Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Think Green Thursday #6




Our friend, the Pagan Sphinx, hosts Think Green Thursday for us each week. I think she has a wonderful idea here. In the short time the meme has been in existence, I know that I have discovered some new and better ideas for helping our world and ourselves. Have any good thoughts that might help us all? Please join in.

There are two things I would like to mention today, and I am borrowing both from other people.


The first thing I am stealing is from my daughter, Kathryn. She has done a short post today about receipts. It seems at first glance like a very small thing. But when you stop and think, it adds up to a tremendous waste. She cites one store receipt she received which was over a foot and a half long, for just one single item. We are all familiar with endlessly long receipts from drug stores, office supply stores, and others. Not long lists of purchases, but ads, coupons for things we will never buy, etc. Some of these receipts are on regular paper, and others are on non-recyclable material. And what can we possibly do about this? Maybe - just maybe - if enough of us protested this kind of thing we could get the chains of stores to cut back. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic in this. Maybe not. We have to start somewhere, don't we? Speak up. "They" won't do it. We ARE "They". If we don't do it, it won't be done.


My other topic for today is something I know little or nothing about.

Hybrids, hybrids, hybrids!

I cannot claim any knowledge at all concerning automobiles.
But I have great confidence in Tom and Ray. I'm sure many of you must know them from NPR's weekend program, Car Talk. I love their show, which is very amusing, and does offer sound advice about your car, via call in's from their listeners.

I subscribe to their Car Talk Plaza email newsletter. The most recent issue does concern hybrid cars, and I can't imagine that there is anyone more knowledgeable on the subject.


Now I don't care what you say, I think that's funny! In their own comedic way, Tom and Ray may have some valuable information to offer you if you care to visit their site at the above link. I wouldn't even attempt to re-word it here.

Surely there are some of you out there who may be thinking of a new car. I wish I could be one of you. And surely, the fuel efficiency alone would make enough sense to lead us in that direction.

6 comments:

Kay said...

Absolutely! We're thinking about a Prius or Insight right now.

KG said...

I wish they'd start making bigger hybrids - I think the only ones they have currently are the mini-SUVs. My problem is 2 carseats + a double stroller + diaper bags + groceries makes for too much stuff in a hybrid. My husband drives a VW bug, though. :-D

Anonymous said...

Great post. Food for thought. I like the cartoon above. Funny. ;-)We should always think of ways to conserve energy. Wasn't able to post a Think Green post. Maybe next week. Have a great day.

Paz

Deborah Godin said...

I would love to get an (affordable!) electric car, like the old EV1, wish they'd bring that back. Did you ever see the docoumentary about them? It's called "Who Killed The Electric Car" It's really worth watching, especially now that the whole "Big 3 need to make changes" has moved to the forefront because of bailouts and bankruptcies.

Judy said...

Hi Bobbie, I don't think I will be buying a car anytime soon either. I think the receipt thing is a great idea. Sometimes, I feel like they are trailing behind me hanging out of my handbag they are so long and I don't use the coupons either. This is such a waste.

Daryl said...

As always a good post with excellent links to learn .. you would have been a great teacher, Bobbie.. you are a great teacher!