Here is a very thought provoking story, “What if Climate Change is Not an Energy Problem?”.  Alex’s basic premise is that while burning fossil fuels greatly contributes to greenhouse gases, our consumption habits can have an even greater impact.  So just switching to alternative energy without increasing conservation will have much less of an impact on the environment

He raises three important considerations

1. Whether we use the energy we create
2. How we use it
3. How we live

The first point describes the waste in many of our current energy systems.  Not all energy that is generated is consumed; much of it is lost in the process and distribution.  The second point addresses how our current inefficiencies are wasting large amounts of energy.  Point three goes to the heart of the problem with over consumption.  We can all have an immediate impact by just increasing our conservation efforts.

I strongly agree with the basic premise of this article and applaud Alex for presenting this idea.  Regarding suburban sprawl, I don’t think we can undo our current housing situation.  Smart construction and compact communities are great for some, but not for all.  I live in a quiet neighborhood and consider our suburban setting a wonderful enviroment for raising children.

Pay4Rides would directly address 2 of the 3 major points in this article.  It is up to the energy producers to gain more efficiency in their production process, but we can help elsewhere.  How we use energy could be greatly improved by tapping into unused passenger capacity with many of today’s single occupancy drivers.  How we live could be enhanced by people working together to better utilize our existing resources.  As we go into the New Year and people start diets, remember that it is always easier to just eat less than it is to burn extra calories.  The same could be said for energy, consume less and conserve more.  The choice is yours.

photo credit: woodleywonderworks

I saw this story on Monday that oil futures may rebound from their current low price.  The predicted increase is based on OPEC cutting production and the economy picking up in the second half of 2009.

So oil prices may increase next year?  Well some analysts are predicting that demand will continue to drop which will keep prices low.  Others think demand will rise and oil prices could quickly spike if new investments are not made.  The point is, even the experts do not know, so we should not get comfortable with low prices.  We know that at some point the price of oil will surge again and this will result in high gas prices.

The question is what can we do in the interim?  We have to take the high prices of the summer as a serious warning.  Further reductions in supply or a sudden increase in demand could sharply drive up prices.  We must aggressively seek gasoline alternatives while actively improving our conservation efforts.

Wouldn’t it be great to send a message to the rest of the world that U.S. citizens can curb their appetite for fossil fuels?  We all need work together during a difficult economy to ensure that changes in our daily commuting habits have a long lasting impact.  Passenger Energy is everyone’s chance to make a contribution starting 2009.  Do you agree?

photo credit: underminingme

I recently stumbled onto this story in Time of a brave individual named David Chameides.  He has spent this entire year attempting to not throw anything “away”.  While the average American generates about 1,700 lbs. of trash annually, Dave has saved all of his garbage.

It sounds crazy at first, but he has learned a lot this past year and is sharing his experience for all of our benefit.  After reading his story, most people will be compelled to examine their own trash habits.  Many of us are already moving away from plastic water bottles.  He also makes an excellent case for a reusable coffee mug since Starbucks went through 52 billion disposable cups last year.  That is a lot of preventable waste.

So what is he doing with his trash?  He composts any food leftovers and has been keeping all of his garbage and recycling in his basement.  As the year has progressed, he has gotten smarter about his waste and continually reduced the amount of trash he generates.  If everyone could just do some of his things he recommends, it could have a tremendous impact.

I find a story like this quite inspiring as I continue to find my own voice with Pay4Rides.  It is extremely costly to wait for government to come up with some big change that attempts to solve a problem like trash or traffic.  I believe it is better for millions of people to each start making small changes that will result in a big difference.  Do you want to remain part of the problem or become a piece in many solutions?

photo credit: <>

This past week marked the 6th anniversary of the death of Joe Strummer.  I was fortunate enough to see The Clash in 1979 before the album London Calling was released.  I did not know a lot about the band at the time, but a friend talked me into going and for that I am forever thankful.  We had lodge level seats in a NYC concert hall called the Palladium.  They opened with London Calling and it felt like the entire theater was bouncing to the pounding beat.  The band had an amazing energy that night.

