a home that fits your family’s size and needs. Not everyone in your family needs their own bedroom and bathroom. Less space means less energy necessary to heat and cool your home. My favorite advantage to a smaller home: less time needed to clean it. More energy for me!
People will tell you that success in business is all about location, location, location. This simple motto extends to your home also. To be energy efficient, start with a home that is near public transportation or places you frequent. You can jump on the commuter rail to get to work or walk to the store to pick up groceries for the day without firing up your car. By doing this alone you already have a heads up in the energy race.
Turn it up in the summer and down in the winter. It’s just common sense. Turning down your thermostat during the winter and putting on an extra layer of clothing saves you money. Turning down your thermostat six to ten degrees when you are away from the house and at night when you’re underneath the covers will also save you a chunk of change also. Another benefit, you get to wear more of those fashionable winter sweaters. Did you know it costs more energy to cool a house than to heat it? By turning up the temperature on your thermostat in the summer you can save 5 to 10% on the operating cost of your air conditioner for every two degrees of cooling you are willing to give up. Use a programmable thermostat instead of a rheostat. It will take all the thought process out of remembering to adjust it manually and increase your overall savings.
Don’t be a dim bulb. Use energy efficient fluorescent light bulbs. A 15 watt fluorescent bulb lasts 10,000 hours compared to 500 for a 60 watt incandescent and uses one quarter the energy. Yes they’re more expensive, but they pay for themselves in the long run.
Use energy efficient appliances. For example, front-loading washers use 40-60% less water and 30-50% less energy than typical top-loaders. Your clothes will last longer with a front-loader also, because they gently tumble your clothes instead of jerking them around with an agitator. Couple the front-loader with drying your clothes on a line during the summer to further reduce your energy consumption. Look for appliances marked with the Energy Star label.
If you have forced air, clean or replace air filters as recommended. Energy is lost when air conditioners and hot-air furnaces have to work harder to draw air through dirty filters. Cleaning a dirty air conditioner filter can save 5 percent of the energy used. That could save 175 pounds of CO2 per year.
Wow, that was easy. We didn’t even have to knock down any walls. I’ve saved the dirty work for tomorrow.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 6 of 10)
Walking and Biking: Alternative Modes of Transportation
Alternative modes of transportation are anything other than a car, bus, or train. Because in America, motorized transport is primary. Anything else and you might have to break a sweat (and we don’t want to do that).
What’s the best alternative mode of transportation in America? Walking. Just put one foot in front of another. As they say in the infomercials, “It’s that easy!” Add in a pair of comfortable shoes and you’ve got a healthy, cost effective, eco-friendly way to transport yourself from point A to point B. Of course, effective walking does require some forethought. Ideally you have chosen a place to live that puts you within a short pedestrian commute from work, the grocery store, post office, and/or good shopping. By being within walking distance of a place you frequent it cuts down on the number of times you have to fire up that engine and fuel up the tank. And if you happen to be running a little late, just kick it into high gear. A little running never hurt anyone. Are you sold yet?
Do you have a little longer commute? Rather then creating stress by driving to work, reduce your stress by biking. Bicycling can be one of the most pleasant ways to commute. You experience the environment outside the confines of your automobile. You get to work and work out at the same time. It’s easier to park a bike than a car (and less expensive). And bike friendly towns like Missoula, MT and Madison, WI give cyclists their own lane on the road. If you are within five miles of your destination, biking is a great way to get there.
Of course, biking to work does require some planning, especially if appearances are important. A locker room at work with showers where you can store work clothes for the week is ideal, but if it isn’t available, a bathroom to change in and alcohol towelettes will clean you up quickly. If you bike in your work clothes, invest in some saddlebags for your bike to carry anything you’ll need for the day. Wearing a pack will leave you with a sweat stain on your back.
