Fight Gas Prices, Ride Your Bike

We watched the documentary film Who Killed the Electric Car? a few nights ago and I was (once again) outraged by the mentality we have in this country that even when human and environmental health is at stake, "the Man" (in this case car companies, oil companies, and politicians) decides that electric cars aren't profitable enough. Even when consumers wanted the alternative cars, the EV (electric vehicle) was squelched. And I'm not saying just the program was squelched, the cars- every one of them was literally compacted and recycled, effectively killing the electric car. You have to see this film. It pissed me off enough to take action- in my own miniscule way.

Folks, I'm going to do something I should've done a long time ago. Actually, I did do a long time ago out of simple economics rather than principle. I'm buying a bus pass and parking my car (my new car, mind you) for as long as I possibly can. I'm going to walk, bike, ride my way to wherever I need to go. Yes, there is freedom in getting in the car and driving wherever one pleases, but that freedom has a cost (freedom isn't free.....) Not just monetary (though the price per gallon is getting ridiculous) but what about the air we breathe? Are we that much of an instantly gratified society that we don't care how much our decisions affect the health of humans and other creatures?

The sucky part about all this is that we have the technology to use cars that don't pollute so much. Unfortunately, these new techonologies are not profitable enough for "the Man." So, the projects (like fully electric, practical cars) that could help us be energy independent and less polluting get sabotaged. It's enough to make you feel powerless. But, alas, there is always something little old me and you can do. Drive less, be informed, support new cleaner technologies. Can we resolve to change the world, one decision at a time? I think so. I know I sound like a commercial, but at least what I'm trying to sell might actually help us.