Five Percent: Conserve a Little Energy

Here’s an article from the TerraPass Blog, also Environmental Action and Treehugger are all of like mind: Liquid Coal is about the worst way we could spend our time and money. Ever.

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Last week, I wrote about high gasoline prices in Chicago and my realization that I could have easily taken public transit to the airport, rather than the cab that was ever-so-conveniently waiting for me, with the ever-so-convenient assistance of the personnel at the hotel to whisk me away to the airport.

I presented my ideas to Hilton Hotels via their website, and got prompt replies … but I didn’t get a strong sense that there was any real interest in providing an “active” effort, just the “if you ask, we’ll tell you” response. I doubt I would get anything more substantive from other major hotel chains, but perhaps this is worth trying.

I could be wrong about my perceptions of the response I got, so here’s the email thread (in reverse chronological order, with contents bolded and with the personal details removed) for your perusal. I would encourage others who think this simple step might help to contact Hilton and other hotels. (more…)

As I was in a cab, along with a mass of other vehicles moving out of Chicago on Thursday I noticed a gas station changing $3.97/gallon. Oh my god — it’s still at around $3/gallon here in the Boston areas. This explained why the driver had all the windows open and no A/C on a 93 degree day.

I asked my cab driver about high gas prices and he said he was not making enough money to keep driving, and that many other drivers had quit. He showed me an article in a paper in which cab drivers had requested a fare increase to City Hall, which they had denied. Yes, the free market is working, as it usually does. Slowly, and brutally. (more…)

We have incredible neighbors. All of my stories about neighbors are actually fictional constructs based very much on the behaviors of people who act a lot like my neighbors; no actual neighbors should construe any malfeasance, distaste, dis-respect or anything like that; no neighbors were harmed in the making of this blog.

We have incredible neighbors. Today for example, while I was out playing Frisbee with Carter and a few other boys from the ‘hood, a neighbor was mowing his lawn. As he got through his, he moved to the next neighbor’s, and then, he moved to my lawn. This is just a person who is generous. How cool is that?

So how uncool is it of me to have had the following thought: “my god that gas powered mower is loud and stinks”, and then when he moved to my lawn thinking “oh my god, he’s cutting my beautiful long, lush lawn too short; it’s going to get all … gassy and everything”. What kind of thought is that, anyway?

Well, that’s the thought I had. I have gone over the top indeed.