Pissed At Gas Prices? Alternatives To A One Day "Boycott"

[orleans]

1. keep track of your mileage for a week (drive how you normally drive) and then make a conscience effort to cut back five miles, seven miles, ten miles a week

(keep track of the the new mileage to compare and see if you've made any difference)


2. think of how much fun spending memorial day in the hood could be

rather than going on a trip, traveling, etc. why not hang out at home this year with local friends & neighbors? have a relaxed weekend--de stress. lounge in the yard, hang out in the park, get together with neighbors and do a backyard barbecue. so what if the beaches open on memorial day? screw the crowds--who wants to deal with all those people anyway? go on a family/friend outing, fly kites, have a bike race.


3. stop with the unnecessary yard equipment: do you really need to run that freakin leaf blower for fifteen minutes to move a little clipped grass off the grass & sidewalk? (try using a broom & a rake.) try letting your grass grow a little higher so you don't cut it every week or twice a week. trimmers? same thing. no one is scrutinizing your edging--so stop it. hand clippers work great around poles & other items. and since we're on the subject why not consider buying an old fashioned, gas free push mower?


i realize that people will fill up their tanks the day before the 1 day boycott or the day after. that isn't going to put a dent in anyone's pocketbook. but some lifestyle alterations might help to make a difference.

check out these websites for more ideas:
http://www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming/gas_savers/
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml
http://www.howtoadvice.com/savinggas

for gas prices check out:
http://gasbuddy.com/
http://gasbuddy.com/GB_Price_List.aspx

http://cars.about.com/od/helpforcarbuyers/tp/ag_top_fuelsave.htm

[Sherman A1]

1. Thanks and Kicked

Appreciate your putting all those things together. With your permission I will gleefully steal your work for an employee newsletter I write at my workplace.

:hi:

[orleans]

19. glad you liked the suggestions. please, take them for a newsletter

and pass them on. (along with the links!)

:toast:

[sam sarrha]

2. i am boycotting Exxon for a year

[kdmorris]

5. LOl I've been boycotting them (and Mobil after they bought them)

since 1989. Oil spills can happen. Refusing to clean up your oil spill makes you a jerk... even if you are a corporation.

[liberaldemocrat7]

15. Boycott Exxon/Mobil until the price of gas goes to $2 a gallon

but also call Exxon/Mobnil and tell them that you're boycotting them and why.

[AllegroRondo]

18. it doesnt help

gas companies buy and sell gas among each other also. So if Exxon sells less, some other company sells more and buys their leftover.

[Silence Dogood]

35. Last night on nbc they said even the carpooling isn't making a significant

difference in the demand for gas. Depressing. But who knows if it's propaganda or not?

[Kelly Rupert]

23. That won't do a thing, even if every single American did.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungibility

[mntleo2]

3. Also I Heard This On Thom Hartmann

...that in Germany when gas was high they had a national leave your car at home day, like on a Sunday when everyone was encouraged to walk, bike or take public transportation. You got dirty looks if you drove that day, lol. Loved the idea except I have a toddler and my church is either a 2 hour bus ride, walking it is out of the question and forget the bike ride, with a toddler, lol.

Cat In Seattle

[wake.up.america]

4. When gas WAS high? Gas IS high. Some talk about leaving car one day a week at home.

I work mostly at home use the bike as often as possible.

[bigscott]

6. not all of us are that lucky

I drive 90 miles EACH way to work. There are NO jobs closer to my house. I would move but then I would be even further away from my son and the ex. I won't sacrifice seeing my son as often as possible to live closer to work (besides the fact that living in Boston would be prohibitively expensive) I have asked to tele-commute but the assholes here (who commute 5 minutes) do not currently allow it. On the other hand I DO rake the yard.

[blondie58]

10. that is a great idea

However, having traveled in Germany and Europe- their public transportation is much larger and better than ours.

