Saving Gas and the Earth

This is a good time to start a thread on two overlapping ideas. Gas is high and fossil fuels don't help the air we all breath. So, in the interest of helping both subjects, how about ideas that are practical to save gas?

Now everyone knows the usual things, ride a bike, maintain your vehicle, trade into a hybrid (if you can afford it), and so on. But we're all people that think outside the box, so we ought to be able to think of some unique ways.

I'll start the ball rolling with one idea I just implemented last week.

Mow the yard half as often.

Now that doesn't sound like much, but I was mowing every week, and spending about two and a half gallons of gas to do it. Letting it get a little shaggy, not real bad though, will save me 5 gallons a month, and over a six month 'yard season', that's 30 gallons of gas. I also save around a $100.00 USD too.

So share some ideas folks.

Hypermilers..
I heard a news story about this , just this morning.

A hypermiler is someone, through unusual driving techniques, squeezes MPG, that are much higher than the car's EPA rating.

Some of the techniques seem a little dangerous.

but give this a read.

Hypermiling

I have been thinking lately about getting me a motor scooter. I found one online that runs on electricity and gas. It costs about a thousand dollars and goes about 55 MPG. The only downfall of this is that it would be a very cold winter if I had to use it during the winter months.

This is a link to the scooter site.

Why arent wind farms used more. They seem so simple.

I wish I had one for my house so I didnt have to pay my electric bill.

Spacedoubt, I'm with you on some of those things being too dangerous. But I already drive under the speed limit, and have been for years. I have an auto cruise control that keeps me at least 5mph under. I married her years ago.

Stari, the scooter looks like fun. And 55 mpg would be great too. I just might go that way.

Earth2, I've got a neighbor that put up his own windmills for electric. I'm not sure how much it costs, but it does work.

Thanks guys, I hope we get a lot more. We can all use some 'saved' money, and we can all do a little bit to help the gasoline problem.

Originally posted by earth2
Why arent wind farms used more. They seem so simple.

I wish I had one for my house so I didnt have to pay my electric bill.

Because they are extremely expensive, and they don't work in all areas. You need to live in an area that has a constant influx of wind. Not only that, but wind farms as i said are very expensive. Only one wind turbine would not be enough, and even if you have several it needs to be large enough to generate enough power, otherwise you would be surrounded by wind turbines for miles.

As an example a 4 foot diameter turbine that gets an influx of wind at about 25 km/h would generate maybe at the most 12volts.

[edit on 26-5-2007 by Muaddib]

One suggestion is the MDI Air Car.
If you research this car, it will prove that the exhaust is cleaner than the air it in-takes.

www.theaircar.com...

Originally posted by Muaddib

Originally posted by earth2
Why arent wind farms used more. They seem so simple.

I wish I had one for my house so I didnt have to pay my electric bill.

Because they are extremely expensive, and they don't work in all areas. You need to live in an area that has a constant influx of wind. Not only that, but wind farms as i said are very expensive. Only one wind turbine would not be enough, and even if you have several it needs to be large enough to generate enough power, otherwise you would be surrounded by wind turbines for miles.

As an example a 4 foot diameter turbine that gets an influx of wind at about 25 km/h would generate maybe at the most 12volts.

[edit on 26-5-2007 by Muaddib]

Its called investing. They would eventially pay for themselves considering its free energy.

No 4 foot blade, much bigger. If you put them all together like a Farm they wouldnt be everywhere. Offshore? Lot of space elsewhere. It would be a minor sacrifice for the reward. To me it seems so simple.

Expensive you say? Jees o petes have you seen the price of fuel lately lol.

I wonder how many large wind turbines you could build for the price of a power plant and all the fuel it will have to buy.

We will save the fuel for the areas that dont have wind.


wind power

I'm all for keeping the enviroment happy and all, but I have been thinking. Why bother conserving fossil fuel? I mean it's not like it will replenish itself if we cut back. It is also more than likely that the world will burn up every last drop whether it takes another 100 years or 30 years. The amount of pollution generated by the remaining fuel will eventually get into the air. If alternative sources are to be sought, they most likely wont be motivated until all oil is depleted. Why should we wait 50 years for the government to get on board? I say screw it and burn it all now. This will force the PTB to deal with our problem. I bet the alternative solutions are closer at hand than we are lead to believe. Why release new fuel when there is still money in fossil? This does not go well with mass consumerism. I bet if the oil dried up, the alternatives would magically appear and every government would be on board.


What is the reason why we should conserve at all?

[edit on 27/5/07 by shadow watcher]

Originally posted by shadow watcher
I'm all for keeping the enviroment happy and all, but I have been thinking. Why bother conserving fossil fuel? I mean it's not like it will replenish itself if we cut back. It is also more than likely that the world will burn up every last drop whether it takes another 100 years or 30 years. The amount of pollution generated by the remaining fuel will eventually get into the air. If alternative sources are to be sought, they most likely wont be motivated until all oil is depleted. Why should we wait 50 years for the government to get on board? I say screw it and burn it all now. This will force the PTB to deal with our problem. I bet the alternative solutions are closer at hand than we are lead to believe. Why release new fuel when there is still money in fossil? This does not go well with mass consumerism. I bet if the oil dried up, the alternatives would magically appear and every government would be on board.


What is the reason why we should conserve at all?

[edit on 27/5/07 by shadow watcher]

True but dont burn it. Make all the plastics and whatever else that can be recycled. If you burn it all its gone, try to think of a better solution besides an end.

Oh I agree about making more recyclables, but, the mentality is to consume, and that is what I see happening. I fear that there is more money to be made in fuel. I may be incorrect, and if I am, then we should be made to understand these options. Perhaps if/when the alternative fuels are offered, the remaining oil will be better utilized. I just think that we are going to keep on the comsumer trend until the oil is no more.

Originally posted by shadow watcher
Oh I agree about making more recyclables, but, the mentality is to consume, and that is what I see happening. I fear that there is more money to be made in fuel. I may be incorrect, and if I am, then we should be made to understand these options. Perhaps if/when the alternative fuels are offered, the remaining oil will be better utilized. I just think that we are going to keep on the comsumer trend until the oil is no more.

Scary, scary for all the kids growing up today and babys that are born hereafter.
There will be a generation that will fix OUR problems and condemn us for what WE did.

I personally apologize in advance to that generation for what im doing to the earth presently.

Im sorry future generation.

Well, for me, part of this is saving money. When you're on a fixed income, that's important too. ( They call it "a fixed income" because it's fixed about right to keep you from ever having enough.:flame

All of the ideas so far have been great, and I think they are important. If just the people on this thread saved some, it would be a start. But if this idea could spread to the whole site, it would really make a difference.