What are my bike options? We all have images of ourselves as Lance Armstrong on our bikes, but only he benefits from a carbon fiber composite frame, machined aluminum wheels, high-end rim breaks, and the latest and greatest footwear. He, unlike many of us, benefits from endless cash reserves also. Hi-tech, expensive equipment will hardly improve your morning commute. Commuter bikes and hybrids provide comfort and utility at a reasonable price. The rider sits taller, more comfortably, on a commuter bike than on a road bike and the larger diameter wheels make pedaling more efficient than on a mountain bike. A reasonable commuter bike or hybrid ranges in price from $300 to $1000. You can add on features like saddlebags, lamps, and fenders for small change. If you need to stow your bike in your workspace, a collapsible bike is a good fit. Some fold down to the size of a suitcase.
If you can’t bike or walk all the way to work, mix and match. Walk to a bus stop. Bike to a park-and-ride and meet your carpool. Bike to the platform the nearest commuter rail. Drive to a park near work and bike the rest of the way. The ways to green up your morning commute are endless and you might get a little exercise in the process.
I’d like to thank Rusty for jumping the gun with his questions on May 19th. He was right on the mark. You can check out his bicycle woes on his blog, Rust Never Sleeps. I don’t mean to discriminate against lazy people, so for those who hate to break a sweat, check out these green motorized options (scooters, mopeds).
Alternative modes of transportation are anything other than a car, bus, or train. Because in America, motorized transport is primary. Anything else and you might have to break a sweat (and we don’t want to do that).
What’s the best alternative mode of transportation in America? Walking. Just put one foot in front of another. As they say in the infomercials, “It’s that easy!” Add in a pair of comfortable shoes and you’ve got a healthy, cost effective, eco-friendly way to transport yourself from point A to point B. Of course, effective walking does require some forethought. Ideally you have chosen a place to live that puts you within a short pedestrian commute from work, the grocery store, post office, and/or good shopping. By being within walking distance of a place you frequent it cuts down on the number of times you have to fire up that engine and fuel up the tank. And if you happen to be running a little late, just kick it into high gear. A little running never hurt anyone. Are you sold yet?
Do you have a little longer commute? Rather then creating stress by driving to work, reduce your stress by biking. Bicycling can be one of the most pleasant ways to commute. You experience the environment outside the confines of your automobile. You get to work and work out at the same time. It’s easier to park a bike than a car (and less expensive). And bike friendly towns like Missoula, MT and Madison, WI give cyclists their own lane on the road. If you are within five miles of your destination, biking is a great way to get there.
Of course, biking to work does require some planning, especially if appearances are important. A locker room at work with showers where you can store work clothes for the week is ideal, but if it isn’t available, a bathroom to change in and alcohol towelettes will clean you up quickly. If you bike in your work clothes, invest in some saddlebags for your bike to carry anything you’ll need for the day. Wearing a pack will leave you with a sweat stain on your back.
What are my bike options? We all have images of ourselves as Lance Armstrong on our bikes, but only he benefits from a carbon fiber composite frame, machined aluminum wheels, high-end rim breaks, and the latest and greatest footwear. He, unlike many of us, benefits from endless cash reserves also. Hi-tech, expensive equipment will hardly improve your morning commute. Commuter bikes and hybrids provide comfort and utility at a reasonable price. The rider sits taller, more comfortably, on a commuter bike than on a road bike and the larger diameter wheels make pedaling more efficient than on a mountain bike. A reasonable commuter bike or hybrid ranges in price from $300 to $1000. You can add on features like saddlebags, lamps, and fenders for small change. If you need to stow your bike in your workspace, a collapsible bike is a good fit. Some fold down to the size of a suitcase.
If you can’t bike or walk all the way to work, mix and match. Walk to a bus stop. Bike to a park-and-ride and meet your carpool. Bike to the platform the nearest commuter rail. Drive to a park near work and bike the rest of the way. The ways to green up your morning commute are endless and you might get a little exercise in the process.
I’d like to thank Rusty for jumping the gun with his questions on May 19th. He was right on the mark. You can check out his bicycle woes on his blog, Rust Never Sleeps. I don’t mean to discriminate against lazy people, so for those who hate to break a sweat, check out these green motorized options (scooters, mopeds).
