Put your ideology where your mouth is: 2 weeks ago I gave up driving and donated my car to charity

[Swamp Rat]

I NEED a car, yet I gave it up. When I can do so feasibly, I will run my household energy on solar/wind power, and I will continue to recycle clothing, computers, etc.

What will YOU do to help wean America off of oil as a primary energy source?

[UndertheOcean]

1. Cool ! ..but car addicts will start attacking you in 3,2,1..

[Swamp Rat]

2. Let them attack. I have very sharp teeth and claws.

:)

[Ignis]

12. And a sharp pen!

Well...mouse. ;)

[snooper2]

45. let me know when you need to haul some rat traps

just need gas for the truck :)

[walldude]

357. Run Away! Run Away!

:rofl:

[county worker]

3. What is a car addict?

Individuals can do a lot. Society as a whole needs an alternative that is as effective as a car. Life is more complicated that the ideal.

It is very important that we support alternatives that can be offered to society. That is more effective than doing individual things.

[Tailormyst]

24. That is really unfair- many of us need our cars to survive.

[azul]

211. Silly, there are electric cars.

Here is mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5YclCjREEc

[Tailormyst]

217. I would love to be able to afford to drive an electric car.

Until that time comes I will drive myself and my children in my minivan and do what I can in other areas to lessen our carbon footprint.

[Hissyspit]

269. Is the new Nissan Leaf completely electric?

[Kalyke]

304. I don't drive foreign cars

and most electric cars look about as safe as a cardboard box on wheels.

I live in a city where Interstate 40 and Interstate 75 cross - get hit by a semi in one of those things as oil will be the least of your worries.

[Synicus Maximus]

365. Get hit by a semi in a Cadie Escalade and oil will be the least of

of your worries.

[dionysus]

114. car addicts? i can't ride a bicycle 25 miles to work.

[SmileyRose]

378. Me neither - I also cannot afford to live within walking distance of my job - there is no bus

and there are no appropriate jobs within walking distance of me.

[Kalyke]

296. Not a car addict, but, without a car, I'd have no way to get to work.

There are buses, but they only run within the city limits, while most good-paying jobs are located outside of the city on county-only property.

:(

If it helps, I recycle: I buy plastic water bottles and then refill them a gazillion times with Britta filtered water. That makes it both convenient for my kids to grab out of the fridge (convenience makes them want them more) and it keeps me from wasting a ton of plastic bottles. I use canvas shopping bags. My car is a straight-shift and gets great gas mileage. When hubby and I work similar schedules, we carpool. I have a programmable thermostat, so I can keep the temp warmer in the summer/cooler in the winter when no one is home. During the summer, I reuse the kiddie pool water to water plants once that water gets icky. I have a vegetable garden.

'Zat enough to start?

P.S. I also work from home when I can to save on that gas.

[hlthe2b]

4. well, if I can find a rickshaw that can get me to and from

where I have to go for work twice a week--68 miles each way... I'd gladly join you.... Those days long ago when I could walk to work or school are my fondest memories ever... When home, I try to walk everywhere, since I do live in a very walkable community.

Oh, to live in Europe...

[Swamp Rat]

6. I understand

I need a car because my life may depend on it when the next hurricane hits New Orleans, yet I gave it up. I worked out a carpooling alternative.

When I was younger, I used to ride my bike anywhere from 25 to 100 miles per day... when I was younger. ;)

[Th1onein]

346. I run a business that entails my driving long distance.

I fly, as well. Nothing I can do to change this except for go out of business.

[Swamp Rat]

348. Do whatever you can to conserve.

I certainly do not want you to lose your livelihood. However, they may be ways to economize you have never thought of before. :shrug:

[NoNothing]

5. I gave up using the internet

So far, so good- oh.

Never mind.

[hlthe2b]

7. I'm impressed with your "stick-with-itness"

;)

[Swamp Rat]

9. HTTP 404 - File Not Found

You have reached the last page on the Internet.

Turn off your computer and go outside.

[tinrobot]

8. I bought a used electric car

It's a 1974 MGB that's been converted and I got it for pretty cheap.

I use it for any trip within it's 40 mile range (which is 80% of my driving)

[Swamp Rat]

14. Wow!!

Awesome! I may do something similar someday.

Does it still have Lucas Electronics? ;) :D

[tinrobot]

75. Just the lights... and I do have a tail light that's out.

Still can't quite figure out where the circuit is broken... Lucas... sheeesh.

You can buy used electric cars on eBay. I got mine off of this site:

http://www.austinev.org/evtradinpost/

Gotta be careful when buying conversions, though. Do your research. You also need to be willing to fix things yourself, if needed.

[Ichingcarpenter]

100. Pictures and you should do a post about on GD

Tell the story ......do the post.... I want to hear it.

[Swamp Rat]

113. I agree

I want to see this car. MGB's look very cool. :D

[Ichingcarpenter]

123. MGBs maybe.....Austin Healey 3000s........I don't think so

But the point is .... for the rural folks, you got a barn? Then use it and convert
what happened to the Americans I knew that could soup up any car on the road?

Now do it with electric, and use your land to fuel your car by wind, water or solar.

[Swamp Rat]

131. I'd like to have an electric Superbird or Barracuda with an 'electric Hemi'

or a Roadrunner. :)

[tinrobot]

215. Very cool, but those things are really heavy....

It'll take a LOT of batteries to make something like that work.

The trick with electric cars is making them light. This is why the Tesla is basically an electrified Lotus.

[Swamp Rat]

221. Maybe we'll have carbon fiber, retro kit cars in the future?

I hope so. :D

I just love this Hemi 'Cuda:

[tinrobot]

263. That might work...

Carbon fiber is expensive, but it would certainly lighten things up.

You could also do fiberglass and make it kind of like a stock car.

[Swamp Rat]

265. Plus, Corvettes are made with fiberglass

[NYC_SKP]

251. How about a Porsche Spyder...

...replica? $10,000, 50 mile range.

(from tinrobot's reply's link) http://www.austinev.org/evtradinpost/index.php?method=showdetails&list=advertisement&rollid=4325&fromfromlist=classifiedscategory&fromfrommethod=showhtmllist&fromfromid=17





:P

[Swamp Rat]

253. DROOL!!! ... or a 1963 split window Corvette?

[tinrobot]

212. Not much of a story...

I was planning to convert a car from scratch. In doing my research, I ran across the converted MGB for sale, so I took a look at it and it was very close to what I had planned. I bought it for less than the cost of the planned conversion. The car was about 100 miles away, so I rented a UHaul and towed it back.

The car had been sitting for about 10 years, it was converted in the '90s. The batteries were actually new, so it only needed tires & brakes, plus some paint & finish touch-ups.

It charges off of a standard outlet, can go about 40 miles on a charge, and is pretty darn fun to drive. It gets up to freeway speeds, but I tend to drive it mostly in the city.

There's pics and info about the car here: http://www.diyelectriccar.com/garage/cars/221

[Warpy]

10. I'm delighted you are able to do that

but physical handicaps make it impossible in my case. I do drive a 4 cylinder econocar and drive it very little. I haven't owned anything with more than 4 cylinders since 1969. My electric bill averages under $40/month and my gas bill, for heating, cooking and hot water, is never more than $90 in the depths of winter. Summer baking is in a solar oven.

I can't eliminate my carbon footprint but I have taken as many steps as I can to reduce it.

[Swamp Rat]

17. I am really not in a position to do it, but I did anyway.

I understand your predicament very well, and I think someone like you should be the exception to the rule, at least until small electric cars are mass-produced and are as cheap as an old VW Beetle. I need a car to escape hurricanes, but I worked out a way to carpool.

I admire your effort to reduce your carbon footprint. It's folks like you who gave me the inspiration to do the same.

[michreject]

11. I need my vehicle. I have a RV

I did trade in my old truck for one with better gas mileage. 25% better. My old one got 8 mpg.

[Swamp Rat]

18. That's a positive step.

Maybe someday it will be possible (financially feasible) to convert the RV to an alternate fuel.

[Riftaxe]

13. Let me guess, another urbanite?

[Swamp Rat]

20. No, a human being who likes to drink clean water and breath clean air.

I see you are from New Hampshire. That state is so small I could walk across it, and I practically did (North to South - from Wildcat/Mt. Washington to Portsmouth).

[Tailormyst]

30. If you know NH then you know a vehicle is a necessity there.

Nothing is close by. The weather rarely is cooperative.

[Swamp Rat]

42. Nothing is close by in every state and province in North America.

And the weather does not cooperate in any of those states and provinces.

[Riftaxe]

145. Very true, and geographical distance

rarely is anywhere near travel distance, our silly hills and mountains make straight roads difficult :)

[Maru Kitteh]

67. You can't breath clean air.

You may however breathe clean air.




It's like razor blades on a chalkboard.

[Swamp Rat]

119. I guess I have brain damage from all the Corexit that BP sprayed on me.

:hi:

[Riftaxe]

122. When you can walk that twice a day and still put in a full

days work i will be suitably impressed :P

[Swamp Rat]

134. LOL!!

:hi:

[lunatica]

15. I would be glad to if I could

[Swamp Rat]

21. You can. We all can.

IF we really had the will to do so.

[Abq_Sarah]

34. I suppose

I could close my business, fire my employees and live in a tent up in the mountains but at that point, it's more about proving a point than it is about actual living.

[Swamp Rat]

43. If it improves our air and water, please do so.

[Abq_Sarah]

210. Zeroing out my carbon footprint

Isn't a practical solution. At least not for me but if anyone else is concerned, they can knock themselves out.

[lunatica]

101. I can't use public transportation where I live unless I drive to it

It's miles away. I work 10 miles away and have to drive on the freeway which is the only way I can get to work the quickest. Really. I can't.

[Swamp Rat]

192. That's unfortunate.

I can relate, as it was a deadly proposition to ride my bike to school - I have been hit by cars 3 times in my life (and I am a good cyclist - hand signals, stopping at lights, etc.).

Hopefully someday there will be a better access road/pedestrian bridge for your convenience. I will attend a city planning meeting this Saturday to add my voice regarding this matter. We should all do this if possible, for our own sakes.

[Stinky The Clown]

16. Commendable if you can do it. Sadly, many (most?) Americans simply cannot.

[Swamp Rat]

26. I was and still am expecting a litany of responses like this.

However, I need a car as much as any DUer who is disabled and lives in a hurricane-prone area, but I gave my away anyway.

I understand, and I do not fault or condemn you or anyone. I just want people to begin a paradigm shift, away from fossil fuel usage.

[Stinky The Clown]

33. And I'm not condemning you. I called it commendable and I meant it. It is.

I have no doubt you know the reasons why most people can't do it.

[Swamp Rat]

37. Thanks, and I do appreciate your input.

I hope this thread will be a springboard, albeit very small, to take further action that will improve our environment.

[Stinky The Clown]

79. Ya know what's funny ..... every time a pro rail travel or pro mass transit thread goes up ......

.... the number of naysayers that come out to poopoo it is mind boggling.

If we had serious rail infrastructure and serious mass transit, many more could join you in carlessness.

[Swamp Rat]

112. You are correct.

If they had light rail, they would LOVE it.... really really really LOVE it.

Our streetcars in New Orleans are not perfect, and they are limited, but it is exponentially better than nothing.

Americans need to viscerally learn that light rail is much better than living in a car-centered society, rural or urban, and then DEMAND that out politicians do something about it RIGHT NOW.

[KamaAina]

83. Look for an "evacuation buddy"

when it looked like I might be headed back to town a couple of years ago, I wargamed that scenario. The ideal candidate would be another single guy who didn't have family to evacuate with him. I even have the advantage of knowing someone (an occasional DUer) in Houston who'd put us up!

And, you have a disability? Welcome aboard!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=250

[bigmonkey]

302. "Cannot" is a little extreme.

There are varying degrees of inconvenience. It's not all or nothing, certainly not in many (most?) cases. At a certain point, how much inconvenience are you willing to put up with to get long-term survivability? To change the demand part of the equation to one where "everyone" doesn't "need" a car?

[grasswire]

19. I gave mine up seven years ago and have lugged everything since then.

I take public transportation when necessary, walk most of the time. I lug groceries several times a week; I even brought a used TV home from the Goodwill about a mile away on a small red wagon. I have a grocery cart that I use when getting kitty litter or something like potting soil.

It has been damned inconvenient many times. I've been soaked, frozen, blistered, annoyed by many aspects of it. I stand on the corner by the grocery store and look at the thousands of cars going by with one person inside.

Wake up, people!! The pelicans, the turtles, the shrimpers and oystermen! Wake up!

[Swamp Rat]

31. Thank you!!

:hug:

[Kievan Rus]

159. Peak oil is another reason to wake up

At the rate we're going, I wouldn't be shocked if a dystopia like the ones presented in the "Mad Max" movies comes around once peak oil hits.

[Better Believe It]

22. When I and my wife arrive at our destination in a plane (we fly rather than bicycle) we

usually rent a SUV rather than bicycles.

Are we bad?

Only massive government/private programs to develop public solar/wind wind power will end almost total dependence on oil.

Glad you trying something, but sad to say that similar acts by even a few million people will have little or no noticeable impact on the environment and could even damage and weaken serious organized efforts to encourage solar and wind power alternatives.

Some opponents might argue that personal efforts to run houses using expensive wind/solar power and riding a bicycle will be adequate and that "people" who don't recycle are responsible for the pollution and not industry.

