Do you believe that our country uses too much oil/gas? If you do, do you believe that the use of this is impacting our enviroment-why or why not? Do you believe it is causing us to be reliant on other countries? If you do believe that the country is using too much oil, do you personally do anything to limit your use of gasoline? What would have to happen in the world for you to limit your use of oil?
This stems off a conversation I had with my hubby about gas/oil usage.
I think we definitely use too much, it's hurting the environment, we are very wasteful, and we need to develop a better way to live. How we do that without using up something else I have no idea. Electric cars and solar powered cars seem like a possible soloution but then we'd be depending on electricity instead of gas/oil. And solar panels are expensive. We have a gas guzzling suv so we aren't really able to save much gas. lol I try to run all my errands at once rather than run one errand, come home, run another errand, come back home. I've heard that once your engine is warmed up your vehicle runs more efficiently and uses less gas than if you ran several short trips. We also fill up at night when we can.
Quoting CameronsMommy23:I think we definitely use too much, it's hurting the environment, we are very wasteful, and we need to develop a better way to live. How we do that without using up something else I have no idea. Electric cars and solar powered cars seem like a possible soloution but then we'd be depending on electricity instead of gas/oil. And solar panels are expensive. We have a gas guzzling suv so we aren't really able to save much gas. lol I try to run all my errands at once rather than run one errand, come home, run another errand, come back home. I've heard that once your engine is warmed up your vehicle runs more efficiently and uses less gas than if you ran several short trips. We also fill up at night when we can.
What would happen in the world for you to purchase solar panels or walk/drive less? Or trade in your SUV? Gas hitting a certain price? A natural disaster? Food prices increasing? I'm not trying to come off in any way rude, I am just honestly curious, about the US breaking point. I'm asking myself some of the same questions.
Our suv is fairly new actually so we won't be getting rid of it anytime soon. We bought a new filter to get better gas mileage. Bc gas prices are so high and it isn't great on gas me and the kids do hang around home a lot and when we do go out we stay in town. If gas prices keep climbing or stay this price for yrs to come we will probably end up getting something different once it's paid off. We also have a Ford Fusion which does better on gas so I use that when the kids aren't with me.
Quoting jbyrd898:
Quoting CameronsMommy23:
I think we definitely use too much, it's hurting the environment, we are very wasteful, and we need to develop a better way to live. How we do that without using up something else I have no idea. Electric cars and solar powered cars seem like a possible soloution but then we'd be depending on electricity instead of gas/oil. And solar panels are expensive. We have a gas guzzling suv so we aren't really able to save much gas. lol I try to run all my errands at once rather than run one errand, come home, run another errand, come back home. I've heard that once your engine is warmed up your vehicle runs more efficiently and uses less gas than if you ran several short trips. We also fill up at night when we can.
What would happen in the world for you to purchase solar panels or walk/drive less? Or trade in your SUV? Gas hitting a certain price? A natural disaster? Food prices increasing? I'm not trying to come off in any way rude, I am just honestly curious, about the US breaking point. I'm asking myself some of the same questions.
I'll step in here:
We HAVE oil in this country. We do NOT need to be reliant on other countries as much as we are. It's all about politics and kissing a$$.
Electric cars? That's a joke. I'm not giving up my gasoline powered cars THAT ARE PAID FOR just to buy an electric car. It takes the same resources to make the electric cars, the same energy to make them, and electricity isn't generated spontaneously....takes fossil fuels to generate electricity, too. It's also going to take more fossil fuels to transport materials and build the necessary recharging stations. Noble idea, but it'll come at a cost.
I'm not going to judge anyone else for their use of oil/gas. I do what I can to keep our use to a minimum, but I'm another one that won't give up the SUV that gets the same mileage as our minivan. We do have a fuel efficient car, a 1999 Saturn that has over 250K miles on it and STILL gets 40 mpg. DH drives that to work. We need the SUV in the winter when it storms. The minivan is MY vehicle, and I drive it only when necessary. We burn wood instead of gas/oil for heat, we try to reduce our electric costs (they burn fossil fuel to provide electricity), and we've seriously considered getting a wind powered generator. If worse comes to worse, I've got two horses that can earn their keep pulling a buggy for our local transportation.
