Sunshine and Light

I'm leaving it all up to yoooouuuuuuu

The other day my carpool buddy and I were talking about a co-worker who had just purchased a hybrid. The co-worker and my carpool buddy were complaining that the cost of the hybrid was $5000 more than the equivalent non-hybrid model, but the government tax reimbursement was only $2200.

Wait…what….?!

My theory is that even though it appears that the government is giving our co-worker money, the reality is, thanks to the laws of supply & demand, our free market economy etc, they’re probably really putting money in the car manufacturer’s pocket. So let’s say that the tax reimbursement goes up to $3000, what’s to keep the manufacturer from increasing the price of the car another $800? My understanding is that hybrids aren’t particularly profitable anyway, so capping how much a manufacturer can charge may lead to some getting out of the market. But let’s call this what it really is – corporate welfare masquerading as an individual tax incentive. Would the market otherwise bear the $5000 difference between the two cars?

And…the government is paying to try to force my choice in automobile? That’s a little creepy. Would you want the government influencing you or worse yet, telling you, which cars to buy? If you answered yes, what if they were encouraging US manufactured SUVs instead, would you then?

Anyway, as I’ve sort of discussed in previous posts, I’m a believer in our taking responsibility for our own actions. Not buying an H2 when a Civic will do is and should be a personal decision. So I’ll use this to segue into part 2 of this, which is environmental people I truly respect. I LIKE people who put their money where their mouths are, especially because I’m flailing a bit in my own efforts to both cut spending in prep for the new little mouth to feed, and being more environmentally friendly. I really can’t stand being lectured by the likes of Al “Fly all over the world, hang out in my zillion square foot mansion” Gore, or Sheryl “My concert tour used the energy of a 3rd world country” Crow. But when some of the following guys talk, even if I think they’re over-the-top bat-shit insane, I can at least respect the effort they’re putting into their cause.

Riot for Austerity: They are trying to reduce their carbon footprint by 90%. Egads, 90%? Flip over to the “Rules” tab and you’ll see things like using no more than 50 gallons of gasoline per person per year. Er. Or in our household, that’s more like per week. This will be a slow progression for those interested, and a blog about it is here with weekly tips.

Colin Beavan, No Impact Man: Ok, ok, this guy is much heckled, but…. If you read his blog, he’s not high on his horse, and not completely unrealistic. Which are both virtues in my world. He ponders esoteric things that are not and will never be on my radar – how best to wash clothes in the bathtub, for example. But regardless, he can supply a lot of food for thought.

The Authors of “Plenty”, Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon: They took a year and ate only food that came from within a 100-mile radius of their home in Vancouver. And after finishing the book, it’s quite obvious that there were times when that HURT. Months of eating “Winter food” like potatoes ad infinitum, not having any local wheat…. It was hard on them and hard on their relationship. But it was an interesting experiment. I think in one way, while it’s great for people who have a lot of time on their hands (aka free-lance writers as both of these folks are), it’s not super practical if you have other things like a job and a family to take care of. They talk about driving 40 miles to stock up on tomatoes and honey on the weekend. And let’s talk about canning/freezing for days. Er. Really, thanks but no thanks.

So across the board, I’m not sure that I would precisely say that these folks have a strong impact on my day-to-day life. The experiments in all three cases are SO extreme, that I can’t even begin to imagine doing that in my own world. But on the flip side, there’s pointers here and there that I can pick up. And by their actions, there’s a certain amount of guilt I have to feel for not trying just that little bit harder. So to them I say, hats off! I don't have that kind of lifestyle dedication, nor urge for my husband to divorce me. But I appreciate what they're doing and it makes me look for ways in which I can cut back as well.

posted by MyHusbandRules @ 9:35 AM