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 5 of 10)
Carpooling
For those who live outside the reach of public transportation, carpooling is an appealing alternative to the solo drive to work. Commuters take turns driving to work or money is exchanged for the cost of fuel. It benefits the driver, the passengers, and everyone on the road because it is cheaper, it allows the passengers to relax (eat breakfast, read the paper, etc.), reduces air pollution, and reduces traffic congestion. Larger cities like San Francisco and Houston have encouraged carpooling by designating carpooling lanes on highways. Missoula, MT offers a Vanpool for five or more passengers. The Missoula Ravalli Transportation Management Association supplies the van, passengers pay per mile they ride, and the driver rides for free. Companies, universities, governments, and cities now offer incentive programs such as free parking, preferred parking, and reward programs to promote carpooling. Now that you've got your carpool buddy, there's only one question: Rock, Country, or Talk Radio?
For those who live outside the reach of public transportation, carpooling is an appealing alternative to the solo drive to work. Commuters take turns driving to work or money is exchanged for the cost of fuel. It benefits the driver, the passengers, and everyone on the road because it is cheaper, it allows the passengers to relax (eat breakfast, read the paper, etc.), reduces air pollution, and reduces traffic congestion. Larger cities like San Francisco and Houston have encouraged carpooling by designating carpooling lanes on highways. Missoula, MT offers a Vanpool for five or more passengers. The Missoula Ravalli Transportation Management Association supplies the van, passengers pay per mile they ride, and the driver rides for free. Companies, universities, governments, and cities now offer incentive programs such as free parking, preferred parking, and reward programs to promote carpooling. Now that you've got your carpool buddy, there's only one question: Rock, Country, or Talk Radio?
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 4 of 10)
Public Transportation
Prior to the 19th century, the suburbs were characterized as where the poorest could afford to live and where work was hardest to find. The invention of the automobile, the post WWII economic boom, and the passing of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 put more money in Americans’ pockets and encouraged the exodus of families from the crowded cities to the suburbs. How things have changed. The increased congestion on our highways coupled with the increased price of fuel has many Americans rethinking their commuting experience. Buying hybrids and driving smarter only goes so far in conserving fuel if you work and drive in a city stuck in grid lock five hours a day. Mass transit, take center stage!
Larger, older, mostly Northeastern cities, like New York, Boston, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia have always relied on public transportation (commuter rail, subway, bus) to move the city. It is an efficient, cost-effective way to move people, especially in towns that grew-up before the invention of the automobile. But even here, mass transit has experienced a revival over the last decade. In this year alone, cities with established mass transit systems, like New York or Boston, report ridership up 5% or more. But the largest increases have been in the South and West where gains between 10 to 15% have been reported. This can be attributed solely to the cost of fuel approaching four dollars a gallon. Skeptics of mass transit will point out that today’s automobiles out perform the aging diesel driven trains and buses. While this is true at face value, consolidating commuters on one mode of transportation is still greener and more fuel efficient, and the biggest motivator, CHEAPER than driving oneself. And newer, greener trains and buses (Seattle, Iceland) are coming on line.
But why have some cities lagged behind others in embracing public transportation? Why has a city like Indianapolis (metro pop. 1.6 million), a few miles to the Southeast of mass transit friendly Chicago, not adopted a commuter rail system? I’m going to take a sidestep now and give a little history because for someone who is only witness to the Indianapolis of now and not familiar with the Indianapolis of the early 1900s, it turns out these are the wrong questions to ask. At one time Indianapolis had a vibrant mass transit system built on rails, so much so that Indianapolis was known as “Railroad City.” At the beginning of the 20th century, Indianapolis boasted 340 electric streetcars, was servicing 200 passenger trains per day at Union Station, and had a fleet of “interurbans”, electric railcars that ran between Indy and the surrounding cities of Anderson, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, South Bend, and Terre Haute. At the time, Indianapolis boasted the largest interurban station in the world, Traction Terminal. During its first week in 1904, which coincided with the State Fair, Traction Terminal handled 10,000 passengers per day.