Well, good luck.

But, I'm afraid that I and 200 million or so others who need their cars will continue to drive.

If you truly needed your car, you'd still be driving.

[Swamp Rat]

35. "If you truly needed your car, you'd still be driving." - So, I am a liar?

That is how I read your post.

I am certain I need a car more than you need to rent SUVs. My life depends on being able to escape hurricanes.

[Matariki]

133. delete - duplicate...

[Swamp Rat]

139. That's a very good point.

I believe carpooling is a better alternative to 'bumming' rides off people. Offering to pay someone's gas is also a gesture of good faith I practice regularly.

[Matariki]

144. oops, downthread. Sorry.

I posted in the wrong place.

You know, the Kama Sutra gives advice to the effect that one of the means to happiness is living within walking distance from work. Cool, huh? Considering how long ago that was written.

[Better Believe It]

160. No. If you truly needed your car, you'd still have it and would be driving.

So do you really need your car or not?

Perhaps you're just confused.

[Swamp Rat]

167. No, I am not confused.

However, I think you might be.

1. My life depends on a car, yet I gave my own car up.

2. I live in New Orleans.

3. Hurricanes are a constant, deadly threat, and the only way out is a car.

4. So, I carpool instead of owning a car.

5. I gave up a level of my own security for the sake of our environment.

What's so hard to understand?

[Better Believe It]

239. So your life does continue to depend on a car since you carpool.

"I gave up a level of my own security for the sake of our environment."

How is that?

By carpooling in the event of a hurricane?

Thanks for your sacrifice.

[Swamp Rat]

246. I know you are not sincerely thanking me, and are instead ridiculing me.

How unfortunate a tact to take. The sacrifice I made is, indeed, great, whether or not you want to believe it.

My sincere hope is that it will inspire you and others to do something similar, at whatever level of comfortability you and they can afford.

You 'Better Believe It' when I say people in New Orleans died because they did not have cars during hurricane Katrina. My mother was missing for 3 days until she showed up at a junkyard in Thibodeaux, driving on two flat tires... more like molten rims. She crashed a police barricade on the GNO bridge, packed into her car a couple of stragglers she helped out at the last moment. The people on foot behind her were shot at by the Jefferson Parish Police. They had no car, so they did NOT get out of the City, and many of them died, some there, and some in the Superdome.

I do not want my life to depend on cars any longer, nor the wars and pollution that result from our car-centered society. So, the more people that give up cars, or drive a lot less, the more impetus our politicians and those in the energy industry will have to institute major changes. Our present course has resulted in the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, and perhaps the world if the oil volcano is not stopped.

Don't you want to see this stopped? I refuse to believe that you really do not care.

[femmedem]

350. Why would you post this?

I'm sure SwampRat is walking or bicycling through all kinds of weather every week if not daily when it would be faster, easier and more comfortable to drive. Yes, he's sacrificing for our common good. His reliance on someone else's car during a life-threatening emergency doesn't diminish the sacrifice.

[Obamanaut]

341. self delete

[Luminous Animal]

271. Are you bad? Depends on where you end up.

Fly to most any major city in the world and renting a car is idiocy. I recently read that 70% of the tourists in San Francisco do not rent a car. Good for them.

[bigmonkey]

305. Logical error on your part.

You are asserting that anyone who is still driving needs their car. No proof in evidence.

[Tailormyst]

23. Until I retire I will need my car, hopefullly by then there will be electic cars

However- I do others things to help. I garden. I eat local and organic with most of the time. I recycle. I use cloth bags at the market, etc. Like my fiance likes to say " you do what you can".

[Swamp Rat]

36. Thank you!!

I wish I could garden, but my soil was poisoned, as is most of the soil in New Orleans. Our drinking water has fecal coliforms, lead, and mercury, sometimes at deadly levels (contrary to what the municipal sewerage and water folks say).

[Tailormyst]

61. What happened to you all then and now is just to horrific for words.

I can't even imagine what it is like for you.

[Ichingcarpenter]

25. I sold my car last year and use the Bus and trains

But now I walk 78% more and walking was painful with my arthritis before I sold my car, but actually my arthritis is better now because of it. I have lost my 35 waist to a 30. and
I haven't had that waist size since my early 30s as a carpenter.

Do it, sure your day task take a little longer but what's time to a hog?


but what's time to a hog? is a great joke/ farmer story
handed down by farmer relatives

[Swamp Rat]

38. "You're a better man than I, Gunga Din."

:hi: I expect to lose a lot of weight too. :)

[Ichingcarpenter]

64. "Tho' I've belted you and flayed you, By the livin' Gawd that made you,

I think it was Kipling's acknowledgment to the racism, classism and imperialism
that affected his time.....

That's why his poetry still works...LOL...... nothing changes it just moves to another country

To change one's life and consciousness, is possible but it is not an easy or painless
going through but there are rewards down the road or path that we truly WALK on.

If I do take a ride in a car now I always observe the driver and his or her
interaction with their vehicle, is it a extension of their personality?
Their driving environment,bumper to bumper.
Hear complaints abou car maintaince, insurance, tickets etc.....
But then I hear ........ It gives me freedom and saves time.. and time is money.

Then I think........
Each to their OWN

but at least my car doesn't' own me anymore.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Zoeisright]

39. Me either.

That's my contribution, besides voting Democratic, of course. And recycling, and conserving water, and using energy saving bulbs, and eating organic, and gardening organic, and buying fuel efficient cars.

[Swamp Rat]

41. Me too.

If I am ever in a good financial position, I will adopt a child.

Living in South America demonstrated to me the need, for everyone who is able, to adopt children instead of creating more.

[Abq_Sarah]

28. Good for you

I make no apologies for the fact that I live in a very rural area, own a business and depend on automobile transportation.

[Swamp Rat]

44. We all own or run a business and depend on automobile transportation

That is not a viable answer.

[timo]

151. so give me a solution

I live in a rural area, I have a small tree farm and nursery, so I ditch my truck? am I supposed to put the trees on a bicycle and peddle them to market (350 to 1000 miles) ???? should I just can my employees and let it all go??? so how do I go about running a business with no transportation? do I sell the tractors and go back to draft horses? I too live in a coastal area so I need to have an evacuation plan for my family (6 plus animals) gonna be hard to find a carpool that big.

[Swamp Rat]

202. We all have reasons why we need cars and trucks.

I do not wish to see you and your family, and business hurt in any way. Maybe a such drastic change is untenable for you. This I understand. I

Nevertheless, we must find other ways to transport ourselves and our belongings.

Perhaps there is some way for you to economize that which you have not thought of before, but will give it more thought.

I will appreciate anything you do to lesson negative impacts on our environment, however small.

At this moment I do not have a solution for you, but I certainly appreciate and even admire what you do for a living.

:hi:

edit: from post #195:

"On this very forum 5 or 6 years ago there was a post about a retired mechanic/farmer who built a tractor to run on vegetable oil. Either the feds or the auto industry found out and slapped him with something like a $20,000 tax/fine for using it on state highways. Way to punish ingenuity. The difficulty with developing vehicles which run on renewable, or at least non-petroleum-based energy is NOT in developing the technology. The difficulty is in developing the technology so that the automotive and energy industries can still make a profit."

[Luminous Animal]

270. Biodiesel?

[Tesha]

72. Perhaps it will eventually be impractical for you to continue living this way in a rural area.

You may want to prepare yourself for the inevitable changes.

Tesha

[KamaAina]

85. Or we could go back to the days when trains and interurbans served the small towns

just a thought.

[Ichingcarpenter]

138. Back to the Future...... and then for another

Continent or consciousness?


Who knows?

MEANWHILE THE GULF OF MEXICO IS BLEEDING TO DEATH

We all need to try............ that is all that is asked

TRY

[Swamp Rat]

142. That's it, my friend. That is all I am asking.

I have nightmares every night now, when I am able to sleep, about dead pelicans, dead turtles, dead dolphins, dead people, dead oceans... Since I last went down to Venice, I can't get the smell of death and oil out of my nostrils. :cry:

[Ichingcarpenter]

148. DO SOMETHING

But when I feel like giving up
And I'm ready to walk away
In the stillness, I can hear
A voice inside me say

Do something
Do something
It's too late for saving face
Don't just stand there takin' up space
Why don't you do something?
Do something
It's not over
No, it's never too late

You were always on my side
Love was all we had
Now I sit and watch our love unraveling
I pick up the morning paper
All the news is bad
How did we get on this road we're traveling?

But when I feel like giving up
And there's nowhere left to go
That's the time I dig down deep
The only thing I know

Do something
Do something
Don't leave it up for someone else
Don't feel sorry for yourself
Why don't you do something?
Do something
It's not over
No, it's never too late

Run away
You can't run away
For your honor
For your pride
You'll sleep better
Knowin' you tried

[Swamp Rat]

168. Right.

I did, and I hope others do too.

[mkultra]

383. can i borrow your time machine

i have a sports almanac to buy.

[timo]

152. wrong

the inevitable is that the urban model will fall apart before the rural model will. rural areas are better equipped to feed themselves and be self sustaining...urbanm models rely HEAVILY on everything being trucked or trained or planed or boated in.

[Tesha]

153. It's worthwhile to truck things/train things/ship things to cities.

And it takes relatively little energy per unit of things delivered.

You can't say the same thing for a thousand Podunks scattered all
across the countryside.

Tesha

[timo]

155. until

your supply lines are interrupted then you have thousands of people whose resources have been cut off, meanwhile the rural areas who are better suited to be self sufficient do without much better.

[PJPhreak]

29. My Car...

has sat in the driveway for the last 7-8 weeks (Dying a slow death) so as I had to go Salem Mo,Springfeild Mo,Joplin Mo,Pittsburg Ks Lawerence Ks,From my house in Virgil Ks.in one trip,So I rode this...



1983 Honda trail 110...85 Mpg,top speed 55 Mph,And it a Hoot to ride.

Got horribly sunburnt,bug bit,(Had a bee fly into my helmet...still have the mark) People laughing at me as they passed me in their SUV's,trucks ect.

Total miles 1100. Total gas usage...12.3 gallons!

My Carolla in top running order will only go appox 375 miles on 12 gallons,and ain't half the fun!

[zazen]

46. just curious--are you female? I think females are much more vulnerable on bikes, mopeds

sleeping outside, walking on the side of the road. If you are and do this, I'm seriously impressed.

There are lots of reasons countries in which there's gender apartheid forbid women from driving.

Driving has abetted the 20th century women's movement. Not only can you be more free from men at home, but you aren't vulnerable on the side of the road to harassment and violence.

I hate it that things like this make me even more complicitous in energy dependency.

That, and having underage daughters.

[PJPhreak]

60. Nope,Middle Aged Graybeard Deadhead. nt

[Swamp Rat]

51. Cool! I had one almost just like it, but a bit older.

Oh, and I TOTALLY understand about bees and bugs flying into your helmet! :P

I am thinking about getting an electric moped or electrifying a bike. I've been shopping for a few years, but still remain undecided on which way to go.

I really like this kit made in Canada:
http://www.bionx.ca/en/

http://www.ecofriendlymag.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/98ec2_bionx+kit+plan.jpg

[PJPhreak]

74. Goggle "Stokemonkey"

Battery assist for the Surly Big Dummy Cargo Bike or an "Extracycle" conversion for any Mt.Bike...

Big Dummy...


Xtracycle...


Stokemonkey Electric assist...

[lfairban]

276. Good, but expensive.

The biggest downside to the Bionx kit is the price. On the other hand, they are made in Canada, whereas most Ebike motors are made in China. The battery mounts in the triangle on the downtube, which is way cool!

The handlebar mounted LCD display is kind of nice, but the Cycle Analyst is better (http://ebike.ca). Since it is a direct hub motor, it will have cogging drag, but it also does regenerative breaking, automatically when you hit the break lever. Personally, I would rather have a freewheeling motor than regenerative breaking.

I just got a rear, geared hub motor from Ampedbikes. I haven't mounted it yet, but I have high hopes. Their Li. battery will soon be available.

Complete kits are also available from http://e-bikekit.com.

This info is a bit old, but there are a lot of links.

http://home.roadrunner.com/~LFAIRBAN/Electric%20Bike%20Kits.html

I re-fitted my 10yo. Schwinn Ebike with Lithium batteries, and now it goes about 20 miles. Just the thing to get around those pesky evacuation traffic jams. When the battery runs out, just keep pedaling.

Best general Ebike information source: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/

[Uzybone]

32. How do you expect me to get to the Starbucks so I can get online?

So I can post diatribes online? My home internet is slow.

[Swamp Rat]

54. What's a Starbucks? You post diatribes?

I've never seen you before. :shrug:

[KamaAina]

80. Swampy lives in NOLA. There are about three Starbucks in the entire city.

All are in the tourist/hotel district. In the rest of the city, real coffeehouses like PJ's and Rue de la Course have run 'em clear out of town!

[Swamp Rat]

125. I walk or ride my bike to PJ's and Rue de la Course on a daily basis.

mmmm chicory! :9

[lonestarnot]

237. Some day I'm going to come there and burst through the doors and yell Swampie you in here, then

I'm going to hug your neck and then I'm gona buy you a :beer: :loveya: You are such a dear hero.

[Swamp Rat]

242. lonestarnot, dawlin'

If only I wasn't already spoken for... :loveya::hug::loveya:

Nevertheless, I still fully expect a hug and a beer.

