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What are you doing to reduce oil dependence and how can our country move away from it?

Koolblue13

By Koolblue13
in The Tailgate

What kind of allergy med do you use?  

16 members have voted

  1. 1. What kind of allergy med do you use?

    • Claritin
      3
    • Alavert
      2
    • Zyrtec
      6
    • Benadryl or other
      5

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Koolblue13

Koolblue13

Posted
Posted

We know that the price of gas is hurting everybody across the board, from our local commutes, to the price of food. We also know that the prices can be artificially changed. I think most of us can even agree that we can't rely on our government to help with it and it ultimately comes down to the individual choices we are all forced to make everyday.

So, I'm curious, what do you personally do?

and

What type of radical lifestyle changes would you like to see happen in this country?

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gortiz

gortiz

Posted
Posted

i work in a field that encourages people to stop driving to work alone ...

I think breaking away from our auto dependeance and putting more funding into managing traffic congestion and discouraging driving as opposed to building roads is a solution.

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Lombardi's_kid_brother

Lombardi's_kid_brother

Posted
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My home is powered (allegedly since I have no idea how I would confirm this) by wind power. My plan is within the next two years to have a Leaf or a Volt for my work car. The theory is that if I charge the electric car with wind power, I am completely fossil fuel free aside from long trips.

I also recycle fairly religiously and have always been in favor of walking or biking in terms of short commutes.

My wife works from home 5 days a week. I do so one day a week.

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Henry

Henry

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My wife and I both work from home. We put maybe 6 - 8,000 miles a year on our car.

If and when I have the means (and I need a new car) I'm going to get Volt. I think I figured out I'd need to fill the tank about twice a year.

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mcsluggo

mcsluggo

Posted
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I want to know what people are doing to reduce American's dependence on foreign mangos.

we don't grow enough of them here to supply the growing demand, so obviously Americans have decended into a circle of increasing laziness and are purposely turning a blind eye to the growing problem.

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Bang

Bang

Posted
Posted
My wife and I both work from home. We put maybe 6 - 8,000 miles a year on our car.

If and when I have the means (and I need a new car) I'm going to get Volt. I think I figured out I'd need to fill the tank about twice a year.

This is me and my wife as well.

Not much driving at all. I keep the car tuned so as to get the best mileage I can.. it's a 97 corrolla, and still purrs.

~Bang

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Koolblue13

Koolblue13

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http://progressivetimes.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/one-roof-two-roofs-green-roofs-blue-roofs/ Green roofs and Blue roofs

http://www.windowfarms.org/ window farms for urban areas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy Geothermal heating and cooling

http://inhabitat.com/chicagos-willis-tower-to-become-a-vertical-solar-farm/ This could be a huge advancement.

These are some of the ways I would like to see us investing.

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Koolblue13

Koolblue13

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I am on pace to drive under 3k miles this year and I'm going to hook my bike up with one of these kits. http://www.e-bikekit.com/

I am going to the flea markets in the next few weeks, looking for wood crates to make veggie planters from and will be planning a growing system in my basement for winter.

I'm looking into ways to cross ventilate my rented house, to keep it cool this summer, which is especially important for my giant furry dog.

I am also going to the Goodwill to buy glass containers for everything from dog treats, to bulk coffee and rice and such, because our plastic consumption and waste is also oil dependent.

I'm only buying clothing that is either locally made or from a thrift store.

I'm going to try and not buy anything not made within 50 miles of me in general also, which won't be easy.

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mjah

mjah

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My wife and I both work from home. The only real driving we do, aside from occasional long trips, is for kiddo transportation. Our fuel consumption is extremely low.

We tried to put a full solar panel installation on our house, but unfortunately the roof pitch faces exactly east/west which is as bad as it gets for power generation. Grrrrr.

I'd love to get a Volt-style vehicle for moving the kids around. Since we're home all day during the week, the car could sit in the garage and charge off the solar panels... had we been able to get them. Grrrrr again. Anyway, I'd still like to pick up a 2nd-generation Volt or equivalent after any long-term ownership kinks are worked out.

Next step: solar water pre-heater tank on the roof.

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Koolblue13

Koolblue13

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Next step: solar water pre-heater tank on the roof.

I've read that they are the easiest, cheapest ways to go and will make a huge difference.

I watched an installation of one on tv in Seattle and even under rain clouds, it was producing more hot water than a family of 4 would use. Very cool product. I could see them become an everyday thing, very soon.

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IHOPSkins

IHOPSkins

Posted
Posted
.......What type of radical lifestyle changes would you like to see happen in this country?
Radical?

Baby Steps

Force new home construction to use more efficient materials/utilities...IE Passive Solar Water Heaters in places like Sunny Southern Cal...or Tankless Water Heating

More effeciant insulation...windows attics....ect

Home Hydrogen Generation?

And get those Cow/Pig Farmers off their butts so we can all smell more Methane!.......related to this......Fart kits

US to Capture Cow Farts to save the Planet .....................Sung to the Tune "Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit"

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/u-s-to-capture-cow-farts-to-reduce-emissions/19283942/

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DCsportsfan53

DCsportsfan53

Posted
Posted

Forgot to add, on the topic of the thread. I moved closer to my job and cut my weekly commute from 300 miles to 85 miles and I drive fuel effecient vehicles....ones from 80s whose enviormental impact has already been made. Manufacturing is where that comes from, tailpipe emissions account for approx 2% of yearly emissions iirc. I recycle cars. :)

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Koolblue13

Koolblue13

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Radical?

Baby Steps

Force new home construction to use more efficient materials/utilities...IE Passive Solar Water Heaters in places like Sunny Southern Cal...or Tankless Water Heating

More effeciant insulation...windows attics....ect

Home Hydrogen Generation?

I agree with pretty much everything in your post. I don't understand why the regulations on new home and building codes can't be radically changed.

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