I did what Jimmy Carter suggested

[Bluesplayer]

I use public transportation, and own an old Honda 4 cylinder for unavoidable trips. I spend about $15 for 8-12 weeks of auto gas. I have no sympathy for people complaining about spending $80 to fill up their SUVs.

When I'm cold, I put on a sweater before I turn up the heat. In the winter, when I'm done cooking, I open the oven door the allow the residual heat to help heat the house.

One last word - plastic. We can all get hybrid or fuel cell cars, and use nuclear energy instead of burning fossil fuels, but how will we ever live without plastics when all the oil is gone?

[phantom power]

1. plastics can be synthesized in other ways, as long as we have energy

[livetohike]

2. That was good advice

Bush hasn't asked anyone to sacrifice anything for energy conservation. Not a word about it.

What can one expect when his advice right after the events of 9-11 was to "go shopping"?

[MaineDem]

8. The Senate, controlled by HIS party, refused to raise fuel efficiency

So people can drive around in their gas guzzling hummers and huge SUVs regardless of the cost or waste.

[Dez]

3. Then they will legalize hemp and pot!

and they will grow LOTS of hemp, to fuel our cars! And it will also replace plastics, since hemp 'plastic' is bio degradeable.

So I don't see the drug war ending till all the oil is gone.

[eleny]

6. I think that some day, hemp will have the last laugh

[tk2kewl]

4. there are organic plastics

http://www.wisagclassroom.org/Corn%20Plastic.pdf

but the problem is that our ag industry is also highly dependent on petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides

[eleny]

5. Plastic

When I was little, we had very little plastic in the house. I'm thinking of refrigerator storage containers and such. They were glass as were the milk and juice bottles. I understand that your're talking about a much broader use of plastic. But I remember when a lot of things were made from glass and metals and figured to share that little bit of my memories.

[ibegurpard]

7. Currently, I live upstairs from my work

I fill up my car maybe every two weeks. Fuel is not an issue for me currently but I'm sure it will be because I'm not going to be here much longer.
It's all of the indirect costs associated with oil that I worry about.

[JBear]

9. Relying on the car

It is wonderful that many people have alternatives to using their cars. Many of us do not. My job is in an area that is completely devoid of public transportation, despite a metro area of over 1 million people (Yes, there is a bus system, but it does not go out past the first ring of suburbs).

My solution is a diesel car. The VW models range from 40-50 mpg and are fun to drive too. Best of all they can burn a biodegradeable fuel - made from renewable crops.

I am now paying about as much in fuel costs as I did 6 years ago when I was driving the SUV (and then subsequently got a brain!)

Now, back to lobbying to get a decent public transport system here!!!

:bounce: