It looks like to the Don’t Buy Gas Day hype has even reach NPR. Looking around on the net it is pretty clear that people aren’t down with the idea.
Snopes tells us that it is all a hoax that has been tried before and failed.
Given the information out there, it seems that the overwhelming opinion is that not buying gas for a day won’t make much of an impact on the global oil market. Those oil companies know that you’ll go back to filling your tank tomorrow.
While it might not make the oil companies loose much money, think about how much reducing your gas consumption would help your bottom line. For instance, James and I haven’t had a car for over the past three years, and James for another couple of years before that. In comparison to your average couple that would be supporting two cars (including car payments, insurance, repairs and don’t forget, gas), we could attribute a great deal of our assets simply to not having a pair of gas gusseling cars to feed.
While we know that many of you out there don’t live in areas where you can give up your car entirely, consider these possibilities instead:
- Take public transportation to work – bus, metro, streetcar, tram, whatever your city offers
- Carpool with friends or strangers
- Hitch a ride – I just heard of a system here in DC that allows you to bum a ride from someone else coming in from the burbs.
- Scale down to one car versus two
- Drive less
- Keep your tires adequately filled
- Take excess weight out of your car to reduce gas consumption
- Ride a bike
- Walk
- Telecommute
Plus, you’ll be doing your bit to help overall consumption of fossil fuels. Americans contribute a quarter of total carbon emissions and only comprise one twentieth of the world population. Do your part, wherever you are!
Happy Day!
Miel
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