You are a hero of mine.... When I am feeling down or in a rage over that scrotum-less jackass Tony Hayward and I just want to choke the life out of him while giving him a PB crude enema.. whew!... I come looking for you here at DU. :loveya:

[lonestarnot]

244. Three beers are better than two!

Then we'll all three have a good cry. :cry: another one.

[Swamp Rat]

247. Yeah, I was crying all last night about all the dead turtles and pelicans

:hug: I slept for a few hours, then woke up after dreaming about BP burning turtles alive, dead and dying dolphins looking at me as oil came out of their mouths, dead pelicans everywhere (our state bird we worked so hard to bring back from extinction for over a decade), dead fish, and the smell of death, chemicals and oil in my nostrils. Maybe making trips down there to see things for myself was a bad idea, but I had to. I know I was breathing in Corexit and other toxic fumes, as the helicopters sprayed from above. It was like going to see the body of a dead relative who was not quite dead yet, while the mafia was there watching and squirting solvents on the mourners.

[lonestarnot]

282. I am so sorry my sorry ass doesn't know what to say or do.

:hug:

[KonaKane]

40. I already did that once...gave away my car and went without for five years

but needed to get one back because I am a working musician who needs to haul his equipment to gigs sometimes a long ways away.

I have found other ways to cut down in the meantime.

[pitohui]

49. i went without for a couple years also

no noble reason, it was a phobia pure and simple, and it made me a nuisance to all around me, pure and simple

an adult in new orleans, who cares about her safety and about not being a burden on others, needs to be able to drive, if for no other reason than to evacuate in orderly fashion during hurricane evacuations

otherwise you live a v. constricted life, bounded by a v. small area

plus sooner or later you get to be a crime victim on top of it

for all i know, swamp rat is a big guy who can walk around at all hours of the night but the majority of people are women, old, children, have some disability, aren't very big, gay, etc. -- all kinds of reason some predator will stalk you, you need your car around you, it has gotten me out of trouble more times than i can count

[KonaKane]

57. Agree with you totally. The OP has posted a self-horn tooting thread like this before

and gotten similar responses, so it's curious as to why they did it again and expected different responses.

[Swamp Rat]

116. Really, which "self-horn tooting thread like this?"

So sad you choose to see it this way. I hope you reassess your opinion of this OP.

This is not about me nor the 'cult of personality'.

[kestrel91316]

284. I think it's telling that you consider Swampy's OP "self-horn-tooting"

instead of incentivising and inspiring.

Truly pathetic, your attitude. No wonder we need to drill so deep in the gulf. How many SUV's do you have?

[spoony]

389. I think a lot of people are being unfair in this thread.

Not the OP, as their replies have been pretty sympathetic and reasonable, but others on both sides are judging people too harshly. On one hand the people trying to make a difference are not, I don't think, trying to toot their own horn. And on the other hand, those people shouldn't assume everyone is in a position to do as they do.

Just my 2p

[Swamp Rat]

58. I understand. I worked as a musician for a couple of decades.

I still need a ride when I move large percussion instruments, but I was able to downsize my guitar rig to something I can carry in two hands and on my back.

Your effort is appreciated. :thumbsup:

[bigmonkey]

309. Do you live in a city?

Is your gear small enough to fit in a Zipcar? They have a special overnight deal that was designed to help working musicians.

[AnArmyVeteran]

47. What if you're homeless and living in your car?

Seriously, I'm starting a garden to cut down on trips to the grocery store and also to reduce the amount of chemicals going into my body. I also consolidate my trips, making one circular trip rather than going to each one separately on different days. I've done that for years. I also have energy saving light bulbs throughout my house. And I planted trees around my house to make it cooler.

BTW, good for you. What kind of solar panel system do you have and how did you integrate it with your house? I've always wanted to do that but thought it would be too costly.

We could have used the trillions of dollars wasted on Bush's wars for solar panels for every household in the country reducing the amount of energy we used dramatically. But that would be a smart thing to do, and Bush is dumber than dirt and completely evil.

[Swamp Rat]

59. I feel very sad for ANYONE who is homeless and living in a car.

Not much I can say about that except to express my deepest empathy.

Currently, I have no: job, car, solar panels, or extra money to even buy new clothes. My soil is too poisonous to garden, and I have no options, but to stay where I am.

[AnArmyVeteran]

65. Can't you find a company who needs someone as talented as you are?

[Swamp Rat]

118. Thanks

for saying I am talented. There are zero jobs in New Orleans at this time that I am physically capable of doing. I take part-time work when I can get it, though.

[kestrel91316]

285. You can garden with raised beds. Veggies grown in abundant compost in a

raised bed won't be unhealthy for you. The compost ties up the heavy metals and the plants won't take it up. And bacterial pathogens are not an issue unless your soil has FRESH fecal waste on it.

Garden away!

[Swamp Rat]

311. Thanks

Our water is not too good either. The infrastructure in New Orleans is crumbling (it's so old), including all the water and sewage pipes below. Even though the water treatment plant does a good job cleaning the water from the Mississippi River, there is infiltration from the sewage pipes into the water supply lines, thus adding fecal coliforms to the drinking water. Plus, there is lead and mercury all throughout the system. Nevertheless, there are people farming in their back yards here, but I am leery of doing this.

[kestrel91316]

369. The natural environment is full of fecal coliforms, so watering food plants

with less than pristine water is irrelevant. If you are worried, wash your crops off with boiled (and cooled) water and or cook things rather than serving raw. You CAN safely garden where you are.

[pitohui]

48. sorry you'll pry my car from my cold, dead hands

new orleans is a particularly unfortunate and unsafe place for a woman to be without a car

a man for that matter really, i know of two young men (30s or younger) killed on bicycles and no one ever caught or prosecuted

i'm not willing to die so someone working at a charity who almost HAS to earn more money than i do, i've brought in only a couple thousand this year, can have MY car

shooting oneself in the foot or cutting off nose to spite face helps noone and makes you a burden to your friends, not YOU specifically, but YOU generically, i had to stop catering to car-less friends almost 20 yrs ago, there's no nice way to put it, they were becoming energy and money draining parasites

if you can TRULY do w/out your car in this area, then i stand amazed and i salute you, if what you're REALLY doing is exploiting friends & family then noooo...i guess you can tell i've had VERY bad experiences in this area

when a hurricane evacuation is announced, you are GOING to be in a car, not a bike, and you are GOING to be using gas -- do the decent thing and PAY the person who is already going out of their way to chaffeur you around for the gas

can you tell i've had VERY bad experiences with the "no car" crowd? 99.9 percent of them are losers and users, if you're the exception, then good for you...but i play the odds frankly and once someone starts using me for a ride, i didn't sign on to be their mama, i drop them as a friend -- friendship is about equality not about using

[Swamp Rat]

69. I understand, and as you know I live in New Orleans.

I have been hit by cars three times in my life, resulting in broken bones and serious head injuries.

Yet, I gave up my car. I worked out a way to carpool during the next hurricane evacuation.

""no car" crowd? 99.9 percent of them are losers and users" - I do not believe this to be true, but I am sorry you had such bad experiences.

What I saw in Venice and Grand Isle (have you gone down there lately?), and saw with my own two eyes and smelled with my own nose, gave me the inspiration to make a change... as painful and scary as it is to make such a change.

:hi:

[KamaAina]

97. I was once one of 100,000 or so New Orleanians without cars

that was the figure before the Federal Flood.

I have a disability and hence do not drive. I must be the 0.01 percent who is not a "loser or user".

As to the safety point, I actually ended up meeting my best friends down there at a bus stop on N. Rampart. We had just finished a demo, and they saw me and invited me to come to dinner with them, sicne they deemed it too dangerous for me (male) to be waiting out there at dusk.

[Swamp Rat]

126. yep

momenem live a block off N. Rampawt. ;)

[TheKentuckian]

You're no gem your self if you think 99.9% of any group without a particular possession

are losers and users or any other attribute but maybe broke.

[kestrel91316]

287. I have no car in Los Angeles and exactly TWICE in the past 10 months have had a

dear friend (who offered to help) schlep me around for bulky item purchases.

"Losers and users" indeed........

[fishwax]

50. Congrats!

:toast:

[HockeyMom]

52. Wish I still lived in NYC

where mass transit was available all around. I live in SW Florida (ugh). I can barely stand or walk outside in the brutal sun and 100+ heat indexes, let alone do any physical excercise. I am not cut out for HEAT. I can walk in below freezing temps, but not in anything over 80 degrees.

[Swamp Rat]

70. I completely empathize with you regarding the heat.

It has been 90 degrees at night in my house most of this month. I cannot get to sleep until about 7 AM lately.

[bluesmail]

53. You are a noble Swamp Rat. I'm trying to imagine the recent back to back disasters.

One 'probably' 'natural' versus the hideous man-made disaster that will 'probably' pronounce most of us 'dead' eventually.

[Swamp Rat]

71. I am only trying to do my small part.

I, too, have doubts our species will last another hundred years.

[NC_Nurse]

55. Good for you! My husband and I sold our vehicles and we share my Mom's old car.

She can't drive anymore, so she doesn't need it. Unfortunately, we have to drive some in ATL, but we're trying to minimize it.

[Swamp Rat]

73. Exactly!

This is what I'm talking about! Every little bit helps.

I still need a vehicle (not my own) to escape hurricanes, but now it will be used by at least 3 people, very judiciously.

[Coyote_Bandit]

56. Sorry - I'm not feeling the least bit guilty about driving

The heat index here has been well over 100 degrees the last several days. Even young healthy active folks are having difficulty in this heat and finding it necessary to get medical care.

There is ***NO*** public transportation available to take me where I need to go. And there isn't anyone who lives near me who travels to the same destination.

Walking or biking those 20+ miles would literally kill me.

I'll be driving.

[Swamp Rat]

77. The heat index here is well over 100 and it gets up to 90 degrees in my house at night

until about 6-7 AM, for most of June so far.

I am not trying to make you feel bad about protecting your health - I understand this completely.

I am just taking a stand... my own stand... for the sake of our environment. You are welcome to join me if you wish, in any way you are able.

:hi:

[Coyote_Bandit]

143. I do what I can

to reuse, recycle and be environmentally conscious and responsible.

I appreciate others who do the same.

I also appreciate those who recognize that making that effort takes different practical expressions depending on location, age, lifestyle and socioeconomic status among other factors.

There is no one size fits all way to be environmentally conscious and responsible.

[Swamp Rat]

169. Thank you.

In view of the destruction of my way of life and my local environment (Gulf Coast), I really appreciate your effort.

:hi:

[Curmudgeoness]

90. I'm with you. Can't feel guilt about something out of my control.

I drive 25 miles to work so I am able to live. Then 25 miles home. I do what I can, have slowed down and do save gas with that, don't drive just for leisure. I buy most everything used, recycle, reuse what I can, compost, grow veggies in my flower garden, conserve water and utilities as much as possible. There is no mass transit here, no car pool options. I do what I can to survive this life. But I do wish I could live without a car. More power to those who can.

[Coyote_Bandit]

137. I do a lot of the same things you do

It does require effort, planning and sacrifice to do so - and can result in some remarkable environmental savings. But it's not as glamorous as (gasp!) giving up a car and driving.

[Curmudgeoness]

161. Ain't that the truth. I love drama. nt

[Swamp Rat]

171. I hope you really do not think I gave up my car and posted this because it is "glamourous"

I posted this because my world, my way of life has been destroyed by BP.

The last time I posted something this 'glamorous' was when my city was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and my pets, neighbors, and friends were killed.

[Coyote_Bandit]

234. Don't take the comment personally

It wasn't directed at you.

But I have seen repeated discussions that clearly infer that us folks who drive cars are irresponsible and selfish. That is not necessarily true and it is ignorant of the lack of transportation alternatives available to many of us. It also ignores the fact that there are a lots of other ways to positively impact the environment.

[Swamp Rat]

238. Thanks for the clarification

I greatly appreciate any effort and suggestion, and acknowledge the choice I made may not be feasible for many at this time... actually, it may not go well for me the next time have to evacuate New Orleans, if my carpool ride suddenly does not materialize. I am taking a risk. However, I am also very upset and worried what this BP disaster bodes for all of us. I am taking a cue from Obama regarding the 'fierce urgency of now'. Maybe I should have included that in the OP, though I was trying to keep it simple.

And to clarify my position, I do not think people who rely on cars necessarily are irresponsible and selfish. If that is the case, the we ALL are somewhat are irresponsible and selfish, and I am taking full responsibility for my past actions by trying to improve them in the now and for the future.

Thanks again for your response.

[Beringia]

62. I like that people are discussing this

We could change overnight if there was a necessity. Humans are geniuses. (I mean we could change if it was the priority instead of finding ways to recreate, compete etc).

I have a small carbon print, but I would like to contribute more to positive change, via animal rights.

[Swamp Rat]

78. "We could change overnight if there was a necessity. Humans are geniuses."

Thank you!!! :applause:

I firmly believe we are at the point of necessity, and I will shout it from the rooftops until everyone understands this.

If we wait, it will be too late.

[Luminous Animal]

272. Swamp Rat has a lot of respect here. Nearly anyone else posting similar would be buried in snark.

[Beringia]

364. you are right n/t

[G_j]

63. almost completely given up meat

Aside from going to work, I've cut way back on driving, paying more attention plastic packaging.

[Swamp Rat]

Great!!

