Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok desperate times call for desperate measures, Its time to stand up and be heard. I have made a resolution i the name of conservation and made the decision that I will give up driving for 1 month. I have decided there really is nowhere I have to drive so for the next month anywhere I have to go I will eather get a ride or ride my bike. My hope is that others will follow my lead with this idea and help the earth while getting a little healthier at the same time. Imagine how much fuel will not be used just by me not filling up my SUV 2 times a week to make the 30 mile round trip to and from work? Now imagine if 20 of us did this, I am excited to get started on this project. I will keep everyone up to date with my progress through out the next month of no driving.
Foot Hill Reptiles

Jason--I don't want to squash your idealism which I do admire, but someone else will gladly fill there cars up in your place. yours exercise will have no affect. What needs to happen is a revolution from the grass roots and demand that they use the technology that already exists and build non gas burning vehicles--a case in point is the Estore car and the Zen car from Canada. Both are electric, however the e store vehicle is claimed to have a 500 mile range, and can be charged in 15 minutes by 110 volt plug. The technology exists but the oil companies are not gong to let these people develop these technologies. Do you know who owns most of the alternative fuel options? I can tell you--the oil companies. The would rather assassinate someone who has this technology than let this get off the floor. So I would love for people to educate themselves about alternatives and then try and change the market. Cutting out your gas for a month is not in "my" opinion which ain't much--a viable option when it comes to making a dent in the oil companies packet...Cheers!! You have just saved a little more gas for the Chinese and Indians... Since these organizations are multi national they don't give a rip about the US or you. As long as there is a consumer at the end of the hose they don't care where or who they get on bed with.......
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www.phrynosoma.org

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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

i know im not hurting them but surly my suv sitting at home not getting 8 mpg for 31 days is an honorable statment, i alread succeded by drawing at least one person to the plight, you. thanks for the reply
Foot Hill Reptiles

I'm not trying to be a smart aleck but;

> > > "...surly my suv sitting at home not getting 8 mpg for 31 days is an honorable statment..."

If you're really so concerned why do you own such a gas hog?

I'm all for energy conservation and I cut corners where I can, but with leaders like Mr. Green Genes himself, Al Gore, talking energy conservation while using more than 20 times the national average, is there any wonder?

Have a good one!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Its what I have because its what I wanted when I was shopping for a vehicle, Makes good since to tote my family around for shopping and on the same weekend go into the back country looking for some snakes, This is only the vehicle I drive. I also own a 2006 Nissan Sentra witch my wife drives all over, this is the vehicle that will be giving me a ride to work when I cant find another.
Foot Hill Reptiles

For the record, I'm not against trucks, SUVs, regardless of how much fuel they use. I own a few myself. Government or industry shouldn't dictate what we drive.

I believe you're sincere and I have no problems with you or your concerns. Your idea is noble. I wonder, though, if it will be negated by those you plan to influence due to the fact that you own a gas hog like I do. I hope you understand what I mean and don't take that the wrong way.

Like I said earlier, Al Gore & other "Green" leaders have made a mockery of it all. Like Robert Kennedy criss-crossin' the country in a private Leer jet to make talk-show appearances in the name of energy conservation. That's the equivalent of me, being the smoker that I am, proclaiming that everyone needs to quit smoking.

But all-in-all, you will be making a personal contribution by not driving for a month.

Catch ya later!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Al Gore has nothing on me, in 2006 He used a total of 221,000 kWh, more than 20 times the power of the average household. His average monthly electric bill is $1359 for power and $1080 for narual gas, in 2006 he spent $30,000 for gas for his mansion, so thats an average of $2439 per month of energy usage as compared to my $160 per month so again I say he has nothing on me LOL I cant even imagine why someone claiming to be so for the earth and everything can use so much unless his ideas are just a publicity thing. BTW back to the original topic it is now the 13th and the SUV is still parked in the garage where it has been for 2 weeks. Half way there and I must say it is miserable, inconvinent and just down right wrong but it is for the most part going well.
Foot Hill Reptiles

Not to specifically go against what anyone else has said, I'll say this: At least you're doing something about it, making your contribution.

If more people, regardless of their area of concern, would take action, other will usually, eventually, join in. "Enter your thread title"

I respect action. Whether I agree with the goal or not, I most always respect proper, civilized action.

Hang in there!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Well thanks for the good words. I must say this is harder than I ever imagined. My poor Ford has been sitting since the day I made this thread. I am about half way there with no signs of giving up yet
Foot Hill Reptiles

Good work. I do the same thing, but every day. I walk to work everyday, and I have a reasonably economical car and a miser for my girlfriend. I actually only go through about 10 gallons of gas a month.
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0.2 Leopard Geckos (Fire and Mello)
0.0.1 Blue Tongue Skink (Smoot)

I can feel your pain in the fuel department! I have an older Exploder and it used to drink gas like a hobo on moonshine (that was for HH). There are converstions you can do to SUV and trucks to improve their fuel economy. On mine I added larger header pipes and a flowmaster single-port muffler (this resticts the flow of exhaust and when in OverDrive as mine is as a standard creates more HP and better gas mileage at the same time provided you arn't towing anything like a shed). Secondly I took a junk air box from an Expidition and snaped it in place where mine was and sealed the hose with - wait for it - aquarium sealant but you can use any 100% silicone. This adds to the effect of the larger pipes. Thirdly I added a smaller fuel filter, just by the next size down, for the corwn vic. This restricts the amount of waited fuel you use. And of course make sure you hit those recomended oil changes and keep the tires fill to the recomended pressure.
I went from 8 mile per gallon to 15 with these changes and it cost me about $200 total. I drive 48 miles one way to work so you can imagine what I used to spend on gas! Iam in the process of buying a car with better mileage and with one dealer, if you have the receipts for the mods, it helps with the trade-in value by $200 so I might get my money back that way!
-Blue

Smaller fuel filter restricts the amount of fuel you waste? What?

The crown vic's filter has two curves in it, like a serpinitne, the SUV type is a straight filter, like an cheap aquarium filter - it allows the fuel to pass through and catches the dirt, rust, suger... The serpintine filter doesn't allow excess fuel to push through to the fuel line. This restriction saves fuel by only allowing what is need in the combustion chamber. Alot of your gas gets waisted in the combustion chamber if you don't control; 1 - the flow of gas (keeping the jets clean on fuel injectors, 2 - wild spark from spark plugs that are dirty or gaped wrong. To test this, drive around and punch the gas every time you take off from a stop light (provided that there is no one in front of you). Your gas milage goes down fast! Even if you drive "normal" if your fuel system isn't clean you are doing the same thing. My engine is old so I use all the products that are rated for "older" engines even if I don't have near the miles a car of the same age has on it and it works great. I don't know of too many people who can say their Explorer (mine is a 97') gets 25 miles to the gallon. They got 15 at best when they were new.
I took it to the Ford dealership to get a tune up and they said the engine looked brand new. I have no ware and tear on the major moving parts. The front dif is trashed though so no 4 -wheelin for me for now...