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Aug 10 2008

Driving a car daily makes us addicts!

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By Rachael Bliss

Are you willing to kick the habit?

We Americans love to complain, but we aren't apt to change our ways after our complaints.

Maybe that doesn't make much sense to you, because most of us complain about other people or circumstances that cause us suffering through no fault of our own....or at least that's what we tell ourselves.

But do you know that we can react in positive ways after we have been wronged in order to get the attention of the person who may have wronged us or to prevent certain negative events happening again to us.

For example, how we love to complain about those gas prices! Even I was upset about recent hikes of prices at the pump, while I admit that I can somehow understand why the prices are climbing so fast.

Rachael Bliss blogs at People Power Granny whenever she can!

Lessening supply, more demand around the world, a war going on in an oil-rich area, speculation, the falling value of the dollar and of course, those greedy rich producers, refineries and sellers.

Most of us grimace, shake our heads and still fill the tank up weekly or more often. We continue to drive to do our shopping, to go to the post office, to take the kids to school, go to work, visit friends, take a vacation, go to a movie. The list goes on and on while our budgets get tighter and tighter.

I started working at a new place a few months ago. The first week I drove to work because it's too far away to walk. But then I got brave and starting riding the city bus. At the most, it cost me $10 a week. If I bought a book of tickets, it costs me $7 a week. Plus I don't have to pay parking like I see all these folks do who continue to drive everyday. If I were 65, I could ride the bus all week for less than $3.50.

To take the bus, I would leave the house about 15 minutes earlier than I did when I drove, and was able to talk to some other people on the bus to and from the office. I talked to a new mother with a newborn and to a blind woman who has a beautiful Labrador seeing-eye dog.

Now I am able to walk to work, which saves me even more money. I don't fight the traffic. There is no wear on my tires or any other part of my car. It just rests in along the street curb waiting for a time when I'll really need to soup it up.

So why do most people continue to pay at the pump rather than take another form of transportation everyday? Are we too lazy to change our habits, to go out of our comfort zone and do something to really show those greedy old oil owners?

And if you don't like mass transit, what about the old feet or the bike? Some young folks even take to roller blades, scooters or skateboards. None of these modes use petroleum. Plus we get some exercise in the process, saving us a trip to the gym later in the day, and maybe a hospital later on.

And while we're discussing petroleum, we can boycott it further by not using a gas-powered lawn mower, a leaf blower, fertilizers and pesticides on the lawn either. Everyday materials that also include petroleum are:

plastics, which are in bags, beverage containers, cars, houses, toys, computers and clothing,
asphalt used in road construction,
the synthetic rubber in tires,
paraffin wax,
detergents,
phonograph records,
photographic film,
furniture,
packaging materials,
surfboards,
paints, and
artificial fibers used in clothing, upholstery, and carpet backing.

So maybe the least folks can do would be to stop driving for awhile, let that grass grow a little more while you look for a push manual mower and do more mulching around the trees, flower beds, etc.

You know, it really makes us Americans look dumb when we complain, complain and go to war over oil. But when we continue to use it like it's 1955, we really look stupid.

Let's just admit it, we are addicts to the stuff. Let's make a pact and cure ourselves of this addiction once and for all. Besides putting more money in our pockets, we will also be helping sustain our environment and maybe help us get in better shape during the process.

Try the bus or the subway or the light rail. Give yourself a few days. You'll like the change. And what's life without a little change now and then?

Our grand kids are watching us. Do we want them to think that we are addicts to a drug that has been our master far too long? Too bad there's not petroleum patches out there to help us kick the habit. Maybe we can create an AA for us petroleum users. We can initiate support groups and help those who are co-dependents with that spouse who drives too much. Let's just walk to the meetings, though.

We can eventually win over our addiction! Will you try with me? Boycott Big Oil!

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