So what happened? What brought about the downfall of commuter rail? …A barrage of several facters. Railroad infighting played a part. Rail in its hay-day was a mix of privately owned business franchises more interested in turning a profit than serving the surrounding community. The infant automobile industry had a large helping hand from the government. Unlike rail lines, roads were and are still built and maintained with the use of public tax dollars. Anti-competitive business practices by the auto-industry drove more riders to the road. The auto industry and subsidiary companies bought up rail lines and broke them up or turned them into less popular bus services. In 1949, General Motors was found guilty of criminal conspiracy by a federal court and fined a modest sum of $5000. Add in the sense of freedom owning an automobile gives someone coupled with gasoline at a nickel a gallon, and it is easy to see the bleak outlook rail transit faced in cities like Indianapolis.
Indianapolis mass transit is but a breath of what it once was. Amtrak, the only passenger rail service available, makes one daily run through the city. IndyGo, the Indianapolis bus system, runs the old electric streetcar routes. But there is a renewed interest to revisit the rail. I-465, the interstate encircling Indy and the answer to the automobile congestion of the 60s, is now itself crowded as the city continues its outward expansion. IndyGo ridership is up 13.5% in the first quarter of 2008 and a Commuter Express bus line from Fishers and Carmel is seeing increased ridership. A new Express route to and from Greenwood is proposed. The Clarian people mover, an elevated train connecting the downtown hospitals, was completed in the spring of 2003 and is an example of what commuter rail could be. There is interest in a commuter rail line between Noblesville and downtown where seven years ago there was little.
There are hurdles to bringing rail back. One must change people’s attitudes towards mass transit. The independence an automobile provides us has made us dependent on it. Four dollar a gallon gasoline will make the argument easier. Indianapolis does not have the geographic constraints like Chicago or New York City to keep its population centralized (see urban sprawl). This makes it difficult to determine the positioning of rail lines and stations where ridership can be maximized. It will be expensive! Much of the rail infrastructure from the 1900s is long gone. Existing track like that from Noblesville to Indy can provide relatively cost effective stepping stones in the process, though. Showing the utility of commuter rail in these areas could win over skeptics.
I have a personal interest in Indianapolis because I lived and went to school there. I love Indianapolis’s atmosphere. It is a young and vibrant city. It has revitilized its downtown but maintained its historic and ethnic districts. I love the food, the art, the festivals, and the athletics. I have friends and family in Indianapolis. I have lived inside the circle and outside in the burbs. Indianapolis is a great city. …But I hated the driving. It was a daily chore that squeezed much of the fun out of living there. It shouldn’t have to be that way. Why can’t there be another option? Why can’t I look across the breakfast table at my beloved after shoveling a healthy slice of banana granola pancake in my mouth and mumble, “Say honey, you feel like doing some shop’en in Indy?” “Sure,” she’d reply. “But I don’t feel like driving.” “Me neither,” I’d respond. “You want to take the 10:05 and maybe catch a little lunch in Broad Ripple?” “Ya, sounds good,” she’d finish. And then, “What are you eight? Finish chewing before you open your mouth.”
It doesn’t have to be a dream.
Prior to the 19th century, the suburbs were characterized as where the poorest could afford to live and where work was hardest to find. The invention of the automobile, the post WWII economic boom, and the passing of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 put more money in Americans’ pockets and encouraged the exodus of families from the crowded cities to the suburbs. How things have changed. The increased congestion on our highways coupled with the increased price of fuel has many Americans rethinking their commuting experience. Buying hybrids and driving smarter only goes so far in conserving fuel if you work and drive in a city stuck in grid lock five hours a day. Mass transit, take center stage!