I was a vegetarian for 20 years (except for fish and shellfish, the staple of my diet) until I found out I was anemic. When I began eating red meat, my anemia disappeared immediately. Maybe I should re-asses this and find an alternative?

Though I like meat, I could easily give it up again if I could find a healthy alternative. As it is, I do not eat much red meat, but I do like to eat reptiles (not republicans). :D

I don't think I can give up eating crawfish unless they become poisonous... which has become a serious a problem regarding anything living in our polluted streams and rivers.

[G_j]

109. as far as the environment is concerned

factory farmed meat is a huge oil consumer.But eating local seafood for example, is much less so. Actually eating local anything is a way to cut down on oil consumption.

(I had heard that cooking in an iron skillet will help one get more iron.
It's actually true. Also, dark green vegetables, red beans, folic acid, B-vitamins)

[Swamp Rat]

111. I eat red beans and rice every Monday

And I do have an old iron skillet somewhere... I will look for it tonight. As for dark green veggies, I eat them as often as possible. About 90-95% of my meat diet is based on local seafood... until BP.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MVJDW4NRL._SL500_AA300_PIbundle-12,TopRight,0,0_AA300_SH20_.jpg

[dana_b]

256. I had the exact same problem (iron deficiancy)

and have to take ferrous gluconate (oral iron) everyday because of it. I also do the things that the other poster pointed out - dark greens, beans, iron skillet, etc. If you don't mind that you can still be predominantly vegetarian.

BTW - good for you with giving up your car. I drive as little as possible but do need a car for few things. Once I have back surgery I am hoping to be able to ride a bike. :)

[Swamp Rat]

258. We have some things in common

I have a bad back (no health insurance so I cannot afford surgery), and anemia. Well, I think I am going to take another baby step here and try to reduce my mean consumption even more (I really don't eat much red meat, or pork, and I hate chicken). I occasionally eat freshly caught game, and reptiles (alligators and alligator snapping turtles, both of which are over abundant here in Louisiana).

Thanks for your input. :hi:

[kestrel91316]

288. Eat red meat OCCASIONALLY, and try to find grass-fed beef rather

than feedlot beef. That's what I do.

And I wish I could get crawfish here........

[Swamp Rat]

329. Good idea

I mostly eat grass-fed. ;)

I am a bottomless pit when it comes to crawfish. I don't think I could live anyplace where there are no crawfish. :9

[bvar22]

66. Commendable.

I also applaud your issuing of the challenge.

We will be keeping our 4WD small Ford truck.
but we ARE making our commitment in many other ways.

This was one of the easiest:
Solar Clothes Dryer

Non-renewable energy consumed = 0

Carbon Footprint = 0

Toxic Waste created = 0

Money given to Big Energy = 0

[Swamp Rat]

84. Thank you!!

Every little bit helps. :hi:

[ScarletFyre]

68. I do the best I can...

I live 25 miles from the nearest grocer, and I'm not physically capable of walking/riding a bike that far. I do combine trips and don't do any recreational driving. And I do drive a 4 cylinder instead of a gas-sucking pig.

For those who must do some driving, keeping your car well maintained and in good running order goes a long way in reducing the pollutants it puts out.

[Swamp Rat]

88. I agree, and I kept my 4 cylinder going for over a decade, even after it was destroyed

during Katrina (I rewired it, put in a new computer, etc. but did not fix the AC or radio). Just keeping ones tires inflated at the proper pressure helps.

Every little bit you do helps. Thanks. :hi:

[NNN0LHI]

76. I am starting to think all new houses should by code not need an outside energy source

I know it would add to the cost of a new house but it has to be a lot cheaper to build a house new this way from the beginning than to try and retrofit everything later. This would really pay off down the road.

I would think that would be a hell of a good start.

Don

[Swamp Rat]

91. I agree, though we should also recycle old houses whenever possible.

I'm in a hundred-year-old house, so it has longleaf pine and cypress, with antique ceiling fans. It makes sense to recycle and repair homes here in New Orleans, but your idea may be a better alternative for building up new housing stock in other areas.

:hi:

[KamaAina]

81. Welcome to the fabulous world of RTA

As I understand it, the St. Charles streetcar is one of the few lines still offering big-city-style service (frequent service during the day and late-night service). The bus lines, not so much. Even the Magazine bus is known as the "unicorn", because everybody talks about them, but no one's ever seen one. :-)

[Swamp Rat]

93. LOL!!

I've been riding streetcars since I was able to walk. Forget busses! It's faster to ride a bike. :hi:

[proteus_lives]

82. Where do you live?

[Swamp Rat]

94. Earth

[proteus_lives]

98. Narrow it please.

[KamaAina]

129. Uh, North America?

:P

[proteus_lives]

146. Nah, he knows what I'm talking about.

I want to see if he'll own up to it.

[Swamp Rat]

172. "I want to see if he'll own up to it." - What are you talking about?

Do I know you? :shrug:

[proteus_lives]

188. Well, where do you live?

[Swamp Rat]

201. What do I have to "own up to?" What faux pas, what crime did I commit?

[KamaAina]

320. By George, I think I've got it!

You are guilty of living in the city whose Saints abused his preferred team, the Indianapolis NFL Franchise, in the Super Bowl. Bless You Boys!! :-)

[Swamp Rat]

330. WHO DAT!!

Btw, watch out fo' da fake 'who dats' ;)

[Critters2]

86. You must live in a place with public transportation.

How fortunate for you.

[Swamp Rat]

99. I live in a place that is being destroyed by BP

When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least:
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee,--and then my state
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings'.

-- William Shakespeare

[kestrel91316]

289. Some of us have specifically chosen to live someplace with mass transit.

I gather you have chosen to live someplace without it.

[Critters2]

372. Silly me. I chose to live where I got a job.

WTF was I thinking?

[KamaAina]

87. Wonder what the best alternative source for NOLA would be?

Solar: okay, but as you know, it can stay cloudy for quite a spell.

Wind: again, meh. Not at all like, say, West Texas.

You know who might be interested in this? Brad Pitt and Global Green. You know what else? I know someone who just moved to town whose daughter works with him!

edit: if only there were a way to use the Mississippi as perhaps the ultimate source of low-head hydro...

[Swamp Rat]

102. Solar is not too good an option here, not like the Southwest

I have been thinking about how to use the river and the levees:

1. windmills atop levees
2. giant impellers in the river

Both have serious difficulties to overcome.

[kestrel91316]

290. Solar panels generate almost as much power when it's cloudy as when

it's sunny, from what I've heard. The photons that power them aren't affected by clouds much.

[Swamp Rat]

333. Longer wave radiation gets through, whereas shorter waves of the EMS spectrum get scattered.

Thus, the greenhouse effect. I don't know much about photovoltaic cell technology, however, nor the effect of varied light frequency on charge capacity. :hug:

[DatManFromNawlins]

293. NOLA gets its energy from a nuclear plant

[pipi_k]

89. I don't have an ideology to stick in my mouth

But even if I did, I'm in a very rural location and haven't sprouted a pair of wings yet.


If if makes you feel better to go car-less and whatever else, then I say good for you.

:7

[Swamp Rat]

103. It's not about me 'feeling better'; it's about a clean environment for all living creatures

If you sprout some wings, I will be very surprised. :D

[apples and oranges]

92. Honestly, nothing, but I'm not really involved in the clean energy movement

I want it but I am waiting for the powers that be to offer it first.

[Swamp Rat]

105. Anything little thing you can do will help.

Living in Southern Louisiana taught me never to wait for 'the powers that be' to help. Doing so is deadly.

:hi:

[KoKo]

95. I hate to drive...especially in traffic..I'd give up my car in a Heart Beat...IF I had decent PT

where I live these days.

I can't stand to deal with Traffic...folks would try to put me on Meds for saying this. But, I love the "Village Concept" where one can Walk or Bike to get one's needs. Been this way since I was a kid.....and yet have been trashed for it and Docs have tried to get me on Meds to deal with it. I have a Driver's License.....but I only travel "rural" or not more than Two Lane Roads. People say I'm sick.

But, I just love to live where everything I need is within just a few miles. I know that not all DU'ers or Americans can live like this...but I often feel trashed for the way I am...with my own preferences. I know...it does sound weird. I'm sure BIG PHARMA has a PILL for me..

[Swamp Rat]

106. Hi KoKo!

:hi: I won't trash you. I understand your situation. :hug:

[KoKo]

115. Thanks...not many ever understand...n/t

[Curmudgeoness]

117. Yep, medicate the loonies. I'm with you-wish for a village concept. nt

[krabigirl]

120. It doesn't sound weird at all, and I live in suburban car hell in SoCal.

My dream is to live somewhere as you describe.

[pinstikfartherin]

96. I carpool.

My dad and I both work within a mile of one another. We car pool to work everyday. I currently work in a job that requires constant traveling on a daily basis, but I am looking for something stationary (on a side note, I honestly do not understand why I am required to go out to do things that can be accomplished over the phone--setting up speaking engagements on hospice). Either way, we will still car pool even if it means getting up much earlier; we are trying to do our part, but it is hard with a 30 minute commute to work and no mass transport between destinations. I also drive a civic instead of a gas guzzler. We can't afford to move closer, plus the drive out would occur anyway because we take turns sitting with my terminally ill grandmother on a nightly basis, who currently lives up the street and wants to stay in her own home.

We are doing what we can and I hope we can make more changes in the future. I applaud anyone who can give up their car. I hope to live somewhere one day where I can walk and bike; I would love the extra exercise.

[KoKo]

104. We used to do that under Carter Years..and it wasn't so bad...but the minute Carter left

replaced by St. Ronnie it was "Beemers" and being ON YOUR OWN as an INDEPENDENT....so we didn't do it anymore because it wasn't "COOL."

Sad to remember that......

[Swamp Rat]

108. Great!!

It's also nice that you and your dad have time together in the morning, even if either one of you is sometimes cranky. :D

:hi:

[JoePhilly]

107. I work from home, everyone worship me!!!!

[Swamp Rat]

110. LOL!!

[grasswire]

121. I have been blessed by your thread, Swampie

I realized that I am lucky to live in a place where I could go in nearly every place in my area (both the city itself and the suburbs -- I'm about ten miles from city center) and not worry for my safety even though I'm a woman.

I never have needed to think about a car as protection from humans except a few times when visiting Baltimore or living in Northern Virginia.

That fear never has to enter my mind as I wait for buses or walk. And that's a blessing.

I hope you notice my fleur de lys avatar. There since Katrina. Right now I am fighting my local jazz radio station because they are cutting programming for New Orleans music content by a third. Why this insult to the culture of New Orleans?? Why?

Keep on!

[Swamp Rat]

127. Yeah you rite, dawlin'!

:hug:

[distantearlywarning]

124. I have been walking or riding the bus to work every day for 6 years now

I also have the largest vegetable garden my small urban backyard will allow - we ate squash and green onions from it just tonight for dinner. I also got sick of paying lots of bucks for fresh herbs for cooking, not to mention I felt guilty about all the packaging and transport for the herb packages at the store, so now I have an extensive potted herb garden on my patio also. We also try to buy local produce whenever possible and have had a local farm share in other summers. And we drive a fuel-efficient vehicle when we have to drive.

Not sure what else we can do to reduce our personal energy use. We have a flat roof and I would love to have solar panels up there but the cost is pretty much totally prohibitive.

I'd say my money has been where my mouth is for a while, though.

[Swamp Rat]

128. Thank you for your response

Every little bit helps.

:hi:

[taterguy]

130. What took ya so long?

:toast:

[Swamp Rat]

163. Well, after my car was flooded during hurricane Katrina

I wanted to recycle the car and put back into use. I re-wired it, put in a new computer, cleaned all the upholstery, etc. but did not repair the AC or radio. I then used it only to go to school (the roads were very bad after Katrina, traffic lights did not work, potholes and roofing nails everywhere), and maybe once a month to go shopping for building supplies/food... Seeing the death in the Gulf first-hand sent me over the edge, and so I decided I would not be a part of the problem any longer (to the extent I am able). Like others along the Gulf Coast, I still need to carpool in order to escape hurricanes.

:hi:

[tranche]

132. I stopped buying plastic bottled waters and juices years ago.

It's not much and it's not novel, but I think it's something.

Also, if I look at something and deem it over-packaged (you know it when you see it), then I pass.

[Swamp Rat]

165. It IS something, and thank you for your effort.

:hi: I carry a backpack when I go shopping, and use recycled bags.

[Matariki]

135. I had a good friend who gave up her car a while back - and we had to do an intervention

Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit - but...

She gave up her car for idealogical/ecological reasons.

Problem was, she became much like the person who "quits smoking" and ends up perpetually bumming cigarettes from everyone forevermore. She would go out at night, past the time that buses were running often and then beg rides from her friends, who would have to drive considerably out of their way to take her home. Or she got to where it was more convenient (for her) to ask for a ride than to wait for a bus or take a cab.

Not saying you'll do that, but it is something you might want to pay attention to.

[Matariki]

141. In fact, now that I think about it - ALL my friends without cars want rides from me

They get to feel noble about not driving and I get to drive a half hour or so out of my way at 2 in the morning, when I'm dead tired and just want to get home to bed.

Just saying...

[taterguy]

149. You need a better class of friends

When I was doing the car-free thing full-time I was too proud to beg for rides.

Once in a while I'd mooch a ride to the store to buy dog food but I'd always accompany it with a favor like moving furniture.

