Blog Action Day: My Post

Today is blog action day. The topic is the environment. I am a trained geologist working in the environmental field. I suspect every blog-hole in cyberspace will write some shit about global warming. It doesn't matter if they actually know anything or not, there is enough information out there that any monkey with a brain can pull something together. I would like my post to focus on small changes that I have done and have produced big benefits.

• Driving slower.
  
• driving only 5 mph slower can increase your vehicles fuel use by ~5 gallons per mile. (of course every car is different).

• Second Car
• If you have a gas guzzler, and so many people do, buy a second car.
  
• A small 3-4 cylinder POS for 800$. Use it in place of the GasPig as often as possible and you will save more money in gasoline than you paid for the car in 6 months. You may even like it.
  

• Remove Stupid Shit
• That fuckin' stupid air foil from your trunk. Its robbing you of at least 1 GPM.
• Your kayak rack. Great I get it, you have a boat. Now quit being lazy and take that shit off. 1 GPM.
• Fuckin' cargo racks...on SUVs... THAT ARE EMPTY inside. With one driver. Put the crap inside the car.
  

• Maintenance. You've all seen these before: tire air pressure, air filter, fuel filter etc.... I won't get in to that.

• Ride a Bicycle to Work.

• Do you live less than 7 miles from you workplace? A this distance or less, you can pedal to work in about 30 minutes. Your health will increase and you don't even need a gym membership. I will not further extol the virtues of cycle-commuting. The benefits are huge, quit being such a pussy and do it.
• Walk to Work.
• Two miles or less should be easy enough for most. Try it
• Electricity Use.
• My dad was right! Turn off the lights when you leave the room the power bill will drop. Unplug items not being used. The biggest thing to any reader of this blog would be to unplug battery chargers (cell phone, ipod etc.) They draw power even when a device is not connected.
  
• Home Heating.
• Dial back the thermostat to 65 deg. F. Put on sweater.
• Use a wood stove (carbon neutral)
• Better Home Design
• Acceptance of Wind Turbines
• Solar Panels for every roof in America: tied to a common grid; providing power for all.
  

Where am I going with this post? Shit I don't know...I am writing it while at work so my thoughts are not as well formed as they need to be.

Plus there are so many things one can do to reduce the personal load on the ecosystem. It requires thinking and action.

Enough Talk... DO!