Say Monte,

The next time you have to take a Lear jet to Dutch Harbor I would be glad to go along thus reducing the per person waste of resources.  I have yet to go there and as the price of a ticket from Anchorage to Dutch Harbor is more then it costs from Anchorage to Costa Rica, or many other warm places with sandy beaches, I am not likely to get there anytime soon.  Think of it as Jetset car pooling. :-)

Mark in AK  - looking for more ways to save our resources

----- Original Message -----
From: monte merrick <montemerrick@SPEAKEASY.NET>
Date: Monday, April 24, 2006 9:21 am
Subject: Re: Local gas prices (sorry long)
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM

> given the fat that all of us on the list are probably getting
> somewherearound 20 mpg in our vanagons, we can assume that all of
> us  share
> whatever guilt therre is to share in the tragedy humans have
> visited on
> the world in the form of fossil fuel burning, as well as other
> forms of
> energy, which, plainly spoke, are not our birthright.
>
> the only energy we have an ethical right to, thinking here solely of
> transportation is the energy supplied by our own two feet - every
> otherform requires a non-consensual donation from some other life
> which has
> an agenda not our own but gives its life toward ours. the road killed
> animals - the oil-spill killed ecosystems, the car-crash killed
> children,  the war killed inhabitants of oil-rich nations and the
> youngwomen and men of the oil needy nations sent to secure the
> supplies -
> the list is  nearly endless and pretending it doesn't exist doesn't
> make it go away and bringing up all of the wonderful things we do
> withour cars - be it band practice, or my own work which i  love
> (oiledbird rescue and rehabilitation) or any of the other myriad
> good ideas
> people with auto lifestyles claim as the ultimate good - lets face it
> we made musicals and sporting events pre-auto
>
> the reason there  are no easy answers is because none of us, myself
> included, are capable of choosing what is right over what we think is
> necessary. it is my experience that in the long run, necessary and
> right are never in conflict.
>
> that said - flying in a lear jet out to dutch harbor responding to a
> shipwreck in the alaska maritime wildlife refuge was a freaking blast
> and no the bitter irony is not lost on me.
>
> as we juggle back and forth between the costs of gasoline and our
> pocketbooks, etc. it is good to remember that as the ice shrinks and
> oceans warm, conservative climate change scientists (by
> conservative i
> mean cautious, not the insane oil company shills arguing that climate
> change is not real)  estimate 10,000 species extinctions in the next
> hundred years - how many birds will be saved then? how many school
> plays successfully mounted??
>
> my .02 as they say
>
> monte
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Apr 24, 2006, at 6:13 AM, Milo's Kitchen wrote:
>
> Even though it's no longer Friday, I have to chime in:
>
> "live in a place where you don't have to drive.  Yup, that means you
> have to
> live NEAR OTHER PEOPLE!  Horrors!  Most Americans don't want to."
>
> We tried that.  Lived in the city of Pittsburgh for 4 years before we
> cut
> our substantial losses and fled back to our small town.  Our house was
> broken into and robbed. BTW, they stayed the day eating our food and
> going
> through everything in the house, watching TV and abusing our dog,
> untilI
> came home from work then they fled out another door.  The justice
> systemkept the two teens about 3 hours and then, after we pressed
> charges,they
> harassed us RELENTLESSLY for months until we caved (parole officers
> were a
> joke).   Lost tens of thousands of dollars on the sale of the house,
> which
> took two years. Recently the city closed that neighborhood's police
> station
> to save money.  Yeah, I'm going to move back to the city, sure.
>
> "don't drive a vehicle that gets less than 50 mpg. Get a Prius."
>
> I can't afford $20 for a Prius.  Our last brand new car was a 1981
> Rabbit
> GTI.  Currently our newest vehicle is the 1991 Carat (suby pwrd). I
> haven't
> seen a Prius up close, but can I get my 17 yr old son, his tuba or
> sousaphone (wind ensemble/marching band/lessons), and my 6 yr old
> daughter
> and her legally required car seat into one at the same time? Don't
> think so.
> Last Christmas, in Betsy the 91 Carat, I transported 5 teens, 2
> tubas, 3
> trombones, folding chairs, music stands, and my 6 yr old with her car
> seat
> to perform in free concert for the folks at the local retirement
> center.That was much more efficient than taking 5 different small
> cars and was
> socially beneficial.
>
> "Reducing energy consumption is, IMO, an ethical choice.  It is not
> always
> the most economical option, especially if you have already got sunk
> costs in
> housing out in a place where you have to drive everywhere"
>
> When we purchased our current home in 1999, its location took priority
> over
> square footage and condition (lacking in both).  We did not want to
> have to
> drive constantly.  I can easily walk my daughter to school, to the
> library,
> to the pool/park, and the post office, et.  I can walk to the grocery
> store
> but not purchase more than I can carry home (not practical for a
> familyof
> 4).  BUT, housing in an area with this level of convenience costs
> money.  We
> bought the cheapest house on the block and were lucky that one was
> evenavailable for sale when we needed to move.  I'm the director
> of the
> local
> food pantry, and believe me, a family of 4 with both parents making
> minimum
> wage has few options for living in town.  They get pushed father out
> where
> it is cheaper, but less convenient, or into the city with its failed,
> crime
> ridden public school system.
>
> Not directly related, but another relevant point.  Our health
> insuranceprovider requires us to use a specific pharmacy.  The
> closest one is 9
> miles
> away.  The drive is still cheaper than the full price of the
> medicationpurchased at the pharmacy within walking distance.  No
> choice here. (you
> can't wait for a mail order of Amoxicillin when your child has a sinus
> infection)
>
> "and apparently there aren't any school buses"
>
> My son is a sound and light technician for the high schools'
> auditoriums.
> When programming a light board for an event or play, the techs are
> sometimes
> there until 8 p.m. or later. There are no busses to bring them home.
> Nor
> are there busses when they come home after an away football game
> at 11
> p.m.
> To participate, you drive.  I don't think canceling the Mancini award
> winning all school musical, or disbanding the marching band to
> save gas
> is a
> wise choice.
>
> I'm not disrespecting anyone else's opinion, and I have a great
> deal of
> admiration for Joy in particular.  There are just no easy answers.
> We
> are a
> big, diverse country.
>
> _
>  |_
>    |_
>      |
>
> Stepping off my soapbox....and walking to school.
>
> Sandy
>
> Disclaimer....The opinions expressed are mine alone, Dave has no
> knowledge
> of this email until after work.
>
> --
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