gas prices

High Gas Prices Have You Feeling Low?

jchatraw — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:04:52 -0400

While ExxonMobil continues to set quarterly records through prices at the pump, most Americans are scrambling to figure out how to create a sustainable lifestyle that will weather an economy on the verge of a genuine recession. Though gas prices seem to be headed down for the moment, we should continue to develop sustainable lifestyles.

David Wann has some easy suggestions in his book, Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle. This book goes beyond suggestions about how to save money and lays out what a true sustainable lifestyle can look and feel like. It is one part idealistic and two parts practical. For Wann, heaping those ingredients into the pot of life produces one deliciously sustainable lifestyle.

Here are some of Wann’s interesting thoughts—and tips—about water and how to conserve it:

"While each American drinks a daily four to ten glasses of water and other beverages, the amount of water our food “drinks” in the fields and processing plants is more like 2,000 gallons a day. About an equal amount is used in the United States by the power industry to cool natural gas turbines as well as nuclear cooling towers. (In the broiling summer of 2006, nuclear plants in both the United States and Europe were forced to shut down because cooling water from ponds and rivers wasn’t cool enough to ensure safety.) So really, the best ways to conserve water are to pay attention to what we eat, and to use energy efficiently. It’s also very important to use water-efficient fixtures in the home, and landscaping that minimizes water use. The 100 gallons a day that we each use in our homes can easily be cut by a third to a half by substituting efficient conveyances—in the form of well-designed fixtures, showerheads, toilets, and aerators—for resources. The need for water will only get stronger, since the global populations continue to expand, but the amount of fresh water remains exactly the same."

Segway Sales Scooting Along

jplatt — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Gas prices high enough for ya? You're not alone. But some people and businesses are taking action. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, high gas prices have pushed sales of electric-powered Segway PT vehicles up as much as 50% this quarter.

Segway, Inc. doesn't release exact sales figures (private companies don't have to), but according to CEO Jim Norrod, Segway sales rose 25% in the first quarter of this year; he expects another 50% jump for the second quarter.

The Segway PT comes in a variety of configurations for personal and business use, and plugs into a standard wall socket. One model, the i2 Commuter, has a range of about 24 miles, a maximum speed of 12.5 miles per hour, and costs "about what you spend for your daily newspaper" to charge.

On top of that energy savings, Segway is giving buyers an extra incentive to start scooting around on their two-wheeled vehicles: for every device sold, they will purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) "equivalent to the amount of electricity frequent rider uses in one year to charge a Segway PT (about 200 kilowatt hours)."

Now, a Segway ins't the perfect choice for everyone. They still cost around $5k, they only go a few dozen miles, and they don't have roofs, so they aren't exactly all-weather vehicles. But if you're feeling pain at the gas pump and are still waiting for an electric car, the Segway could be your salvation.

More Suburban Lawns Become Vegetable Plots

scleaver — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:35:01 -0400

Instead of impeccably manicured lawns or perfectly planted flowerbeds, this year, vegetable gardens are spreading across suburbia. As The Wall Street Journal reported, more homeowners are turning their backyards and lawns into vegetable plots, using their spare time to garden with the hope of reducing their food costs and keeping organic produce in their diets. As Bruce Butterfield, National Gardening Association (NGA) research director told WSJ, 2008 will be a strong year for gardening because of “the combination of gas prices, food prices, and people staying at home because the world’s gone crazy. At least they can have some control over their own backyard.”

Signs of the times:

1. Vegetable plant sales increased 43% this year, compared to sales of perennial flowers, which decreased 16% at Al’s Garden Center in Portland, OR.

2. NGA reported no change in the sale of flowers, but an increase of 21% in vegetable plants, and 45% increase in sale of herbs.

3. And, all the while, the cost of food increased 0.9% between March and April of this year and as consumers see dramatic increases in grocery bills; many are realizing that they can’t afford organic produce anymore, unless they grow their own.

Interested in jumping on board this year’s gardening trend?

The WSJ article gives tips on how to handle soil testing and quality, growing veggies, and what to spray and what to avoid spraying.

The National Gardening Association has info and tips for gardening in everything from urban community gardens to sprawling backyards.

Backyard Gardener has articles, tips, and information about what works and what doesn’t work in a backyard garden.

Verdant.net has information about starting a small organic garden for those who’ve never donned garden gloves before.