Depending on the geography, half an hour out of your way in a car isn't much of a bike ride, and I was always willing to do that.

Goes with the whole feeling noble and stuff.

[Matariki]

176. ahem...

A half hour or more bike ride, in the Seattle rain, late at night when bars are letting out, after a night of socializing, isn't really something I'd actually let my friends do. Particularly my female friends who are dressed to go out.

Some cities are better equipped w/ public transportation. Sadly Seattle's is pretty half-assed.

[grasswire]

213. Dear Matariki

If we aren't more careful now, the day WILL come when our world will have changed so much that the notion of young women going out at night to bar-hop will seem far away in time as the age of dinosaurs.

You see, when electricity is only available part of the day, and when there are curfews and martial law to stop looting, and when citizens grow desperate enough to kill for food, there won't be any more chances to just cut back.

We have to start thinking differently. That's what Swampy is saying. From now on, nothing is the same as it was. It's not a bad idea to think about how to live pro-actively.

[chillspike]

136. I'm right behind you, brother!

[Swamp Rat]

175. I wish I owned a tandem bicycle.

:D :hi:

[chillspike]

277. We can do better than that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU2Z7kyycaA

[Swamp Rat]

344. That is FANTASTIC!!

I want one of those!!!

[Heywood J]

140. I will point out to all concerned...

There are other ways to reduce oil consumption that do not involve giving up your car. This need not be a "necessity of car" argument.

For example, you can avoid heating your home with oil. If that's your only option or it's too expensive to change, you could lower your thermostat, improve your insulation, or try to exploit heat from other sources. If you get your power from an oil-burning plant (some regions still do), you can use less electricity. Consider taking the bus or train to far-away places (e.g. for family vacations or holidays), rather than flying (if possible). Try planning group events such that each person needs to travel the fewest miles.

These are just some that I can think of off the top of my head.

[Swamp Rat]

178. Any effort is appreciated, at least by me.

Thanks for the suggestions. :hi:

[G_j]

147. just stumbled on this

http://www.utne.com/Wild-Green/Dont-Just-Boycott-BP-Stop-Driving.aspx


Don’t Just Boycott BP—Stop Driving
6/23/2010 11:29:57 AM

by Keith Goetzman
Tags: Keith Goetzman, environment, BP, oil spill, boycott, The Other Paper, Christian Science Monitor

BP spill signDoes boycotting BP gas stations send a message to the company that fouled the Gulf of Mexico? Or does it just hurt the poor mom-and-pop station owner down the street? The Columbus, Ohio, alternative weekly The Other Paper attempts to answer this burning question for guilt-ridden gas consumers in the story “Pissed Off at BP?”—and gets a stark solution from a BP station owner: Just don’t drive.

That’s right, Bill Englefield, who along with his brother Ben own 127 BP-supplied stations in the Columbus area, is

proactively getting the message out in advance of summer driving season that simply bypassing the green flower cannot ease your conscience.

“BP is one of the major suppliers of all gas in this market, and we’re not the only ones who buy their product,” he said.

The guy across the street could be supplied by BP regardless of what the sign says, Englefield added. And if they’re not supplied by BP one day, they may be the next, depending on the market.

So what should an emotionally charged activist do to avenge brown pelicans dying in distant lands?

“The best boycott is to just quit driving,” said Englefield.

Now that’s the most sense I’ve heard from a station owner in a virtual gusher of spare-the-small-business-owners homilies in the mainstream media. The Christian Science Monitor, using much the same logic as Englefield, ends up doling out similar advice, putting “Bike or walk—don’t drive” at the top of ways to truly send a message to BP.

Of course, Englefield—who doesn’t fit my definition of a small business owner—intends to lay down a gauntlet of sorts, sensing that most people simply can’t quit driving, hence resistance to BP’s vast market reach is futile.

I suggest we call his bluff. Even if we can’t all quit, perhaps enough of us can cut back to send a message to the “small people” in the boardroom at BP.

[Swamp Rat]

179. Dat's what I'm talkin' 'bout, brah!

That deserves its own thread.

[Binka]

150. My 1998 VW Beetle Has 77860 Miles On Her

When I bought the car in 2000 she had 39500 on the odometer. I bike to work, 30 miles round trip, and use the car only for LOOOONNNGG trips. My daughter and I walk to school/now Summer day care every morning about 2.3 miles round trip. There is almost no good public transportation here in Sonoma County CA. We are doing our part to cut out the unnecessary cost/mess/pollution from driving.

Thanks for your contribution Swampy. The naysayers in this thread are quite sad. Good to see you buddy! Take Good Care.

[Swamp Rat]

180. Thank you so much Binka!

:hug: :loveya:

[tabasco]

154. What do you want?

A fucking medal?

You never answered the question upthread about your access to public transportation.

I assume, if you live in New Orleans, you have access to public transportation.

If you lived in Morgan City, I'd like to see you live without a car.

[JoePhilly]

157. Bingo!!!!

I work from home, I recycle like crazy, my 2 cars have less miles on them than the average .... I just up graded my Heat / AC to meet the government goals.

I've replaced most of my light bulbs with the energy efficient kind. I can program my thermostat for peak and off peak.

Do I get an F***ing medal?

We use energy!

The notion that one action (say, giving up one's car) is better than another action (using energy efficient light bulbs), is so stupid it makes my head hurt.

Oh wait ... here's my plan ... DARKNESS. No light bulbs. If I need light, use the light from the windows. When that light is gone, I go to bed!!!

It is this kind of nonsense that makes us on the left look like mental patients!!!!

[taterguy]

162. Why does one person need two cars?

:hide:

[Throd]

166. I own six.

And I plan to get more as time and money allow. What's the hurt? I can only drive 'em one at a time.

[JoePhilly]

173. Ding ding ding, we have a winner

[taterguy]

193. They're all made by American unionized workers. Right?

[JoePhilly]

194. For me, Ford WindStar, Ford Escape .... American enough?

[Throd]

299. Oldsmobiles

[Brickbat]

340. Hee, me too!

And one more on the way as a project.

Love cars, love driving.

[JoePhilly]

170. Married with 3 kids .... want more details ... read on ...

My wife's job and my job are not co-located ... not public transportation for her or me (I work from home almost every day, but do at times need to go into the office).

Our three kids ... High School, middle school, elementary school. As a result, in our area, all 3 are on different schedules. My son (high school) plays sports and misses the bus and needs to be picked up (I also pick up his friends and take them home).

My middle other kids take the bus. I do the shopping during the day, need a car to do that ... my wife's job requires her to change location during the work day.

Now that I have explained some of the details of my life ... I return to the question at hand ... who are you, or ANYONE else, to describe what "energy profile" I should have?

Do I need to sell my house? It uses energy. Maybe more than yours, maybe less. If mine uses less than YOURs should I expect YOU to downsize??

My house is relatively new, and has some of the most efficient windows you can buy ... does yours???? If not what not? You question my ownership of 2 cars ... can I question the efficiency of your windows?? Your Insulation?? Whether you compost your waste???

As i said earlier ... fighting each other as to which of us on the left is doing the most to conserve is STUPID. The way to WIN that game is to move your family into a CAVE.

So do that ... and make the left look stupid when you do.

[kestrel91316]

292. You produced three American hyperconsumers. Wow. You must be proud?

For the record, I haven't produced any, and won't.

[bigmonkey]

321. You seem a little touchy on the subject.

The OP suggested that one might consider what to do to reduce demand for resources. That's a request to help change the direction of the energy economy, not a personal attack. If you are actually doing all you can, then you're done. If you're actually not doing all you can, the OP makes you think about that. What's the problem?

[JoePhilly]

342. Notice that my post that you respond to is not a response to the original OP.

Its a response to some one else ...

And the OP is presenting a challenge, not making a request. Read its title. Its not a request, it's a demand.

Put your Ideology where your mouth is .... (as I have done!!).

[bigmonkey]

367. A challenge is not a demand.

It can be exaggerated to be a demand.

[taterguy]

352. Who's fighting? The OP simply asked what people are doing to wean themselves from oil

You've made your decision.

Nevertheless, you seem awfully defensive about it.

Me thinks thou doth protest too much.

BTW: My house isn't powered or heated cooled by oil, so even though taking steps to minimize its energy consumption would be noble, it's not really relevant to this thread.

pps: Based on what you just wrote, you drive a lot more than the average person on the planet drives. You might drive less than the average American but why settle for being among the best of the worst?

[JoePhilly]

353. Did you just claim that I drive more then the averge person on the PLANET???

Thanks for making my point.

I am quite sure that YOU live in a house, as an American, that is more comfortable than the majority of the people on the planet. And it uses more energy.

Are you going to leave your home so that your new "home" uses "less" than the world average??????????????

That your point???

[taterguy]

363. Yes, I made that claim. It's a simple statement of fact

And no, I won't leave my home.

Driving less can be done instantly.

Moving would require bankers and lawyers and who wants that shit?

In addition to the fact that I couldn't find a job as much as I like elsewhere.

Especially one that's within biking distance of my house.

:evilgrin:

[tammywammy]

164. +1 n/t

[Swamp Rat]

181. I never expected to see such an ugly response from you.

:(

[JI7]

260. he didn't demand everyone do what he does, just asking what you are doing

[kestrel91316]

291. Swampy has earned MANY medals. You, OTOH, not so much.

[tabasco]

362. How do you know?

You seen my 214?

[kestrel91316]

370. I've seen your snotty attitude toward Swampy. Tells me everything I

need to know about you.

[Kievan Rus]

156. I've been solely walking/using mass transit for years

[Lydia Leftcoast]

158. I have been car free, and it's wonderful

My current circumstances do not allow it, but I have plans for the future.

[Swamp Rat]

183. Hi Lydia Leftcoast

:hi: Thanks for checking in. I know some people cannot just give up their car, as our nation's infrastructure does not make it feasible at this time. However, I wish the folks who are upset with me just for posting this thread would channel their energy into reading Jane Jacob's classic: "The Death and Life of Great American Cities."

[Recovered Repug]

174. It's a good thing for me that my ideology

requires taking advantage of the conveniences of modern life.

[Swamp Rat]

184. Please keep up the recovery.

It will help a lot.

:hi:

[mikita]

177. an incredible impact could be made if the US would stop its unlawful

occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Current figures seem to be more obscure, but 4 years ago, military consumption PER DAY equaled that for the entire country of Greece per day. I don't mean to diminish anyone's personal attempts at conservation, but can't help but mention the elephant in the room.

[Swamp Rat]

186. Yes, that elephant and the other one taking a dump in my back yard

BP

[mikita]

191. and those elephants are related and from the same Zoo....

I am so sorry for what is happening to your beloved Gulf. It will affect ALL of eventually -- it will just take a little longer for the dominoes to fall.

[Swamp Rat]

196. "It will affect ALL of eventually" - That is partly the reason why I started this thread

I care not only about myself and my own backyard, but about everyone who posts on this message board... everyone.

Though I have been physically and mentally impacted by this disaster, I know the rest of you will be someday too. The sky is really falling... :(

I could just sit here and act helpless, but I decided to look for solutions, call upon friends for help, try to encourage others to act by doing so myself.

Thank you for your responses.

[grantcart]

182. I salute you, I salute you, I salute you.

I use my car exclusively for work.


What is needed is not individual action but a mobilization of the masses and a combined plan.


Your individual step is an inspiration.

[Swamp Rat]

187. Thank you

I understand fully your need for a car (re: work). I only wish any small effort on my behalf will help.

Maybe it won't. It seems I may have inspired others to purchase more cars and waste more petrol out of spite, or for whatever reason. :shrug:

[grantcart]

231. Your small effort will not have an impact but your action will inspire others and the combined

contribution will have a great impact.

Keep it up.

[Swamp Rat]

241. I should have included in the OP that I am also responding to Obama

and Dr. King's idea regarding the 'fierce urgency of now'. The disaster in the Gulf demands this, a call to arms for the residents most immediately impacted. The rest of America should hear our cries and heed our warnings, and do whatever they can, even in the most minute, small way, to stem the tide.

Maybe we are past the point of no return, in view of the minor opposition here on this thread (I am not angry at DUers or even that surprised), and the major opposition I expect from the repukes and their brain-dead base. It's like we're on a slow-moving train wreck, and I'm a brakeman from another train that already cast itself off a very high trestle bridge, standing on broken train tracks and waving a red lantern... STOP!!! PLEASE, STOOOOOPPPPP!!!!

[TexasObserver]

185. Not driving is not a reasonable solution for most.

Smart, efficient driving is.

Does this mean you'll decline rides others offer you? Will you let them go out of their way to drop you off or pick you up? My experience has been that people who live without cars usually do so with several car owners as their enablers.

[Swamp Rat]

189. Well, only if I want to die during the next hurricane will I decline a ride.

I agree about efficient driving, though. For example, just keeping ones tires inflated at the proper pressure helps.

[rug]

190. I will slice my tomatoes thinner!

[JoePhilly]

197. +1000

This nonsense about who is doing the most to conserve is stupid.

[Swamp Rat]

208. "This nonsense about who is doing the most to conserve is stupid."

[kestrel91316]

294. Wrong. Swampy is trying to inspire and educate and LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

But go ahead and keep insulting those of us who are making an effort to make the world a better place.

[Swamp Rat]

198. Make sure you use clean olive oil

[G_j]

224. one cannot live on sarcasm alone,

will it make your air breathable, your water drinkable, your food edible?