[A wise Man]

7. We have to look at the reality of it

This the United States of America. We drive more at distances because of our situations. Our jobs aren't as close to our homes as those in Germany, Holland, France or other countries. Our Grocery stores and churches aren't close by either. Grant you we need to do something about the gas crisis, but the crisis wasn't created by us, it was and is being created by the oil corporations.

Greed has driven these companies and they would have you believe that its your fault that it has happened. Remember the secret energy meetings Cheney had with these people. This plan was created by them with the help of the media and the rethug congress and senate plus any of them with stock in these companies, and that goes fro the Dems also. We are being systematically robbed by these thugs while the media tells you not to drive fourty miles to church or work. You've read some of the post and the responses, some of them are just plain defeatist or protective of their personal stock options. Foreign countries drive less and gas is much higher because there are less automobiles there, not like the US. Why do you think a CEO can get a 400mil retirement package and the profit margins are so rediculously high. They've made enough profit to build two refineries at least.

[Virginian]

14. A change in local zoning might help in the long run.

In suburbia, many are not within walking distance of a local grocery store or even a 7/11.

If a "Mom and Pop" grocery could be allowed in a neighborhood zoned residential, it could save a lot of vehicle trips to the grocery store. It might work out well near the pool or clubhouse which is already within walking distance for most of a community.

[Vanje]

8. i'm movng

My house is up for sale.
I'm moving nearer to town.
Let me be in the first wave to reverse the 50 year rush to the suburbs.

[Donnachaidh]

9. Here's a NOVEL idea -- yard work as EXERCISE

Become one with a RAKE.

SELL that gas blower and become a rake ninja. Get the cardio going and get some sunshine. Far less costly to the environment, and healthy too.

[Javaman]

27. Be the rake. nt

[SpiralHawk]

11. Post pump stickers: "You can thank Bush and the Republicons for this."

Remind other drivers who is profiting from these gas prices.

Another sticker I have seen on gas pumps:

"Thank you for your generous donation" - President Bush & Republican Oil Party

[TX-RAT]

13. Don't forget to add OPEC to that list.

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. GreenLantern wanted me to pass on that

a gas boycott would be most effective if we all lived in one city and boycotted one particular station we all use all the time. Otherwise, they won't feel a thing. So I am glad there are alternatives being put out there.

[CrispyQ]

16. My husband loves his reel mower.

He mows at six a.m. when it's cool & quiet. The only noise is the soft mechanical whir. I hate the the leaf blowers, but even more I hate the people who, in an semi-arrid climate, use their hose to wash away the clippings. Arghhh!!!! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

I love your suggestions. A one day boycott is nothing. How many wouldn't fill up that day anyway? Today, I will note my mileage in my workout log. ;)

on edit: The local health food store is about 1.5 miles away. That would be a nice weekend walk & subtract driving miles. :thumbsup:

[Sherman A1]

24. I have thought about one of those

and not yet decided. I have this Snapper that I bought in 1983 and it is still going and going and going. It might be hard to part with......It's old and cranky, just like myself:freak:

[CrispyQ]

26. Old & cranky is not a bad thing!

Hubby had a Toro from the 80's. About 5 years ago the handle broke off on one side. He fixed it with duct tape & a piece of rebar. :rofl:

Two years ago when the other side broke I talked him into buying the reel mower.

A complete guide to using a manual push reel mower: http://www.reelmowerguide.com/

:hi:

[B Calm]

30. I have one of those old rusty reel mowers in my shed. I enjoyed

reading the guide you posted. When I was a kid that was all we had to mow with. Now I live out in the country and mow approx 7 acres of yard, so a manual push mower is not an option. If I lived in town on a city lot, I would buy a new lighter one.