Larger, older, mostly Northeastern cities, like New York, Boston, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia have always relied on public transportation (commuter rail, subway, bus) to move the city. It is an efficient, cost-effective way to move people, especially in towns that grew-up before the invention of the automobile. But even here, mass transit has experienced a revival over the last decade. In this year alone, cities with established mass transit systems, like New York or Boston, report ridership up 5% or more. But the largest increases have been in the South and West where gains between 10 to 15% have been reported. This can be attributed solely to the cost of fuel approaching four dollars a gallon. Skeptics of mass transit will point out that today’s automobiles out perform the aging diesel driven trains and buses. While this is true at face value, consolidating commuters on one mode of transportation is still greener and more fuel efficient, and the biggest motivator, CHEAPER than driving oneself. And newer, greener trains and buses (Seattle, Iceland) are coming on line.
But why have some cities lagged behind others in embracing public transportation? Why has a city like Indianapolis (metro pop. 1.6 million), a few miles to the Southeast of mass transit friendly Chicago, not adopted a commuter rail system? I’m going to take a sidestep now and give a little history because for someone who is only witness to the Indianapolis of now and not familiar with the Indianapolis of the early 1900s, it turns out these are the wrong questions to ask. At one time Indianapolis had a vibrant mass transit system built on rails, so much so that Indianapolis was known as “Railroad City.” At the beginning of the 20th century, Indianapolis boasted 340 electric streetcars, was servicing 200 passenger trains per day at Union Station, and had a fleet of “interurbans”, electric railcars that ran between Indy and the surrounding cities of Anderson, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, South Bend, and Terre Haute. At the time, Indianapolis boasted the largest interurban station in the world, Traction Terminal. During its first week in 1904, which coincided with the State Fair, Traction Terminal handled 10,000 passengers per day.
So what happened? What brought about the downfall of commuter rail? …A barrage of several facters. Railroad infighting played a part. Rail in its hay-day was a mix of privately owned business franchises more interested in turning a profit than serving the surrounding community. The infant automobile industry had a large helping hand from the government. Unlike rail lines, roads were and are still built and maintained with the use of public tax dollars. Anti-competitive business practices by the auto-industry drove more riders to the road. The auto industry and subsidiary companies bought up rail lines and broke them up or turned them into less popular bus services. In 1949, General Motors was found guilty of criminal conspiracy by a federal court and fined a modest sum of $5000. Add in the sense of freedom owning an automobile gives someone coupled with gasoline at a nickel a gallon, and it is easy to see the bleak outlook rail transit faced in cities like Indianapolis.
Indianapolis mass transit is but a breath of what it once was. Amtrak, the only passenger rail service available, makes one daily run through the city. IndyGo, the Indianapolis bus system, runs the old electric streetcar routes. But there is a renewed interest to revisit the rail. I-465, the interstate encircling Indy and the answer to the automobile congestion of the 60s, is now itself crowded as the city continues its outward expansion. IndyGo ridership is up 13.5% in the first quarter of 2008 and a Commuter Express bus line from Fishers and Carmel is seeing increased ridership. A new Express route to and from Greenwood is proposed. The Clarian people mover, an elevated train connecting the downtown hospitals, was completed in the spring of 2003 and is an example of what commuter rail could be. There is interest in a commuter rail line between Noblesville and downtown where seven years ago there was little.
There are hurdles to bringing rail back. One must change people’s attitudes towards mass transit. The independence an automobile provides us has made us dependent on it. Four dollar a gallon gasoline will make the argument easier. Indianapolis does not have the geographic constraints like Chicago or New York City to keep its population centralized (see urban sprawl). This makes it difficult to determine the positioning of rail lines and stations where ridership can be maximized. It will be expensive! Much of the rail infrastructure from the 1900s is long gone. Existing track like that from Noblesville to Indy can provide relatively cost effective stepping stones in the process, though. Showing the utility of commuter rail in these areas could win over skeptics.