[frustrated_lefty]

195. Haven't had a car in 3 years, but, then, I live where I can walk

or bus to work. It's an honest relief. No anxiety about crazy drivers, no insurance bills, no gas bills, no maintenance, no repairs. I have to make smaller, more frequent trips for groceries and such, but c'est la vie.

In fairness, not all locales are so friendly. It's just not feasible in several major cities and most rural areas.

Individual sacrifice and effort is great, and I applaud yours. But, there needs to be major effort at a national level by the government and less protection of the auto industry.

On this very forum 5 or 6 years ago there was a post about a retired mechanic/farmer who built a tractor to run on vegetable oil. Either the feds or the auto industry found out and slapped him with something like a $20,000 tax/fine for using it on state highways. Way to punish ingenuity. The difficulty with developing vehicles which run on renewable, or at least non-petroleum-based energy is NOT in developing the technology. The difficulty is in developing the technology so that the automotive and energy industries can still make a profit.

[Swamp Rat]

203. Great, frustrated_lefty

Thanks for your input. I understand this is not feasible for everyone.

[JanMichael]

199. Excellent! We walk to work, and have

for 7 years (wife for 14)--

Screw cars everyday.

[Swamp Rat]

204. Hi JanMichael

:hi: Smart lady, your wife. ;)

[JanMichael]

228. She's smarter than I.

No problem though.

[CBR]

200. I think this is fantastic. I commend you. nt

[Swamp Rat]

206. I commend others who have taken this step and other measures way before I

:hi:

[Yo_Mama]

205. I have bad news

If you are buying food instead of growing it, buying computers, buying clothing - you're still a part of the US using oil as a primary energy source. Even rails use oil, and farming uses a lot.

[Swamp Rat]

207. I have worse news:

I have no money to buy anything.

I cannot even grow my own food because my land was poisoned (asbestos, lead, mercury), and my water (fecal coliforms, lead, mercury, benzine, and BP crude).

Oh, and the worst news: we are all really fucked, like this pelican.

[GReedDiamond]

209. I'm guessing you don't live in SoCal...

...cuz if you do, your sacrifice would be even more commendable, but my respect to you for your decision to dump your car, especially having donated it to charity. The public transit system here in the L.A. area has had some improvements, but it's still difficult to get around Los Angeles and surrounding environs, w/o a car of some kind, especially if you're carrying anything larger than your laptop.

I have a "small suv" getting 18-23 mpg, bought used with fairly low mileage, for cash. Unfortunately (?), I have a legitimate need for a vehicle which can transport a drum kit and p.a. system, a large painting or two, or whatever comes up.

That said, I have recently done two things to reduce the use of my gas-guzzlin' car:

1) After sixteen years in the same rental house, I moved to a new house one block away from the place I formerly had to drive to, which I did very often, to go to the movies, restaurants, antique shops, the really nice public library/park, etc.

2) I bought a small electric scooter (technically, it is an electric bicycle by Vehicle Code statutes, so it requires no license/registration/insurance -- but I'm heavily insured, nonetheless), which I now use for all trips within its 20-30 mile range, such as trips to the market, the art store, etc, where I can carry back the equivalent of one paper shopping bag worth of stuff.

I know it's not that much, and I don't consider anything I've done to be a "sacrifice," that's not what I'm suggesting -- I'm very motivated by personal comfortableness and convenience -- but it's something, and besides the benefit to the environment, it will ultimately save me $$...btw, the cost to fully charge the scooter is eight cents ($0.08) per 4-5 hour charge -- roughly $2.50/month added to my electric bill if I charge it every day.

Fixed on edit: charity remark, spelling.

[Swamp Rat]

226. Thanks for your input

I have sacrificed a lot, but most of it was not of my own choosing: BP kinda screwed the pooch for us here.

:hi:

[GReedDiamond]

230. My best wishes are not enough...

...but I do hope for the best for you and everyone in the disaster zone, including, of course, my sister and bro-in-law in New Orleans.

The rest of us will start to feel the "pain," in some manner, somewhere down the BP crime timeline.

Which means, we're all fucked, I suspect, unless the historically bad/continuing public policy of reliance on fossil fuels is not replaced by a sane green/renewable approach -- especially including decentralization of energy generation/distribution.

[Swamp Rat]

250. Thanks, and I hope your family down here is well and safe

I do not recommend they go down to Venice or Grand Isle as I did these days. The air is sometimes toxic (Corexit + oil fumes), depending on the wind, and going into the marshes can be deadly with out appropriate HAZMAT gear. I still want to go take photos of Barataria, but I am waiting to find out what equipment I can use, and if I will be threatened by JPs and Mercs working for BP.

[kestrel91316]

295. I live in Los Angeles and have been car-free for 10 months.

[GReedDiamond]

366. I know it can be done, I've done it myself,..

...for many years from the mid-1970s until about fifteen years ago.

Unfortunately, being self-employed and "on call," I don't have, for example, two hours (which would be the bus/train route approximate length of transit time), to get from the northeast San Gabriel Valley to southeast of downtown L.A. It takes 45 minutes by car, but the extra 75 minutes by bus is not a workable situation for me/my clients.

And I often must carry large/heavy/bulky objects around...but I am doing whatever I can to drive the car significantly less.

[kestrel91316]

371. Yeah, some situations are just not amenable to mass transit.

Even when I have a car again, I plan to walk/bike/use mass transit frequently.

[spoony]

388. And, uh, since we're walking the talk on our ideologies in this thread

I presume you'll be acquiring an American union built car? It's just that I noticed your car was a Honda, and I'm wondering which parts of an ideology are worth pursuing versus not?

[handmade34]

214. Thank you Swamp Rat!

Sad to see all the vehement defenders of their 'right' to drive... most people are afraid of change and won't do it until forced to.

I do not own a personal car (I do drive a company car for work - would quit in a minute if I could get another job) and my kids walk/bike as much as possible.
I don't eat meat, don't use plastic shopping bags, work to find alternatives to consumption, shop at thrift stores when I need something...

I have a much greater footprint than what I like and admire people that don't wait for everybody else before they make positive changes in their live; I admire you.

I am currently working in LaPlace and found myself at the Bonnet Carre Spillway yesterday

[Swamp Rat]

220. And there's the refinery to the left in the photo.

Sometimes it smells awful here at night because of it. :(

I wish we had a light rail system along side the Spillway. Actually, we are currently working on building one between NOLA and BR. I hope it comes to fruition.

And I agree that "most people are afraid of change and won't do it until forced to." I think that time is already at hand.

Thanks for posting. :hi:

[TheKentuckian]

216. Walk,bike, some public transportation, probably add a scooter,

and eventually the most efficient car I can afford for long trips and bad weather, I think a lot of folks also need them as a check against homelessness. Wandering with only what you can carry is dangerous in this society and from the law even more than common villains.

I'm going to do what I preach which is the incremental step of trip triage/high conservation.

What flips me out is some even here can't even bridge the gap enough to even accept smaller, lighter, and more efficient vehicles.

I know that your step is a bridge too far for most but some aren't willing to deal with even the smallest change. I bet their would be substantial grumbling at using a hypothetical replacement for gas that they'd pump the same way at the same pump cost.

Just by taking some steps that are well within our technological wheelhouse we could make huge strides in our usage with very minimal lifestyle changes. If we can just do that then it gives biofuels a lot of help in being able to cope with demand at a cost ratio little or no more than today.

Even a little step is a giant leap here and would help the possibility of a paradigm change an awful lot.

[Swamp Rat]

223. I certainly do not want anyone to be homeless or in danger.

My little step was influenced by what I see happening to my environment... and probably all those 'give a hoot, don't pollute' commercials we had back in the 1970s, especially the one with the Native American (Italian actor) who shed tears as he saw his river polluted while he was canoeing.

Folks better get prepared for some major changes coming.

:hi:

[TheKentuckian]

232. I've always held the single tear Indian close to the heart.

People better be ready for some changes and the longer they are resisted the more boneshattering they will be.

It's just hell to get people to change any, even something as small as lightbulbs, they'll do compact fluorescents only when forced, they respond to a LED like a motherfucker is from a couple galaxies away here to destroy all they have ever loved and that's just on sight. God only knows how they'd react if you asked them to use them.

Just keep pushing and be patient with the people if not the problem. I think we'll have to use bridges, cold turkey is just too far to go for almost everyone.

[uppityperson]

218. Congratulations. Every bit anyone can do is good. We each make our decisions and choices

I live in the country and grow as much as my food as I can, try to limit what I buy to stuff/food that doesn't have to be shipped far (eat locally, shop locally and second hand, I am lucky that I don't need spiffy suits).

Every bit anyone can do is good.

[Swamp Rat]

225. I wish I could grow my own food, but the ground is too poisonous here now.

Thanks for checking in. :hi:

[REP]

219. I had myself sterilized without having any children. That trumps "no car"

[Swamp Rat]

222. YOU WIN!

:D

[Scout]

308. same here! n/t

[REP]

338. Another WINNER!

[Moochy]

227. W00t! Car Free and walking everywhere!

I walk 3 miles to and from the train every morning. It does help that the bay area does not have any weather except slightly cool, and slightly warm. Of course when I get home I turn on all my lights and run all my electronics at full blast to make up for it. :+

:hi: Good to see you round these parts, Swampy!

[Swamp Rat]

249. You da man, Stan!

:hi: Great to see you after so long. I took some time off from here to go down to where the action is in Venice and some of da bayous. I can't even begin to describe the horror and the toxic air, water, and smells I experienced. My chest still hurts from that fucking Corexit shit they sprayed on us from above in helicopters. I am glad I did not go out in a boat like other guys I know, into the deeply affected areas. Those dudes got sick. I talked my friend's roommate out of working for BP clean-up when I warned him he could not use his respirator (a few of us are environmental scientists, some with HAZMAT training and gear). Those of us who had EVER worked for the EPA were black listed by BP.... which was a good thing since they would have poisoned us severely.

:toast:

[Codeine]

229. I've lowered my carbon footprint by giving up animal foods.

The meat industry produces more than cars do.

[Swamp Rat]

254. I tried that for 20 years

but I became anemic. Right after I went back to eating meat, the anemia went away. Nevertheless, I rarely eat meat, except for fish, shellfish, and reptiles, which has been the staple of my diet for most of my life. I eat a lot of dark green veggies, and I eat red beans and rice at least once a week, and lots of nuts. Maybe I should try to find my old iron skillet to see if cooking in it will provide enough iron to prevent anemia. I am open to suggestions.

[hunter]

233. If I was Emperor of Earth I would ban private automobiles.

It would be a felony to drive one on a public thoroughfare.

I'm not ever going to be emperor, but I think Mother Nature is setting us up for a tremendous fall.

A lot of us here, even the most adamant drivers, are going to end up without cars. The automobile culture is not sustainable.

[Swamp Rat]

257. I suggest they read Jane Jacob's classic about our unsustainable automobile culture:

"The Death and Life of Great American Cities," first published in 1961.

http://www.amazon.com/Death-American-Cities-Modern-Library/dp/0679600477/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277358173&sr=8-1

[HEyHEY]

235. But, should you not have destroyed it? It's still out there pollutting

It's just that it's not you.

[Generic Other]

236. I am so sorry for all the devastation to your region

We are all to blame. Even if it is hard to accept or do, we need to try and change our habits.

Not fair that Swamp Rat and the people of the Gulf make all the sacrifices.

Seems like we will all probably go on our merry way until it is too late.

[Swamp Rat]

259. GO

:hug: One of my favorite humans! :loveya:

[EFerrari]

240. Well, I drive less than 10 miles a week.

I'd love to get rid of this car but can't in case Mamita needs me to take her to the ER. We live too far out of town to rely on city or county services.

We're always looking for ways to go off the grid though. She's bad like that. lol :hi:

[Swamp Rat]

261. We are in a similar situation

I have elderly to care for and must carpool to bring them to safety. Even if we stayed and survived the initial blast and flooding from a hurricane (we did many times ages ago, Betsy, Camille, etc), the heat due to no electricity and no running water would kill them, as it did during Katrina to one of my neighbors whom I knew since I was a small child. :(

:hi: Eres la harmanita mejor aquí, querida. :hug:

[flvegan]

243. Okay, went vegan quite a while ago.

I telecommute whenever I can. Spent $7k this year replacing stuff with more efficient stuff (a/c system, fridge, tv).

Need my car though. Public transport here sucks, and they don't allow dogs...and I've got a dozen rescues here that count on me.

Good on you for the steps you've taken. Ever single step is important. Yours was big, kudos.

[K8-EEE]

245. I've gone from filling up twice a week to once a month

Made changes in my life and job to facilitate that....walk to the neighborhood store....I wish everybody would try to conserve, however they can.

[Swamp Rat]

262. Even if it was a small effort.

As a collective, our small efforts become one large one that will positively impact our environment.

:hi:

[readmoreoften]

248. Personally, I'm working to change this system through revolutionary measures.

Individual changes aren't enough. We need to reorganize the system without planned obsolescence and profit motive. Unfortunately, I need my car and planes to help organize with people around the world. We don't choose this system or how it's organized.

Every day, the number of regular aircraft alone used by the US military is equivalent to about 21 million cars. What we really need to go is demand solar panels/wind power in all industry and end this fucking war. Only 2% of waste is household. Almost all waste is industrial and largely due to planned obsolescence and just-in-time distribution. Neither you nor I control the real problem. But if we band together and fight these fuckers, maybe we can organize a real solution.

