Travel Habits Must Change to Make a Big Difference in Energy Consumption

[NJCher]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/30/business/30diet.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 — The Environmental Protection Agency kicked off Energy Awareness Month in October with the slogan “change a light, change the world,” and encouraged Americans to buy compact fluorescent lights instead of conventional incandescent bulbs.

Useful as that may be, picking a large sport utility vehicle that goes two miles farther on a gallon of gasoline than the least-efficient S.U.V.’s would have an impact on emissions of global warming gases about five times larger than replacing five 60-watt incandescent bulbs. The dollar savings would be about 10 times larger. And the more-efficient light bulbs would have a negligible effect on oil consumption.

Almost everything Americans do uses energy, making the earth warmer and purses thinner, and often raising demand for oil from unstable places. People eager to reduce their consumption can take many steps, but the size of their benefit — or cost — is not always evident.

The New York Times compared a number of such steps by three standards — reduction in global warming gases emitted, reduction in oil consumed and the dollar savings.

Many more interesting and practical tips in the article...



Cher

[bullimiami]

1. a lot of habits should change.

we should be producing and buying locally whenever possible.
we should be consuming whats in season in our area as much as possible.

much of the problem is the total lack of concern the global economy has for shipping costs, and not just the monetary costs.

[LibDemAlways]

2. Just returned from annual visit to my

sister-in-law in Las Vegas. We crossed the desert from LA in our Acura that gets 38 MPG on the highway. Sister-in-law proudly showed off her new "gas guzzling kick ass Chevy Tahoe." (Her description) She is single and bought the piece of crap only because she's moving to Idaho and everyone in her new neighborhood has an SUV in the driveway.

Same sister-in-law also commented that some friends in New Orleans were among "the smart ones who got out" before Katrina hit.

This kind of American ignorance and stupidity is all too widespread. No regard for the planet. No regard for her fellow man. All about being a sheep and looking out for #1.

[The2ndWheel]

3. So we're not going to change any travel habit

"picking a large sport utility vehicle that goes two miles farther on a gallon of gasoline than the least-efficient S.U.V.’s would have an impact on emissions"

Other than increasing the amount of travel with more efficient vehicles, which will increase the amount of energy we use, which will deplete/alter the sources of energy that much quicker.

Just want to make sure.