Two months ago, I wrote how high gas prices may actually be good in that we are beginning to change our often wasteful habits. As a nation, gas consumption is noticeably decreasing. We’re carpooling more, we consolidate errands, we avoid unnecessary trips, and we’re buying smaller cars. I can’t remember the last time larger, more powerful vehicles were out of vogue!
I just read a Time magazine article that discusses things we can like about $4 gas. It’s a great article which not only discusses the sacrifices we have to make, but also looks at the silver lining in terms of the positive adjustments we’ve made to accommodate high gas prices.
So, what can we possible like about $4 gas you ask? According to Amanda:
- As shipping costs increase, more jobs are coming back to the U.S.
- With increasing transportation costs, urban sprawl has dramatically decreased
- JB wrote about this – 4 day workweeks are reality in some companies and governments
- Decreased pollution
- We are more frugal – we check tire pressure more often and are buying smaller cars
- People are driving slower to save gas, which has resulted in fewer traffic deaths
- Insurance rates for some are decreasing as they drive less and qualify for lower mileage rates
- There is less traffic as people drive less, carpool more, and increase their use of public transportation
- With skyrocketing gas bills, police are walking and bicycling more, which means more police spending time in communities
- As people eat out less, obesity decreases
You may not agree with all these points, but Amanda does offer a fairly compelling perspective. We all hate to see people making sacrifices, especially when putting gas in the tank means being unable to put food on the table. However, as Amanda writes, “The suffering will go on. But the story, like any good tragedy, is not without redemption. “
I was looking into interesting alternatives to driving for your commute, and re-discovered casual car pools. Here in California, casual car poolers get to use the HOV lane, and don’t pay bridge tolls. What’s a casual car pool? Well, according to RideNow.org:
“Casual car pools” or “ad hoc car pools” are informal car pools that form when drivers and passengers meet — without specific prior arrangement — at designated locations.
It’s totally fascinating because it’s organic, and the site even lists a set of etiquette (don’t talk to the driver), and a list of drivers to avoid.From what I can tell, casual car pools have only sprung up in the S.F. Bay Area, and it’s really hard to get one going because it requires critical mass, but it’s a really interesting concept, and speaks to the fact that even though we are in a car society, there are many creative ways we can use to break the tyranny of $5 gas.Want to learn about some in your area? Do a Google search for ‘alternatives to driving’, and there are a ton of great resources. And let us know if you have any other interesting ideas.
A while back, I wrote about Wal-Mart’s efforts to go green, including their efforts to implement green technologies and push their supply chain to go green. I’m happy to report that Wal-Mart is continuing to forge ahead with its efforts.
Over the past two years in the U.S., Walmart has increased the number of local farmers it works with by 50 percent. It expects over $400 million of produce will come from local sources this year, which is defined as purchasing and selling produce in the same state. Before you scoff at the fact that Walmart defines local as the same state and not within some arbitrary 150 mile radius, remember Walmart’s massive scale and the fact that there probably aren’t many farmers who can support supplying a few Walmart stores, let alone a single one. Also, ask yourself how many times you’ve eaten a Florida or California orange or produce grown in another state. Sourcing intrastate is a big step forward, especially since produce travels 1,500 miles on average before reaching consumers’ homes.
Walmart gave peach sourcing as an example. By sourcing peaches from 18 states instead of two, Walmart saves 672,000 miles and 112,000 gallons of fuel, equivalent to approximately $1.4 million in transportation costs. Given grocery accounts for 41 percent of Walmart’s U.S. sales, it’s easy to see how savings like this add up quickly. In addition, by sourcing more produce locally, Walmart is ready to accommodate the already large and growing demand for organic produce.
One of Walmart’s biggest principles is to lower costs so savings can be passed onto customers. It’s no secret a big reason Walmart is going green is that it’s good fiscal policy for them. Walmart saves money through many of its green initiatives, and they’re not afraid to admit it. Walmart may not do everything right, but it’s efforts to go green should be applauded by all of us. The next step I’d love to see Walmart take is to identify how eco-friendly (or not) a product is relative to competing products in the same class.
Hey there, it’s me sounding the environmental alarm bells. Yesterday, a distressing article was posted online about the declining coral population.
So what’s the big deal, you might ask? Well, did you know…
- 25 percent of all marine species need coral reefs to live and grow.
- 40 percent of fish caught commercially use reefs to breed.
- They have medicinal value! Some produce compounds active against many common health problems, such as astham, heart disease, and leukemia.
- Coral reefs provide economic benefits via tourism.
So these tropical rainforests are pretty important… and in the US only, almost 50% of all coral reefs are in poor or fair condition, due to rising ocean temperatures, coastal development, land based pollution (e.g. sewage) and overfishing.Sadly, I read that worldwide,
- 20% of the world’s coral reefs have been effectively destroyed and show no immediate prospects of recovery.
- 24% of the world’s reefs are under imminent risk of collapse through human pressures; and a further 26% are under a longer term threat of collapse. [Source]
If there are any silver linings here, I would point to the growing mass of scientific documentation, and increased awareness from the population at large - hopefully this will spawn an uptick in efforts to save our coral reefs. If you want to get into the action, check out this very excellent list on 25 things you can do to help.
Today Al Gore gave a powerful speech calling for, as the 
