$5 a gallon is too much, but expect that by labor day 2008. That is right folks! $5.00 a gallon, which means even a car like ours with 66.7 mpg highway and 48.5 mpg city driving will cost us 10 – 12 cents a miles (diesel). I can’t image what it cost for a car with 23 mpg costing $ 0.21 per mile.

We just finished watching one of our favorite shows, “30 Days“, on Hulu. This episode the host, Morgan Spurlock who brought us “Super Size Me” and “Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?”, returns to his home state of West Virginia to experience one of the country’s most dangerous occupations: coal mining.

Why do they coal mine in spite ofcave-ins, black lung disease and the hard work that takes a toll early on? Money! A coal miner makes as little as $60,000 a year. That is a lot of money for West Virginia. Your money can go far. Problem? Commute. They have about an hour commute to the coal mine location. Live any closer and basically living on mining land – not a good idea. Sink holes, cave-ins and the pollution are good reasons to live an hour away.

What do West Virginians drive? Trucks and not those pesky toy trucks. We are talking Ford F-150 with extra cab space (family space) with 18 mpg (2008 rating), driving 1 hour each way (mostly back roads) @ 55 mph (for the best mpg) is driving 110 miles each day. That means a 6 day work week (in the “30 Days” episode all worked a 6 day work week) is a total of 660 miles a week or 2640 miles a month. The average Ford F-150 (2008) has a gas tank of 30 gallons. Doing math . . . 540 miles per tank, driving 55 mph. The miner is filling his tank 4.8 times a month with a total cost of $720.

$ 60,000 goes fast, take home pay after dental, health, insurance, 401k, FICA, social security, union dues and so on the average person brings home about 70% of their pay. Which means what actually makes it into your direct deposit $ 42,000 annually , $3,500 monthly or $807.69 weekly (52 weeks in a year).

Almost 1 (one) entire paycheck (1/4 of income) is going to the travel expense of getting to work! Which means the miner’s family is living on $ 31,500 annually, $2,250 monthly or $ 605.76 weekly (52 weeks in a year).

Now that might seem like a lot, but your life is shortened and that $60,000 with commuting cost means you are living on the wage of a secretary. A general secretary in the nearby town makes about $35,586 annually with a take-home pay of $ 24, 910.20 annually, $ 2,075.85 monthly or $ 479.00 weekly (52 weeks in a year). No hour commute, higher quality of life, 5 day work week, and without a black lung.

What to do with the free time? How about learning a skill? Get a better job? Start your own business?

Science will save us from dependency on oil, but what about the lifestyle? Will people start to see other options? Will creativity and the American Dream come alive again? Or will the nation, just like the miners, make the decision based on money rather than quality of life?

Even if we drive our automobiles with alternative fuel when will the human value come into the equation?

]]> http://www.thecontemplation.com/index.php/2008/06/27/run-it-on-algae/feed/ 0 http://www.thecontemplation.com/index.php/2008/05/23/alternative-lifestyle/ http://www.thecontemplation.com/index.php/2008/05/23/alternative-lifestyle/#comments Fri, 23 May 2008 17:48:17 +0000 rhea http://www.thecontemplation.com/?p=248 Gas prices are getting higher, but that is in par with the rest of the world. Alternative fuels have been on the back burner way too long. I actually worked (1 year for the resume) with a ‘Hill’ lobby information mediation group back in ’96. California has always been on the cusp of alterative fuels, and the rest of the Nation has only known what is “in their back yard” and not willing to purchase outside the norms.

Now, this “keep up the Jones” has come to bite our royal arses.

Here is the big problem, we are a Capitalistic Republic Democracy. What does that mean to us as a country? It means money will always be the priority to our elected officials.

FYI – Did you know that none of the Presidential candidates (not one) did not live in a home worth less that $2 million dollars (Obama is worth at least 2 million while his neighbors is only around $345)? Each candidate in their rhetoric “relate to the working class”, but they don’t. They really don’t.  They are happy there is a working class, welfare class or else they would just be one of us.  They would not be anything special, at least in their mind.

Also, if it is not about Money it is about party platform, which panders to the richest (always). And finally it is left to a vote of the majority, and what 51% of the population dictate to the other 49%. So, why has the alternative vehicles not been nationally promoted or viewable (until recently) in the news . . . The government.

The government pays almost 3 million each year for the big automobile companies to spend on advertising. The big gas gussling companies want us to be happy with the substandard car we buy and buy again.

Solutions: If you only drive about 40 miles a day, get an electric car (45 miles on full charge) which is about $12,500. For longer trips or vacation… train and renting a car locally. If you do not like the gas prices, don’t pay for gas. (e-ride, zap world)

Jenny and I have a biodiesel/diesel car, which gets 55 mpg city and about 65 mpg highway. We take public transportation 4-5 days a week, especially weekends. (Get your own) In fact, we just got in the mail, VW wants to buy back our car, due to demand.  It was tempting, but we plan on giving the car to Jenny’s mom in two years when we get the VW GTI TDI.

It is about a lifestyle change.  It is about making better choices.  Try not driving for a month. There is a guy in Wisconsin is taking action, riding his bike (9 miles to work daily) and only car pooling “if it on the way”.  (read more . . .)

Alternative fuels being used by cars available now:

• hydrogen
• electric
• natural renewable resources or bio-diesels
• Solar is functional, but only way to get a solar car is to build your own (YouTube Video, Solar Powered Car Kit)
• Wind Power is a great alternative to the gas/electric (Venturi, i-MiEV)

How much will you spend in gas each week before you take action to leave your car at home? I guess that is my question… What is the most you are willing to spend on gas, a week, before you leave your car at home?  Car pool, walk, bike, public transportation are great options. I know that many live in very rural areas that make it almost impossible to commute without a car. But how much did you spend on your car?  Could you not, while you can, sell your gasoline only vehicle for something more practical?

Putting in a full tank of gas at $50 a week is $200 a month. That makes it $2600 a year or $13000 for 5 years. What can you do with $13000?  You could have bought an electric car.