[Swamp Rat]

264. Ending the illegal military occupations should be a number one priority.

They are sucking up all the resources we need to fight the environmental disasters at home.

Very good point you make, and I'll join in the next major march, just as I did in the ones before. :hi:

[inna]

275. +1000 - Very important points. Individual/consumer choices are not enough. nt

[suffragette]

252. I don't drive or own a car

I do end up making choices based on that. For example, I live close enough to work to take the bus and a major part of my criteria for an apartment is being close to bus lines that will take me where I need/want to go and being able to get to grocery stores, etc by bus.
This means I have to pay more for rent/ live in a smaller place, but it's a trade off that works for me. I don't have the cost of using and maintaining a car. And yeah, I take an occasional cab if needed.

Clearly, I'm in favor of solid and reliable mass transit options.
My favorite mode of transport, hands down, are trains and I hope we'll see high speed , or at least higher speed train systems built here.

Hate to see what's happened down there to your beautiful and vibrant part of the world.

Glad to see you still are spunky.

They can't keep a good rat down!

[Swamp Rat]

266. Way'at suffragette!!

:hi: BP hasn't poison all of us rats yet, but they are trying night and day. ;)

[suffragette]

274. Hey. rats are tough

Though I know it can wear on a person, having to hang tough all the time.

You take care and know many of us have your back.

I think those teeth of yours will take care of your front :P

:hi:

[Marr]

255. I commute on a 250cc motorcycle these days.

It's not bicycling, but I use about a gallon of gas each week, which is a lot less than I used to. I originally switched over to save money when the gas prices started going up.

[Swamp Rat]

268. That's a really good start

I'm still trying to price electric scooter and electric bikes, but I sure do like enduros (at least 125cc)

[SeattleGirl]

267. I admire what you've done, Swampy. I can't join you though.

Having a car is a requirement of my job. However, I can also work from home almost any time I wish, so there are some weeks where I do very little driving.

[Swamp Rat]

273. I understand

Anything you do to help will be appreciated, at least by me, and the frogs, turtles, birds, dolphins, fish, et al. :hi: :hug:

[BlancheSplanchnik]

278. I have a vegetable oil powered car (if you have an older deisel, check GREASECAR .com )

ran it on grease mostly, for about a year 1/2 --2 years...

UNFORTUNATELY, the mechanic I was loyal to (fellow liberal! proof that not all libs are like us, I guess? :( ), and thought was the greatest guy ever had his new guy do it, and no one knew what they were doing....

completely fucked my car while continuing to take my money every time I took it back for new, weird, worser and worser problems since the installation. Etc etc blah blah blah.

Excellent NEW mechanic spent a ton of time trying to find the problem (electrical, in a VW deisel. Scary) almost ended up having to get rid of it, removed entire grease kit..... nothing was solving the recurrent battery drainage, until we came upon the idea of putting in a battery cut off switch. PHEW!!!

:rant:

NOW, once I am off for the summer, I will have him re-install the grease kit.
I hate re-spending the money, but it's important.

Next, I'd like to investigate residential wind turbine.

[Swamp Rat]

310. Awesome!!

With the price of diesel going up, this may be a good alternative for some folks.

Sorry to hear about your bad mechanic experience. I had this problem recently too. :hug:

[BlancheSplanchnik]

343. funny, I just had a conversation this morning

I was dropping some stuff off to Salvation Army, and the guy asked about my "Powered by Vegetable Oil" decal..... so the story proceeded to come out of my mouth..... and he really encouraged me to go to the bad mechanic and say something like, "hey, loook...." -- Maybe it's time to do that. I 'd been kind of squelching it down the past year--it's MUCH harder to be blunt on things like this with someone you'd trusted and been friendly with.

Sorry to hear you had a bad mechanic experience!!!
That's pretty amazing that you've gone to bicycle only!! WOW! I hope you have smooth sailing with it! And, definitely, mechanic bills won't be a worry anymore!!


:D :hug:

[TZ]

279. I've had my car for 8 years

and I only have 53,000 miles. I also have made an effort to always consolidate errands whenever possible. Many weekends my car gets parked on Friday and does not move till Monday. Both realistic with my use AND conservative.

[Swamp Rat]

336. Thanks

Every little bit helps. :hi:

[myrna minx]

280. I gave up my car in 1991.

:hi: Good for you Swamp Rat. All my best to you and your neighbors.

[Swamp Rat]

312. Hi myrna minx

If you have the time, maybe you can describe what it has been like living without a car for so long. Some of the reactions on this thread belie a fear of losing control, freedom, a level of comfortability, etc. Perhaps knowing what it might be like before they give up their car (or extra cars) will allay some of their fears.

:hi:

[Berry Cool]

281. I am just amazed at the vitriol and defensiveness this thread has generated.

Swampie is one of the most respected people on DU, one who has been repeatedly personally in the firing line of some pretty damn serious geographic suffering, who is now looking around at the destruction wrought by our country's dependency on oil and has made a personal decision to do something about it right now--to "give till it hurts," so to speak, in hopes of making a difference. And Swampie is asking that others do what they can to do the same. Even just a little. And, while sympathizing completely with people who say they can't do this or that or the other thing to reduce their carbon footprint, Swampie is also gently reminding them that sometimes what we claim to be "impossible" for us is not always entirely impossible--not if we stretch ourselves a bit. That's all.

And, because of that, Swampie has been called pretty much every name in the book. At best, Swampie has been called naive and unrealistic; at worst, Swampie has been accused of acting smug and superior and wanting to be declared the "winner" of some sort of environmental correctness contest.

All this because Swampie dared suggest that one of the biggest things people can do to prevent further BP disasters is get rid of their cars!

And Swampie's not the only one who's been insulted. Car-less people in general have been mocked and ridiculed and hated on. We've been told they take advantage of, exploit and use their car-driving family and friends in horrible ways. They never offer a dollar to help pay for gas. They call them up at 2 am asking for a ride. They are no better than dependent children, and the drivers they use are their "enablers."

Wow.

Yeah, it was kind of a sappy book, but Richard Bach was right when he said "Argue for your limitations, and they're yours." This whole thread has been chock-full of people arguing vociferously for their limitations, and attacking Swampy for making them feel guilty about it.

Do we ultimately need collective, not just individual, solutions to our oil addiction if we're really going to break it? Sure. But there is still something to be said for that "fierce urgency of now" and doing what you can. Whatever you can.

Me? OK, I don't drive. But I will tell you this. I am not the helpless, using, exploiting infant that some people here imply car-less people are. I try my damndest to do everything I can to get around on my own, even when it's hard. And don't tell me it's easy just because I live in an urban area. First, it means I have had to accept that living in the suburbs will never be an option for me; I couldn't abide the isolation. Second, it means that as I seek work, I always have to keep access to public transportation in mind. These are choices I made. Unfortunately, because my city keeps cutting back on bus routes for economic reasons, getting around on my own has become considerably more difficult, and major grocery shopping trips on a bus are no longer a reasonable option. But when I do accept a ride with someone else or ask for someone else to drive me somewhere, I try to be cooperative so THEY can do it when it's convenient for THEM (such as supermarket shopping) or go somewhere because THEY want to go, not just because I want to. And I always offer to pay for gas (whether accepted or not). The only really difficult time is when I'm sick and need a trip to the doctor, but then again, if one is really feeling sick, even a person who drives may want or need to be taken there by someone else.

I go as many places on my own as possible. Amazingly enough, that's still a lot of places. But sometimes, if I can't figure out a way there, I don't go.

I know this kind of life is not an option for everyone. But why hate me or anyone else so much for defying the conventional belief that "it can't be done"?

On two separate occasions in his career, Keith Olbermann lived in Los Angeles, despite the fact that he doesn't drive due to an eye problem and conventional wisdom says "You can't live in LA without a car." How? He took cabs everywhere he couldn't walk. He said it was no problem because anytime you call a cab in LA, they're so un-busy they will send you one immediately, in the make and color of your choice.

Obviously, not every town is like that (trust me, I've lived in them--where cabs took hours to arrive and usually were a "group" proposition with lots of passengers being picked up and dropped off on any one trip). But some people could rethink where they live. Or rethink how they fuel their vehicles. Or go vegetarian (I personally won't do that--so there you have me). Or grow their own gardens (I have access to someone else's, which helps). Or conserve energy more at home.

That's all Swampie is asking people do. Just SOMETHING.

Why the hostility?

[kestrel91316]

298. The hostility comes from people who have inadvertently let their masks slip, IMHO.

[Spike from MN]

307. Excellent post.

I don't get the vitriol either. It's not like Swampy demanded that everyone get rid of their cars immediately. And he has been nothing but polite and courteous (IOW, typical Swampy) to those that are doing what they can, no matter how large or small their contribution is. There is no reason to jump down his throat for starting the thread.

And thank you, Berry Cool, for everything you're doing. You've obviously made a lot of sacrifices to live your life the way you do and I applaud you for that.

[Swamp Rat]

313. Thanks for your support

:hug: I am only trying to help save our environment. The folks picking up tar balls on Pensacola Beach today know what I mean.

:hi:

[kestrel91316]

283. I got involuntarily relieved of my car (it got stolen) 10 months ago

and have decided to make do without for the forseeable future. And I have reduced, reused, and recycled to the point where there's not much else I can do.

Which is why it ticks me off so much to see so many people who don't want to do a damned thing to affect their hyperconsumerist lifestyle, which they think they have some sort of god-given right to.

More power to ya, Swampy, and welcome to the car-free club!!

[Swamp Rat]

314. Sorry to hear that

:hug: and thanks! :toast:

As old as my car was, I was sad to let it go (took photos even) after putting so much money and work into it in oder to resuscitate it after it was flooded during hurricane Katrina.

[kestrel91316]

368. My Honda Accord was 22 yrs old. Great car.

[AngryAmish]

286. I gave up the internet

[DatManFromNawlins]

297. You didn't give a car up

You sold your own. Big whoop.

You still carpool with other people. You still need one in the case of a hurricane. You are just as dependent on a car now as you always have been.

You've just become a burden on other people so that you can puff your chest up and claim that you're helping the environment.

Now, the other stuff is commendable. But as far as a car is concerned? Give me a break.

[Greyhound]

300. Good job, I wish I could as well.

OTOH, though I do still have to drive, if even 15% of the people in this nation lived like we do, the corporate economy would crash in a month.
:kick: & R & :thumbsup:

[Swamp Rat]

316. That's right

It may be wholly impractical for some to give up driving cars, but if the majority of us did and/or drastically cut back on the amount of driving, we would be a lot better off. It is better to take baby steps now, then to have everything just come to a screeching halt, which would likely cause anarchy. :hi:

[WinkyDink]

301. Somebody helped ME. Stole my car. Thanks, pal!

Still stolen.

[Swamp Rat]

318. Sorry to hear that

:hug:

[Dawgs]

303. Well, for one thing, I won't brag about it.

Sorry, but there are better ways to encourage people to act better.

[Swamp Rat]

319. So, what do you suggest?

You said there are better ways, so what are they?

[ceile]

306. It's cheaper for me to drive than ride mass transit

For me it's financial. I spend $20-25 a month on gas. A monthly bus pass costs $28. But I only drive my car to work. I do walk wherever I can- the grocery store, convenience store, library, local bar, farmers market, etc.
You rock for doing what you did. But I'm just not in that position.

[KamaAina]

317. How much do you spend on insurance? Maintenance? Repairs? Parking?

How much did you spend on the car in the first place? It all adds up...

[Swamp Rat]

322. What about maintenance and insurance costs?

I understand that you may not be in a position to give up your car right now, but perhaps there will be a cheaper alternative for you in the future.

At least think about what it would be like if all of a sudden you would no longer be able to drive (i.e. national fuel shortage, price of gas increasing tenfold). I believe it would be a good idea for all of us to prepare so that the shock will not be so great.

:hi:

[bigmonkey]

328. The gas cost of the car is not the only cost.

Insurance? Maintenance? Car payment? Parking tickets, if any? Parking costs? These are all costs you're bearing just to own the car.

[Spike from MN]

315. Great post, Swampy.

First off, I want to say how sorry I am that you have to deal with the horrible disaster caused by the oil spill. The same goes for all others living in the Gulf region. Or course, those in NOLA got a double whammy, trying to rebuild after Katrina and now this. It's just not fair.

I want to applaud you for going car-free. It's a huge step to take and will no doubt involve a lot of sacrifice on your part. Thanks for stepping back and taking a look at the bigger picture and then seeing what you could do to change it. If everyone would do that, the world would be a better place.

I haven't gone totally car free but I do what I can. I bike 15 miles each way to work and also use my bike to run most of my errands. (It's kind of fun to challenge yourself and see how much stuff you can haul on a bike.) In the winter I take the bus if I'm forced off the bike by either my asthma, the extreme cold, and/or the inability of the city to adequately plow the streets. (I can't do much about the first two but I'm working with my City Council member and various bike advocacy groups to try to fix the latter.) So, while I have pared my driving down to a minimum, I could still do better and would like to be car-free one day. Unfortunately, as my asthma is getting worse, I'm not sure that will be entirely feasible. I really hope I will be able to do it though.