I have a personal interest in Indianapolis because I lived and went to school there. I love Indianapolis’s atmosphere. It is a young and vibrant city. It has revitilized its downtown but maintained its historic and ethnic districts. I love the food, the art, the festivals, and the athletics. I have friends and family in Indianapolis. I have lived inside the circle and outside in the burbs. Indianapolis is a great city. …But I hated the driving. It was a daily chore that squeezed much of the fun out of living there. It shouldn’t have to be that way. Why can’t there be another option? Why can’t I look across the breakfast table at my beloved after shoveling a healthy slice of banana granola pancake in my mouth and mumble, “Say honey, you feel like doing some shop’en in Indy?” “Sure,” she’d reply. “But I don’t feel like driving.” “Me neither,” I’d respond. “You want to take the 10:05 and maybe catch a little lunch in Broad Ripple?” “Ya, sounds good,” she’d finish. And then, “What are you eight? Finish chewing before you open your mouth.”
It doesn’t have to be a dream.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 3 of 10)
Drive Smarter
Of course, trading in that gas-guzzling SUV for gas-sipping hybrid is ideal, but there are many common sense things you can do to improve your automobile’s fuel economy without going ‘granola’ overnight. The worst fuel economy you achieve is when you are accelerating. Newton’s First Law of Motion states: Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. In other words, it costs a lot of petrol to get your brick on wheels from idle up to cruising speed. Accelerating uniformly up through the gears and minimizing braking saves fuel. You may find that your brakes last a little longer too. The greatest force acting against your vehicle at higher speeds is wind resistance. Cruise at a speed that gives you optimal fuel efficiency, usually around 55-60mph (this is dependant on your automobile’s gear ratio). Other things to avoid: excessive idling, unneccesary weight, and anything that creates drag (bike/ski racks, carriers, etc.). Using cruise control during long distance driving and keeping your vehicle well maintained will also keep gas in your tank and dollars in your pocket.
Of course, trading in that gas-guzzling SUV for gas-sipping hybrid is ideal, but there are many common sense things you can do to improve your automobile’s fuel economy without going ‘granola’ overnight. The worst fuel economy you achieve is when you are accelerating. Newton’s First Law of Motion states: Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. In other words, it costs a lot of petrol to get your brick on wheels from idle up to cruising speed. Accelerating uniformly up through the gears and minimizing braking saves fuel. You may find that your brakes last a little longer too. The greatest force acting against your vehicle at higher speeds is wind resistance. Cruise at a speed that gives you optimal fuel efficiency, usually around 55-60mph (this is dependant on your automobile’s gear ratio). Other things to avoid: excessive idling, unneccesary weight, and anything that creates drag (bike/ski racks, carriers, etc.). Using cruise control during long distance driving and keeping your vehicle well maintained will also keep gas in your tank and dollars in your pocket.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 2 of 10)
Think Gas Sipper
If you are looking at buying a new vehicle or looking to downsize your gas-guzzler, there are a few options available right now that will reduce your gasoline consumption. Electric hybrids are the latest craze. They achieve excellent fuel economy for the consumer and because the vehicle still runs on gasoline, it was relatively inexpensive for the automobile industry to retool and there was no need for the petroleum industry to retrofit their service stations. The most fuel-efficient hybrid, the Toyota Prius, gets 48mpg city (45mpg hwy). You no longer sacrifice automobile size because most vehicle classes now have electric hybrids available.
Flex-fuel vehicles have been around since the 1980s. Flex-fuel vehicles can run on gasoline as well as E85, a bio-fuel blend composed of an 85% ethanol/gasoline mixture. Flex-fuel vehicles reduce gasoline consumption but at the expense of fuel economy. E85 gets 20-30% less miles per gallon than gasoline alone. There are a few other disadvantages. There has been a backlash against the bio-fuel industry because ethanol plants compete with the food industry for corn, the main source of ethanol in America. This has driven up the prices of food goods in the supermarket. Flex fuel vehicles are not any greener than your regular gasoline powered car or truck. E85 is cheaper than gasoline, though, and as the cost of gasoline continues to increase, an E85 blend will become more economically appealing to consumers. There is no argument that based solely on the mission of reducing reliance on foreign oil that flex fuel automobiles make good sense.
