don't like high gas prices? then change your life.
Yesterday while drinking my morning coffee, I read one of the best articles about the high cost of gasoline. It's brief and very pointed about the energy crisis and how it can't be solved with finding new fuels or trying to find ways to keep up with our current lifestyle. Want changes? Well, looking for new fuels ain't going to cut it (I mean, look at what that has done to the rising price of food across the world). Everything has to change: the way we grow food, the way we travel, everything.
Labels: gas crisis, gasoline, the future
posted by kickpleat at 1:05 PM
5 Comments:
That is a reallly excellent article. It sums up all of my personal beliefs on the state of our economy and the culture that drives it. I'm going to look up that author's book, World Made by Hand.
Fortunately, economic realities are pushing us into change. My own budget is forcing me to make changes I've been to lazy/cheap to make in the past. Gas prices finally made it cost effective for me to take public transit, which costs $140 per month. I'm also joining my local Community Supported Agriculture route--it had seemed much too expensive to me six months ago ($160/month), but now it is close to cost-neutral and very convenient (especially since I can't stop for groceries on my way home anymore!). That's $300 per month going from my old car-driven-big-box-store lifestyle into my new train-commuting-local-agriculture-supporting lifestyle.
I see a lot of consumers making similar decisions, and that gives me hope that Americans can adapt to a new economic & environmental reality.
yay for new lifestyles, angelique! sounds like you are making the right changes.
we live without a car and try to bike or walk everywhere we go. this city is pretty bike friendly, so we are lucky.
Thanks for sharing the article. I think it sums up the thoughts of many people, pan-globally. Oh, changes are a'comin' alright. I used to be scared about it all, especially since I had my young uns. Now, I'm actually looking forward to it. The world my children are going to be old in is not the one I'm living in now. Exciting stuff, as long as I keep believing in the most optimistic of outcomes.
If the world can pull this off in the right way, our quality of life is going to be much better, but in quite a different way.
jennie, i love your enthusiasm!
Well, I just HAVE to chime into this discussion. After completing my course on the biological principles of sustainability I came to understand a heck of a lot more about alternative energy sources and the future of our planet.
Modern cities were built around the car not pedestrians. City planners need to re-design the city to meet the needs of cyclists and pedestrians not cars and SUVs. Parking lots are space suckers. Developing better public transit systems is key. The walkability factor in urban areas is also important. Growing our own food sources closer to home is also vital. Roof top gardens and green houses in backyards can create local food for people without the need for our food to travel great distances.
The article is bang on. We do not need alternative energy sources for cars. We need alternatives to getting around our cities without the need for cars to get to work and pick up our groceries. I think more innovative ways to address the rising cost of gas and petroleum is paramount without focusing on societies urgent need to introduce alternative energy sources for cars.
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