Aside from that, I plan to replace the furnace in my house with one that is more efficient. I have been doing various other things to minimize my energy usage for quite a few years -- recycling absolutely every single thing I can, shutting off power to anything that has a remote control anytime I'm not using it, turning off lights when I'm not in the room (been doing that since I was a kid -- my parents taught me well!), using energy-efficient bulbs, etc. I'm not allowed to put up a clothesline due to association rules so I hang up most of my clothes inside to dry. I don't have space for a real garden but I do grow a few things in containers in the space I have. I also bike to the Farmers Market and try to buy most of the stuff for the week there. I'm also vegan so I guess that helps too.

Oops. Edited to add: I also walk to anything within a mile or so of my place unless I have to haul a lot in which case I take the bike. Lucky for me, there are a lot of businesses and a library within a mile of my place.

So, while admittedly I can do better, I'm doing what I can for now and am hoping to make more changes in the future.

Again, kudos to you, Swampy, and all the others on the thread that are doing what they can. We have to start somewhere.

[Swamp Rat]

325. Thanks for your support and you are an inspiration

I learned to live a more miserly, eco-friendly lifestyle when I lived in Brazil (dry clothes on clothes lines, no AC, no car, etc.). I have family there and have lived there twice in my life. I didn't even have a bicycle, as it would get stolen in less than a day. Fortunately, my "neighborhood association" (more like a shanty town - favela :D ) could care less about clothes drying outside, though clothes were often stolen in the middle of the night.

Sorry to hear about your asthma. If we humans polluted less, it would likely benefit you to some extent. I don't have asthma, but my throat and chest have been hurting for about a month. I hope it is not due to the toxic dispersants used by BP. :shrug:

Thanks for sharing your story. :hi:

[Spike from MN]

339. Thanks Swampy but it's YOU that are the inspiration.

You have made the big leap to going car-free and that's far more than what I have done.

The way you lived in Brazil sounds wonderful. Well, except for the stuff getting stolen, of course. ;) It just sounds like a nice way of life, without all the shackles and the rat-race of modern society.

I learned to live a miserly life by growing up dirt poor. ;) We didn't buy anything we didn't absolutely need and that's mostly how I still live my life today. I don't need material possessions to make me happy. In fact, I'm much happier without them. I'd love to tour the world by bike, living with only what I can carry on my bike. When you reduce everything down to a bare minimum, you discover how all the things you didn't think you could do without really weren't necessary at all. They only served to weigh you down. Having to deal with the aftermath of Katrina, you probably have experienced that first-hand, although certainly not by choice.

Oh no! Sorry to hear about your throat and lungs hurting. Be careful! Wear a mask if you can when you go outdoors. I have a bad feeling that we won't know the full ramifications the dispersants will have on people's health until years down the road. I can only hope that it's only temporary and that your symptoms will go away once they're no longer using the dispersants.

Yeah, asthma sucks but there are people that have to deal with a LOT worse so I just have to take it in stride and hope for the best. Moving out of the city might help and that's something I will look at when I retire. But for now, I'm consider myself extremely lucky since my health care covers my inhalers because if it didn't, I probably wouldn't be able to afford them.

Thanks for starting this thread. And please take care of yourself, Swampy. You're a valuable contributor to this site and I don't want to see you getting sick because of the chemicals they're spraying around down there. Stay safe! :hi:

[Dappleganger]

323. I'm very happy for you that you are in a position to do this.

But the way you worded your post makes it sound as if those of us with ideals and can't do as you are doing are somehow less than worthy. At least that's what it sounds like although I'm sure that's not your intention. Other people depend upon me for regular transportation so it's just not a possibility, period. We are trying to figure out how to make do with just 3 cars in a family with 4 drivers (3 have jobs, two are in school, and I really really need to find a job). There is NO public transportation of any kind within a 7 mile radius of here, either.

[Swamp Rat]

326. I am not in a position to do this but I did it anyway.

I've already been called a liar, and others have misconstrued the OP.

It was a challenge. Either you are up to it or not.

[Dappleganger]

349. Give me a break...

I did not call you a liar. Your position is also quite different from mine and many other people's so you holding us to the same standard is pure BS. You still seem sanctimonious and since you are so insistent upon it I cannot help but think you mean it.

Too bad, your OP could actually have been constructive if you'd left out the "either you are up to it or not" part.

[Swamp Rat]

351. You should go to Plaquemine Parish to see what motivates me instead of taking things so personally

1. I did not say you called me a liar, nor did I even insinuate it.

2. I did not and do not hold you or anyone to my personal standard. I issued a challenge, and have been quite polite about it.

3. You are calling me or at least insinuating I am sanctimonious. Too bad. Maybe we could have a more rational conversation in the future.

[Dappleganger]

356. And as a FL resident

our state did not sign up for any of this risk. I am appalled as everyone else but that still does not change MY situation.

[Swamp Rat]

358. I am truly sorry for you and your state, and everyone who is affected

:grouphug:

[Dappleganger]

359. We're all royally fucked...

just not everyone realizes it yet. My oldest daughter is near depression, all of this has her so wound up. :(

[Swamp Rat]

360. I cannot sleep at night, and it's way too hot to sleep in the daytime

I empathize with you and your daughter... I was feeling a lot of rage yesterday, after feeling depressed the day before.

Nevertheless, I am trying to do things to feel a little more empowered, hence this thread. I hope your daughter can find something constructive to do. I was designing (in my head) a guillotine for Tony Hayward, but this is not healthy thinking. Maybe tomorrow I will be very angry again and start breaking things around the house. :shrug:

[Evasporque]

324. I built a engine that is powered by crude oil and seawater....

:knock:
:knock:

OMG it's BP and GM at the door..they have come for me.

[Swamp Rat]

327. Who's there?

[Critters2]

373. Like.

:)

[Bradical79]

331. What kind of charity did you give it to? -nt

[crikkett]

332. Good for you! I quit driving in 2006, in response to Katrina.

Because Exxon posted the world's largest profit right after Katrina, the Bush admin "forgot" to charge them royalties, and a year after the hurricane New Orleans still wasn't rebuilt.

I decided that my priorities were different than my government's and so, quit driving.

[Swamp Rat]

334. Yeah you rite!

:applause:

We are still rebuilding to this day, but things are coming to a grinding halt with this oil spill. Lots of jobs are disappearing and the schools and universities are firing teachers and staff, for example.

I think a LOT of people will be using public transportation or riding bikes and walking in the near future. At least our city planners were smart enough to include new bicycle lanes on some main avenues.

[crikkett]

377. My heart goes out to you.

I loved the time I spent in your city. I hope you take care of yourself & your family, and know to high-tail it out of there when it gets too toxic.

-crikkett

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

335. Swampy, that is wonderful of you and if I lived in a different area

I wouldn't mind getting rid of my car, but I can't. I'm in a sprawling suburb and I cannot bike ride or walk long distances. There's no real public transportation to speak of and I do need a car for my business.

I do have a 4 cyl car that gets close to 30 mpg and I use it strategically. When I have to go out and do my errands I make sure that I'm doing as many things I can do in one trip.

If I had the money, I'd have a hybrid, but can only afford my 15 year old car.

[Swamp Rat]

337. Hi OmmmSweetOmmm

:hi: I completely understand your predicament. Thanks for caring, and doing your best. :hug:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

380. Thank you dear Swampy for

understanding. :loveya: You. :) :hug:

[femmedem]

345. That is awesome, Swamprat. How sad is it that I mainly use my car to vend at farmers markets?

On the plus side, we live walking distance to my husband's shop and to our little downtown, where we can buy groceries, hear music and bump into friends. And we chose a house with good exposure for solar panels. Someday...Gotta climb out of debt first.

I do think about it every time I get in the car: how many other errands can I run? It's a little game: how many days a week can we go without driving?

But we're not as committed as you are. We still go places that require a car: the farmers markets where I sell my soap; our biweekly playwriter's meeting. Like I said: you're awesome.

[Swamp Rat]

347. Sounds like you are every bit as committed as I am

I laughed when I read about your 'little game'. I did the same thing! :D

Perhaps, it is partly due to this little 'driving conservation game' that helped in my final decision. I had considered buying an even more fuel efficient car (which would require a loan - a BIG negative), but I evaluated my situation, thinking about how many errands I really need to make, and to where, and why should I buy a new car if I only need one once or twice a week. Why put myself into debt and pay what little money I have to car insurance and petroleum companies, when I can make some adjustments to my lifestyle instead? These adjustments may be a bit painful at first, but I feel I must give it a try. At least I hope to sleep better at night knowing that I am fighting against the damage caused by BP and the entire petroleum industry, even if it has very little effect. If millions of us did something, however small, in aggregate, it would have a major impact.

:hi:

[femmedem]

355. Definitely not as committed as you. I have to 'fess up: After I posted this

I remembered that just today I'd posted something about how much my cat loves riding in the car. Taking our cat on excursions to the park is an gas-sucking luxury.

[Toucano]

354. Gave up the car in 2005

Recently gave up the clothes dryer and went to a clothes line.

My consumption of electricity at home last month was 180 kwh.

[Swamp Rat]

361. Wow!!

I guess in order to match such a small footprint would be for me to invest in a solar panel system. :D

I am serious, though. I want to get off the grid someday. Here's a few websites I found (using '.org' in the Google search pane):

http://www.ases.org
http://www.solarpower.org
http://www.residentialsolarpanels.org
http://sbdcnet.org/solar-panels.php

[Seneca]

374. Bicycle tires are made with petroleum

And of course, the chain is lubricated with oil. What about your shoes? Do they have parts made with petroleum-based parts? Your helmet?

Your computer, which you used for your high and mighty screed, is made with plastic parts which require petroleum to manufacture. The assembly line requires oil for lubrication. The planes and trucks which shipped the computer require oil.

Some of us just don't have the money lying around or available home equity (because of a depressed real estate market) to buy solar panels or windmills (wouldn't I love to though!). Or we rent, and we can't afford to move, or the landlord is a cheap bastard and won't make those upgrades.

Of course, bicycles certainly leave a far smaller carbon footprint than a car. But there is no PURE means of weaning ourselves off of oil. It's laughable to preach to us when you are not free of using oil and oil-based products.

Good for you on your decision, but please, spare us the sanctimonious crap. Some of us obviously require cars more than you do. Because if you did REALLY require yours, you couldn't have given it up, could you?

[Swamp Rat]

376. "spare us the sanctimonious crap"

It is obvious to anyone with even an ounce of compassion that your reply to this thread was not only unreasonable, but quite rude, short-sighted, and spiteful.

You have every right to reject my challenge and call for creating a better world. I rarely post my own threads, but when I do, it is usually something very important regarding the health and safety of us all.

As for money laying around, I have none; I haven't even fully recovered from Hurricane Katrina. I am unemployed and wearing clothing that is 10 years old, except the few items I was given when I evacuated during hurricane Katrina, including an old bicycle someone gave me in Memphis. I certainly cannot move, and though I love my home, the ground is poisoned with lead, mercury, and asbestos, and we are mostly unprotected from floods (none of the city pumps were repaired since Katrina) and hurricanes (the levees were not repaired either, except where the breaches occurred), and our wetlands (last line of defense) are going to die. So, I will stay here until die, either from Corexit being sprayed on us, a hurricane.... but I certainly prefer to die of old age.

Some illogical desire to be "sanctimonious" did not motivate me to write this thread, this did:

[AsahinaKimi]

375. Always used public Transportation

While living in the City and County of San Francisco. Been doing it for years. BART, MUNI Trolly Cars, Light Rail, Electric Buses, Cable Cars, Cab, SF Ferries, walking... dig the rickshaw pic you have.. I haven't tried riding in those yet, but I know we have them around the city especially out by Fisherman's wharf.

[GreenStormCloud]

379. Don't break you arm while patting yourself on the back.

Some, probalby most, of use don't live withing walking distance of work.

For me that would mean a 12 mile, each way, walk in Texas summer heat.

[MrsBrady]

381. that's good if you can do that

I don't have public trans in my area.


But I do what I can.
I recycle what I can. And now I'm starting to grow my own food.

[mkultra]

382. then you didnt really need it.

at least your understanding of actual conditions have improved.

[Imajika]

384. Good for you...

I admire you for doing what you believe is right.

I don't feel so strongly about this issue and I really do need my car, so for now I have no plans to follow your lead. The thing is though, it will take people like you to set an example for others. This is how change happens. You are making a positive difference in my opinion. Enough people like yourself do this kind of thing and more and more people may start doing the same. Kudos to you!

[Downtown Hound]

385. I went biodiesel

Built an algae bioreactor in both my backyard on my garage, and I make my fuel from it. So there's no ethical issues with cutting down forests for crops or anything. The algae consume great amounts of CO2 over the course of their lifetimes, which balances out the eventual CO2 emissions from the fuel when I burn it up.

You don't have to give up having a car to use no oil or even to combat global warming. You just need to make a few changes, and that might include getting a new car that can run on an alternative source. But the alternative sources are out there.

Here's an algae bioreactor that's very similar to the ones I built.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsQCj_PaWN0

[Onceuponalife]

386. I appluad you.

For myself, at almost 45 years of age, I have never owned a car or had a driver's license.

[earth mom]

387. I applaud you for what you are doing!

:applause: :yourock:

Wish I could do the same but we live a few miles away from town. I'm hoping we can move to town in the near future.

However, I have cut my driving down to just a couple of times a week. My husband does most of the shopping on the way home from work, so there are no unnecessary trips to town for me.


p.s. Sorry that I didn't post sooner but I think I did rec this thread a few days back.