[Sherman A1]

31. Ahhhh, truly a wise man, I see

I have replaced every wheel (sometimes it's more of a hovercraft) , the SP breaks every year, but it it's an old and trusted and rusted machine. I know it's not great for the environment, but it only takes me 30 minutes to cut my small lawn, so I figure I can't be adding too very much bad stuff to the air. Thanks for the link, but this will be a very hard thing for me to do, even when the time comes and we know it will for all of our lawn equipment. ONWARD until the Engine Coughs and the Wheels Fall OFF!!!

I will check out your link - Thanks A bunch....

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[meldroc]

17. I've been using the van-pool.

For those of you in Northern Colorado (Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, etc.) check out VanGo.

Hopefully there are similar vanpools elsewhere. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than driving to work every day.

[bigtree]

20. good suggestions (nt)

:kick:

[orleans]

21. thanks (and shameless kick) nt

[uppityperson]

22. k&r Reduce consumption and really hurt them

[lfairban]

25. Get an e-bike

See This Thread for a discussion of electro-assist bicycles.

[DarkTirade]

28. My alternative: as soon as I have a few extra bucks, buy a new bike

or get my old one fixed, whichever's cheaper. :)

[NuttyFluffers]

29. plan Errand Circuits

it seems terribly simple, but many people often forget to do this simple thing. basically, if you are planning to go out, hit as many errands in one large loop as you can. this prevents wasteful backtracking. and if you tie your errands into your commute circuits it elimiates unnecessary trips.

simple things like having someone returning home from work pick up a bag of groceries instead of saving that errand for the weekend. in fact, since shoe shopping is best done after a full day's work, when your feet has swollen, you can justify going shopping for shoes just after work (instead of on the weekend) as helping save the planet. make it a coworkers' "girl's night out" thing and carpool as well; go shoe shopping, walk around the mall, head back and everyone goes home. Manolos for the Environment.

[Sherman A1]

32. Have been doing this since gas hit $1.20 a gallon

and I thought it too high then. It really does help and saves a lot of time. Both the wife and I combine trips whenever possible, a stop at the bank or the recycle center is on the way to some other stop. I rarely go out that doesn't involve more than one stop, except for her trips to the hardware store in the Spring to buy flowers, that is usually a special trip for her.

:thumbsup:

[TheFarseer]

33. I feel bad driving home for Mothers Day

but my mom laid that guilt trip on me that we don't know how many Mothers Days grandma has left (she's not in the best health) So you see, gas prices is kind of related to family values. How often do you think I'd drive 150 miles to see my family if gas were 10 bucks a gallon?

[orleans]

36. never feel bad about going to see your mom

maybe hang out at home/in the neighborhood for memorial day

[KharmaTrain]

34. People Are Already "Boycotting"....It's Called No Money

There was a report on the local news stating that sales at many area gas stations are way down...the cost of gas is both keeping people at home and creating problems for some station owners. With the higher prices, many are filling up less, even though big oil makes more more, the local station doesn't...and the lack of drive-ups not only hurt their incomes from less overall sales of gas, but also less bodies mean less customers to buy a cup of coffee or pack of gum, too. Also, with the higher prices comes the greater chances of "drive-offs" and roberies. This past weekend, I noticed several 24/7 stations that were closed...almost reminded me of the "good old days" of the gas shortages of the middle 70s...when you couldn't find a station open at night or on the weekends.

[orleans]

38. no money...no shit! friend of mine is spending $70 per week to get

back and forth to work.

[blondeatlast]

37. Excellent and doable! Thanks for the sanity. K&R. nt

[nam78_two]

39. kick

:kick:

[MadHound]

40. Another couple of suggestions

First, buy and ride one of these


Bajaj Chetak, 100 mpg, cruises at 55-60mph, it's a great little bike. I purchased mine in the fall of '05, and with 8000 miles on it, its still running like a champ.

Second, for those who have gas powered implements that they have to have around the house or farm, I highly recommend that you figure out how much gas you need every season and purchase it in the fall when prices go down. You can add a stabilizing agent to the gas to keep out the water and keep the gas fresh over the winter months. I've done this the past couple of years and saved a bundle of money.