After his death, the album Streetcore was released featuring a cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song”.  At the beginning of the video, you can hear Joe Strummer say “People can change anything they want to”.  Listen to the incredible passion in his voice.  I think this is very true, with the key being, we have to want to.  Take a few minutes to watch this inspiring video to see for yourself.  Unfortunately the video has recently been removed from YouTube, but you can watch it here.

Joe Strummer’s music had a profound effect on many people.  He was also a driving force behind setting up Future Forests, an organization that combats global warming by planting trees in various parts of the world.  The organization has since been renamed The Carbon Neutral Company and does some excellent work in carbon offsetting.

At the end of the video, you can see the words “The Future is Unwritten” on the wall.  What a powerful statement.  We all have a hand in writing our future, what will your contribution be?

Photo Credit: David Shankbone

We always spend Christmas Eve at my brother in-laws with a house full of family and friends.  After a late dinner of fish and pasta, we let the kids open some small gifts and then sing happy birthday to baby Jesus.  The kids hold candles during a nice moment to celebrate the true meaning of the holiday.  Afterwards there is some impromptu caroling of Christmas classics complete with off key singing (me), incorrect lyrics and a lot of humming during the parts we are not sure of.

This sends us home in good spirits to get ready for Christmas morning.  On the ride home, we try to get the kids to relax so they can actually sleep once we get there.  While they are winding down, they will point out the window at all the houses with Christmas lights.  You get to see quite a variety from the simple to the very elaborate, but none quite like this:

I don’t know the tradition behind Christmas lights, but it’s a wonderful form of expression that always brightens the holiday season for me.  Looking at all of these individual lights working in unison is very impressive.   Just imagine each light blinking to its’ own rhythm without regard to the music or the other lights.  Our current driving situation is an organized system of roads and highways like the strands of lights, but the drivers are each doing there own thing.

How can we better coordinate our commuting patterns to reduce traffic and allow the flow of drivers and riders to move more smoothly?  Passenger Energy could create a system to share information that allows for a more cohesive whole.  This is only now becoming possible through the amazing advances in technology.  We need to utilize cell phones, texting and the internet to group riders and light the way to a better future.

Is there anything worse than being stranded at an airport?  When heavy snow storms cause the airlines to cancel flights, many people find themselves in this terrible position.

This week the Northwest was getting pounded and many travelers were left with no choice but to sleep in the terminals.  Their luggage was already checked in, so it was difficult to leave even if they wanted to.  When your flight is cancelled, what choice do you really have?  I hate being in a position where I have little or no control over my options.

So what can we do about it?  Once a heavy storm hits, there is not a lot that you can do.  In order to avoid this type of situation, we need to take proactive action.  These storms are forecasted in advance, but the inflexibility and limited capacity of airlines, buses and trains make it difficult to change travel plans.  Read this story of some travelers desperately trying to get home, but continuously frustrated in their attempts.

If you knew a storm was coming, wouldn’t be nice to have an option like Pay4Rides available?  Instead of spending lots of money on a hotel room or sleeping in terminal, you could pay a driver to take you where the weather is better and you can easily make other arrangements.  This would cost a lot less than renting a car one way.

On shorter flights, I would even argue that Pay4Rides could be faster and definitely cheaper.  When flying, you have to:

1. Drive to the airport
2. Park
3. Check in
4. Pass through airport security
5. Wait for take off
6. Fly
7. Land
8. Go through baggage claim
9. Get from the airport to your actual destination

If you could pay one or several drivers to get you from point A to point B, it would be a very attractive alternative.   An organized ride system would offer many more options and allow you to get to your destination without spending a night or two on the airport terminal floor.  I am sure the people in Seattle this week would agree.

photo credit: lunchtimemama

My kids love getting the mail this time of year and then fighting over who gets to open the envelopes holding the Christmas cards.  They smile while looking at pictures of friends they see all the time and some they have never met (yes, Mom and Dad’s old friends have kids too).  These cards are a wonderful reminder of all the friends and family in our lives.  We tape them on the walls to enjoy them the entire holiday season.