Quoting michiganmom116:I'll step in here:
We HAVE oil in this country. We do NOT need to be reliant on other countries as much as we are. It's all about politics and kissing a$$.
Electric cars? That's a joke. I'm not giving up my gasoline powered cars THAT ARE PAID FOR just to buy an electric car. It takes the same resources to make the electric cars, the same energy to make them, and electricity isn't generated spontaneously....takes fossil fuels to generate electricity, too. It's also going to take more fossil fuels to transport materials and build the necessary recharging stations. Noble idea, but it'll come at a cost.
I'm not going to judge anyone else for their use of oil/gas. I do what I can to keep our use to a minimum, but I'm another one that won't give up the SUV that gets the same mileage as our minivan. We do have a fuel efficient car, a 1999 Saturn that has over 250K miles on it and STILL gets 40 mpg. DH drives that to work. We need the SUV in the winter when it storms. The minivan is MY vehicle, and I drive it only when necessary. We burn wood instead of gas/oil for heat, we try to reduce our electric costs (they burn fossil fuel to provide electricity), and we've seriously considered getting a wind powered generator. If worse comes to worse, I've got two horses that can earn their keep pulling a buggy for our local transportation.
lol about the horses but I'd love your saturn. Due to needing to fit my sons wheelchair and other things I drive a 99 dodge durango that gets 16mpg and it's hurting me. I heard the ethenol is getting more expensive now bc corn prices are more expensive.
Quoting thedathree:Quoting michiganmom116:I'll step in here:
We HAVE oil in this country. We do NOT need to be reliant on other countries as much as we are. It's all about politics and kissing a$$.
Electric cars? That's a joke. I'm not giving up my gasoline powered cars THAT ARE PAID FOR just to buy an electric car. It takes the same resources to make the electric cars, the same energy to make them, and electricity isn't generated spontaneously....takes fossil fuels to generate electricity, too. It's also going to take more fossil fuels to transport materials and build the necessary recharging stations. Noble idea, but it'll come at a cost.
I'm not going to judge anyone else for their use of oil/gas. I do what I can to keep our use to a minimum, but I'm another one that won't give up the SUV that gets the same mileage as our minivan. We do have a fuel efficient car, a 1999 Saturn that has over 250K miles on it and STILL gets 40 mpg. DH drives that to work. We need the SUV in the winter when it storms. The minivan is MY vehicle, and I drive it only when necessary. We burn wood instead of gas/oil for heat, we try to reduce our electric costs (they burn fossil fuel to provide electricity), and we've seriously considered getting a wind powered generator. If worse comes to worse, I've got two horses that can earn their keep pulling a buggy for our local transportation.
lol about the horses but I'd love your saturn. Due to needing to fit my sons wheelchair and other things I drive a 99 dodge durango that gets 16mpg and it's hurting me. I heard the ethenol is getting more expensive now bc corn prices are more expensive.
Well, our SUV is a Lexus that's older, and it got bad (17 mpg) gas mileage before we changed the oil, changed the air filter, decided to drive with a light foot, and realized the overdrive doesn't kick in until the transmission is warm. We also got new tires on it and made sure they stay inflated to proper levels. We take it slow for the first mile, until the transmission warms up. That's all added 4 mpg to the mileage and I think adding some gas treatment/fuel cleaner would help, too. My minivan gets 23 mpg.
Healthy Living Group!
I live in the mountains where it snows in winter so I need my SUV. At this point, the hybrids cost more than I would save in gas prices. I'd be happy to buy a hybrid if the price was right. Maybe a used one. Electric cars - not anytime in the forseeable future.
I conserve energy by not using the heater unless I have to. I have no AC and I turn the lights out when not in use. I run all errands once a week.
Monthly expenses
- jbyrd898
on Sep. 22, 2012 at 6:30 AM