So, what’s the next evolution in the auto industry? A common sense way to increase fuel economy is to reduce the automobile’s mass. A car that weighs less takes less fuel to push it down the road. Now, I know what some of you are thinking, “Man, I’m not giv’en up my Suburban to drive something akin to a Yugo.” That of course, would be ideal, but it’s not how it has to be. I said lighter, not smaller. Breakthroughs in materials science have provided automakers with a lighter alternative to the steel frames in today’s vehicles. Quite possibly the car of the future will have a carbon fiber composite frame, the same material used for the skin of the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner”. Carbon fiber is light and strong. It weighs 1/5 as much as steel and is just as strong and stiff. A carbon fiber frame could increase fuel economy by as much as 30% without tampering with the internal combustion engine. Prototypes with carbon fiber composite frames like the Hypercar and Toyota 1/X are already road tested.
Now couple carbon fiber technology with a better engine. Electric cars are an attractive alternative to gasoline-powered automobiles because they “don't have to be as complex mechanically as their gasoline counterpart. Sophisticated electronics and software take the place of the pounds and pounds of machinery required to introduce a spark and ignite the fuel that powers an internal combustion engine.” Another bonus, electric cars produce zero road emissions. Not only do they reduce our reliance on foreign oil, but they are greener. Just plug the car into the wall socket at night and you’re ready for your morning commute. Critics argue that electric cars merely divert pollution to the smoke stacks of power plants. To the contrary, electric vehicles are at least 50% cleaner than their gasoline counterpart when powered by coal source energy and the capability is there for power to come from renewable sources like water, wind, and solar. The biggest knock on electric vehicles is that they are still comparably expensive to today’s automobiles. There are companies, like Tesla Motors, that are trying to make a go of it. And if you can’t get over the stereotype that an electric car won’t have the same ‘muscle’ as your GTO, check out the Tesla Roadster.
If hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles don’t fit in your budget and you can’t wait for the next generation gas sipper, simply think lighter. Lighter vehicles with smaller engines burn less gasoline. Yes, you may sacrifice testosterone laced, muscle throbbing engine power, but your checking account won’t take a hit every time you fuel up. And possibly maybe the ladies or the soccer moms will respect your patriotic, environmentally sound, pocket book friendly, good common sense.
If you are looking at buying a new vehicle or looking to downsize your gas-guzzler, there are a few options available right now that will reduce your gasoline consumption. Electric hybrids are the latest craze. They achieve excellent fuel economy for the consumer and because the vehicle still runs on gasoline, it was relatively inexpensive for the automobile industry to retool and there was no need for the petroleum industry to retrofit their service stations. The most fuel-efficient hybrid, the Toyota Prius, gets 48mpg city (45mpg hwy). You no longer sacrifice automobile size because most vehicle classes now have electric hybrids available.
Flex-fuel vehicles have been around since the 1980s. Flex-fuel vehicles can run on gasoline as well as E85, a bio-fuel blend composed of an 85% ethanol/gasoline mixture. Flex-fuel vehicles reduce gasoline consumption but at the expense of fuel economy. E85 gets 20-30% less miles per gallon than gasoline alone. There are a few other disadvantages. There has been a backlash against the bio-fuel industry because ethanol plants compete with the food industry for corn, the main source of ethanol in America. This has driven up the prices of food goods in the supermarket. Flex fuel vehicles are not any greener than your regular gasoline powered car or truck. E85 is cheaper than gasoline, though, and as the cost of gasoline continues to increase, an E85 blend will become more economically appealing to consumers. There is no argument that based solely on the mission of reducing reliance on foreign oil that flex fuel automobiles make good sense.
