Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Unless more nuclear power plants are built and put in operation in the US, then going all electric transportation means more coal and gas being used at power plants. If people really want to conserve fuel then they need to examine their own wasteful lifestyle before dictating to others (Hollywood celebrities and politicians?). What happened to telecommuting or teleconferencing? Today you still have business executives traveling to resort locations for some conference instead of a teleconference via the internet or satellite link. Instead of Congress summoning corporate execs to testify before Congress, couldn't they, the execs, have testified via teleconference and saved the cost of the flight and hotel? Do we really need to fly across country to enjoy a vacation? Just about every state has vacation destinations and what's amazing is the number of people who've never visited those destinations within their very own state. Until a viable alternative to gas is found (by greater minds than we have here), we the people need to look into how we live our lives in order to find ways to reduce the amount of fuel we consume until such an alternative is found. Find ways to lower the electricity used in the home. Plan the route you use to run errands by going to the furthest destination first and the rest on the way home. Plan routes with the fewest stop signs and stop lights. Shortest distance isn't always the most fuel effiencient. Watch your speed and jackrabbit starts. Use cruise control if your car has it. Keep up with tire pressure, wheel alignment, and oil and filter changes. Ford Fiesta is coming soon and it's going to have 3 cylinders, varible valve timing, direct injection, and turbo. This means about 135 horsepower for decent acceleration while having near hybrid fuel economy. Today's cars could have much higher mpg but today's crash safety standards have resulted in today's vehicles to weigh much more than vehicles of the past. The Honda CRX was a featherweight car with over 50mpg but was deadly to the passengers in a crash.
I got this really crazy idea, many people in other countries (and even in ours years ago). Did this thing where they put one foot in front of the other and repeated that over and over. They walked (gasp) to work.
Even better, there was this invention centuries ago, this machine that can propel someone to a destination, what was that called...... oh yea, a bicycle!
Even if in a two parent household if one could do this, then how much would be saved?
Public transportation, use of motorcycles instead of cars. Here's a novel idea, people can be paid enough to live in a nice place near where they work, they can choose if they do, but right now the expense is too much. More people can work from home, especially if you work in a cubicle.
This is in the interest of businesses too. Every gallon of oil burned in a commute, is one that can't be used to supply energy costs for business operations. It also drives up the costs for your products to be transported, and for customers to frequent your business.
Even in cold states, 9 months out of the year its warm enough for just a motorcycle, most of those get the same mileage (or better) than a prius. What about motor scooters, those things get 100 miles.
Yes there are situations where a car is necessary, but those situations are far less frequent than you think. People need to forget about them as status symbols.
I got this really crazy idea, many people in other countries (and even in ours years ago). Did this thing where they put one foot in front of the other and repeated that over and over. They walked (gasp) to work.
Even better, there was this invention centuries ago, this machine that can propel someone to a destination, what was that called...... oh yea, a bicycle!
Even if in a two parent household if one could do this, then how much would be saved?
Public transportation, use of motorcycles instead of cars. Here's a novel idea, people can be paid enough to live in a nice place near where they work, they can choose if they do, but right now the expense is too much. More people can work from home, especially if you work in a cubicle.
This is in the interest of businesses too. Every gallon of oil burned in a commute, is one that can't be used to supply energy costs for business operations. It also drives up the costs for your products to be transported, and for customers to frequent your business.
Even in cold states, 9 months out of the year its warm enough for just a motorcycle, most of those get the same mileage (or better) than a prius. What about motor scooters, those things get 100 miles.
Yes there are situations where a car is necessary, but those situations are far less frequent than you think. People need to forget about them as status symbols.
Unfortunately, since 1950s, the development paradigm has been skewed to favor automobiles and they require a lot of surface area.
Obviously, there will have to be dramatic changes, and a transition to electric traction rail, to maintain prosperity for the remainder of the 21st century.
We're going to have to go "Back to the Future" as in 1890-1915 mindset, before cheap and plentiful oil.
Unfortunately, since 1950s, the development paradigm has been skewed to favor automobiles and they require a lot of surface area.
Obviously, there will have to be dramatic changes, and a transition to electric traction rail, to maintain prosperity for the remainder of the 21st century.
We're going to have to go "Back to the Future" as in 1890-1915 mindset, before cheap and plentiful oil.
Given that the demand of China and India is going to increase, plus there's a limited supply, we're have already lost the cheap and plentiful oil. Now all we need is to wake up and respond.
What other waterways / projects would you suggest?
(Someone had to do it...)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
