Or why you should not buy a more efficient car.
May 20, 2008
Affirmative Energy Action: A proposal to encourage the purchasing of fuel efficent cars and trucks.
Can China and the US Can Work Together to Reduce Their Crude Oil Consumption?: World oil consumption is a concern for all Americans. Can the two big oil users work together to conserve oil?
Downsizing the Highway System: As fewer people drive with high gas prices, it's time to consider investing resources otherways.
Energy is Fossil Fuels : Almost all forms of energy comes from coal or oil.
Oil Price Problems: Nobody has had time to adjust to higher oil prices, nobody knows the future.
On the Issue of Fuel Economy: Andrew dares to step into the debate about fuel economy.
Overemphasis on MPG: While we should care about MPG, our livestyle choices are more important.
What If Gas Gets Cheap?: Lower cost fuel will be a big distinctive to conserve.
There are a lot of people who later regreted selling their classic 1968 Plymouth Newport for a Volkwagon Superbug during the fuel crisis of 1973. At the time it seemed only sensible to sell their large fuel gulping car for something smaller and more efficient. But was it worthwhile to sell their big green beauty for that little tiny car? Maybe not.
I have a friend who drives a 2005 Jeep Wrangler with the top that removes to allow the sun and warm breeze blow in your hair in the summer. He wants to get rid of it because it gets around 20 MPG on his daily commute back and forth from Lansingburgh. He thinks he could save a significant amount of money with a smaller car that gets around 30 MPG. He currently spends about $40 dollars a week for the approximately 200 miles he travels in a week.
He is right that upgrading to a more efficient car, getting around 30 MPG would save him about $13 a week in a fuel. Over a year, that would save him about $680 dollars or about $2 a day. While the $680 dollar number is impressive, and over time makes sense to upgrade to a more efficient car, there may be an better alternative – drive less.
He has several alternatives to save more in money. He could take the bus back and forth part of the way to work. If he only cut off 5 miles of his commute each way to work by taking the bus by parking in Menands and taking the bus, he would lower his fuel bill more then he would by purchasing a 30 MPG car. Alternatively, move downtown or near the city where he could take a bus everyday to work, he'd save even more money.
Figuring bus fares where $1 each way, then he would need to save about 15 miles a day commuting. That might seem like a lot, but simply taking the bus from Albany to Troy both ways would exceed what he save by switching to the 30 MPG car. More then that, by switching to mass transit, he would reduce air pollution, not risk getting parking tickets on Albany streets, and have time to read a book or work on his laptop on the bus.
Someday, when his car wears out it might be time for him then to consider a more fuel efficient car. Yet, riding the bus combined with taking a fuel efficient car down to the bus stop may be the best way to go. That way, this person could save as much as $850 a year in fuel for his car.
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