So, what’s the next evolution in the auto industry? A common sense way to increase fuel economy is to reduce the automobile’s mass. A car that weighs less takes less fuel to push it down the road. Now, I know what some of you are thinking, “Man, I’m not giv’en up my Suburban to drive something akin to a Yugo.” That of course, would be ideal, but it’s not how it has to be. I said lighter, not smaller. Breakthroughs in materials science have provided automakers with a lighter alternative to the steel frames in today’s vehicles. Quite possibly the car of the future will have a carbon fiber composite frame, the same material used for the skin of the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner”. Carbon fiber is light and strong. It weighs 1/5 as much as steel and is just as strong and stiff. A carbon fiber frame could increase fuel economy by as much as 30% without tampering with the internal combustion engine. Prototypes with carbon fiber composite frames like the Hypercar and Toyota 1/X are already road tested.
Now couple carbon fiber technology with a better engine. Electric cars are an attractive alternative to gasoline-powered automobiles because they “don't have to be as complex mechanically as their gasoline counterpart. Sophisticated electronics and software take the place of the pounds and pounds of machinery required to introduce a spark and ignite the fuel that powers an internal combustion engine.” Another bonus, electric cars produce zero road emissions. Not only do they reduce our reliance on foreign oil, but they are greener. Just plug the car into the wall socket at night and you’re ready for your morning commute. Critics argue that electric cars merely divert pollution to the smoke stacks of power plants. To the contrary, electric vehicles are at least 50% cleaner than their gasoline counterpart when powered by coal source energy and the capability is there for power to come from renewable sources like water, wind, and solar. The biggest knock on electric vehicles is that they are still comparably expensive to today’s automobiles. There are companies, like Tesla Motors, that are trying to make a go of it. And if you can’t get over the stereotype that an electric car won’t have the same ‘muscle’ as your GTO, check out the Tesla Roadster.
If hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles don’t fit in your budget and you can’t wait for the next generation gas sipper, simply think lighter. Lighter vehicles with smaller engines burn less gasoline. Yes, you may sacrifice testosterone laced, muscle throbbing engine power, but your checking account won’t take a hit every time you fuel up. And possibly maybe the ladies or the soccer moms will respect your patriotic, environmentally sound, pocket book friendly, good common sense.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 1 of 10)
As we have all witnessed over the past few years, it isn’t until the cost of gasoline starts taking food out of our children’s mouths that Americans start thinking about changing their attitude towards energy consumption. Bigger homes, bigger cars, bigger lifestyles and higher energy prices have put the squeeze on all of us. Politicians have offered a solution. We’ve heard the cries for a 3 month holiday on the federal gas tax. What a joke! Merely, pandering for votes! Come on, we’re smarter than that! A gas tax holiday may help Americans in the short term, but it is not a solution to America’s problem. Our problem is that America is addicted to oil and a good percentage of that oil comes from foreign sources; sources that can charge whatever they want because we will pay. For once I agree with President Bush’s assessment that there is no quick fix to our energy problems. We are far from helpless, though. The solution is two part. Part one: the federal government must invest in domestic renewable sources of energy, like water, wind, solar, and bio-fuel and pass fuel efficiency laws. Part two: Americans need to become more energy conscious because there is a lot each and every one of us can do to reduce our energy needs. Working hand in hand, there is no reason America should not be able to meet its own energy demands while at the same time becoming greener and keeping more money where it belongs, in our back pocket.
Starting Monday and over the following nine days I will offer common sense solutions in daily installments to the West Fork Blues outlining ways Americans can incorporate good energy habits into their lives. You will find that some suggestions are expensive or ask for drastic changes to your lifestyle, but most are things that every American can easily incorporate into their daily routine and cost nothing more than a little convenience. Let’s all try and do our part to make America more energy independent. Think of it as your patriotic duty.
Starting Monday and over the following nine days I will offer common sense solutions in daily installments to the West Fork Blues outlining ways Americans can incorporate good energy habits into their lives. You will find that some suggestions are expensive or ask for drastic changes to your lifestyle, but most are things that every American can easily incorporate into their daily routine and cost nothing more than a little convenience. Let’s all try and do our part to make America more energy independent. Think of it as your patriotic duty.
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