And, if you’re so inclined, Domino Magazine has garden designs inspired by Oscar de la Renta. (Photo taken from Domino Mag's de la Renta garden.)

Analysts Predict $12-$15 a Gallon Gas Prices

khallgeisler — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The sky is falling, but not gas prices. As a matter of fact, things are only going to get worse. Much worse. Worse than the $4 a gallon national average we're likely to see in the next few weeks. Worse than the $8.55 they're paying the U.K. per gallon this weekend (that's $2.26 per litre). At least one analyst is predicting $12-$15 a gallon gas in the next decade.

Robert Hirsch, a "senior energy advisor," gave this dire warning on CNBC last week. He based his prediction on an interview given by Charles T. Maxwell in February. Maxwell, who is apparently known as "The Dean of Oil Analysts," said the crisis will start sometime between 2010 and 2015 and will last for at least ten years.

No less an authority (if by "authority" you mean "TV personality") than Jim Cramer said on NBC's "Today" show that Hirsch is an alarmist. Cramer predicts that oil will hit $150 a barrell by the end of the summer, which will translate to $5 a gallon.

Cramer says double-digit gas prices aren't going to happen, since demand will drop off at $6 or $7 a gallon. Demand seems to be dropping already, with public transportation ridership up, scooter sales up, and SUVs and full-sized trucks dropping out of the market. From the planet's point of view, maybe that's not so doomy or gloomy after all.

NASCAR Pays a Whopping $6.25 a Gallon for Gas

khallgeisler — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

While most of us are coordinating ride shares and hopping on our bikes to save money on gasoline, what are people who drive -- and drive fast -- for a living doing? Drafting, sure, but at 200 miles an hour, it's hardly because they're looking to save on fuel economy.

NASCAR does have a deal with Sunoco, the supplier of the series' special race fuel, to provide free fuel at sanctioned events; the teams have to foot the bill for everything else. Many teams perform extra, all-day tests at non-sanctioned tracks, where they'll burn through a 55-gallon drum of race fuel at $6.25 a gallon.You've got the math right: almost $350 to test a car for a day.

That doesn't count the cost of diesel to fuel the truck that hauls the car to the test track, or from race to race. Diesel is at or above $4 a gallon already, and the truck tanks hold about 300 gallons. Right again: $1200 a fill-up.

The drivers have to get to the track, too, and if it's a race in California or New Hampshire, that means flying, either commercially or in a private plane (many drivers own small jets). There's another couple thou in jet fuel or plane tickets.

NASCAR owners and drivers aren't hurting for cash by any means, and the series has no plans to shorten races as it did in the 1970s during the gas crisis. The guys in the pits with the flame-retardant suits won't be out of a job yet. But next time you wince as the dollars fly by on the gas pump, pity the poor NASCAR teams shelling out thousands of dollars for one Sunday of fast driving.

Original AP story at NASCAR.com

Photo by sidehike

Reduce Your Business Travel By Meeting Online

jplatt — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Over the last few years, my wife and I have traveled to more than 20 states and who knows how many cities for business meetings, classes and conferences. Each trip required time, money, and a heck of a lot of jet fuel.

But lately, a greener alternative has popped up. More events are being held online using web conferences and webcasts. Not only does this save the stress of travel, its also avoids the high fuel costs associated with driving or flying to these events. And yes, it saves us and our employers money, too.

A web conference is just like a meeting around a conference table -- only everyone is at their desks on their PCs. Ideal for spread-out workforces, web conferences offer flexibilty and easy scheduling without trying to get everyone in the same room at the same time.

Webcasts are more like a TV broadcast, but often with some form of interactivity. Ideal for classes, lectures, sales presentations and other events with few speakers but a large audience, these allow you to reach a large number of people without anyone having to travel.

Beyond travel, webcasts have other environmentally friendly benefits you might not think of right away. Live meetings typically come with reems of printed materials -- handouts, folders, etc. With an online event, all of that material is distributed digitally. By not printing these materials, companies save money and reduce waste (because let's admit, 90% of those handouts are going to end up in the trash the next day).

Speaking of waste, how many meetings that you've attended have been catered? And how much of that food is usually left over and needs to be thrown out? You can't feed people over the web, so that saves more money and avoids more garbage.

So the next time someone invites you to fly across the country for a meeting, ask them, can we do it online instead?