So people all across the country pick out thier cards, address each one and drop them in the mail.  Then what?  Did you ever think about how the mail actually travels?  Can you imagine having to hand deliver each one?  Think about the incredible inefficiency of having to drive to the house or apartment of each family.  Without the post office, you would have to deliver them yourself or use a high priced courier service to carry each card to their specific destination.

On a typical day, the US Post Office will handle around 700 million pieces of mail, but some days in December the volume can exceed 900 million.  This can only be accomplished with a well designed system that continually improves over time.

Starting up an idea like Passenger Energy must be similar to establishing the first post office.  Where do we begin?  Just sharing one or two rides will not have a significant impact, but if a paid ride sharing system was created and improved over time then we would really have something.  The potential efficiency of 250 million drivers sharing unused passenger capacity with millions of riders could solve many of today’s problems.

I have never been a big fan of Christmas music.  They start piping it into the stores in November and then every radio station proceeds to overplay their favorites.  By the time of Christmas morning arrives, I am sick of hearing the same dozen songs or so.

So when looking for a song this week, I wanted to select a Christmas song, but which one?  I chose “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” by Bing Crosby & David Bowie:

Recorded over 30 years ago, this unique combination stands the test of time.  You would be hard pressed to find 2 more diverse performers to bring together.  Bowie left his “glam” wardrobe behind and appeared on Bing Crosby’s television special to the surprise of many.

The true genius of this recording was to create counterpoint lyrics for Bowie to sing against the “Little Drummer Boy” background.  “Peace on Earth” was written specifically for this performance and it allows Bowie to perfectly compliment Bing’s Drummer Boy. 

Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A new-born king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum

Peace on Earth, can it be
Years from now, perhaps we’ll see
See the day of glory
See the day, when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be
Can it be

Back in 1977, the idea of putting Bing Crosby with Ziggy Stardust must have seemed a little crazy, but it worked.  It just proves that you never really know until you try.

I saw this article last month about NJ Transit suspending the purchase of natural gas buses.  They had been buying some low-polluting buses over the last 10 years, but will discontinue any new acquisitions due to the overall costs.  The story quotes Dan Stessel, a NJ Transit spokesman:

“If we were to move to CNG (compressed natural gas) on a wide scale, it would require millions and millions of dollars of capital improvements”

They say they will consider CNG in the future, but right now it is more cost effective to purchase new ultra-low diesel buses.  NJ Transit plans on replacing half of its’ fleet and buying 1,145 of the diesel buses at a cost of $330,000 each.  Some quick math yields almost $380 million dollars being spent.

NJ Transit should be commended for this 10 year trial period, but why stop now?  It seems very short sighted.  If that is the case, then I would argue that this amount of money could be better utilized by investing in Passenger Energy.  Now a bus carrying 40 people is more efficient than 10 cars carrying 4 people each.  Except for one thing, the 10 cars are making the trip anyway as single passenger vehicles.  So while the people riding the bus are not using their own vehicles, many others are.

If we could move bus riders into the unused capacity of the cars, it would immediately reduce traffic, save fuel and cut carbon emissions.  Many cars are traveling the exact same routes as the buses for the majority of the trip.  So cars could carry passengers the bulk of the trip and then buses move people to their local stops.  Car drivers could earn some extra cash by picking up passengers who in turn save money on bus fares.  This seems so obvious to me if we could just get past our fear of strangers.  Any ideas on how we can do that?

photo credit: Kriston Lewis

As the year winds down, we are seeing top 10 lists of 2008 all over the place.  Top movies, top cd’s, top books, etc.  Well I just read this story about the Top 10 quotes of 2008.  The quote that jumps out at me is:

3. “We have sort of become a nation of whiners.” — former Sen. Phil Gramm, an economic adviser to Sen. John McCain, quoted in The Washington Times, July 10

I remember hearing this quote in the summer and being upset by Senator’s Gramm’s comments.  At the time of this quote, gas prices were at their highest ever and people were very concerned.  Since then we have seen incredible loses on Wall Street, rising unemployment and a real lack of confidence in our economy.

Is it whining to look to our government leaders for answers and relief for our families?

What do you think, is it true that we are becoming a nation of whiners?  Do we complain or do we act?  You decide.

photo credit: lumaxart