Driving...

Ah, yes... It's time to touch on the automobiles... For me, this is a tricky subject.

I like the convenience of being able to jump into the car, and drive a mile to the local hardware store. I really enjoy driving in the rain. I find it peaceful. It's cozy to be sitting in the car with the heater on, and the rain coming down. It reminds me of camping (which I love!) and family trips to Seattle or to the coast. But... It's so bad! It's bad for the environment and it's bad for us! Why do you think we're a nation (not urination) of lazy lard asses (myself included)?!? There are some things we can do, of course, but are most of us willing to take the steps?

Our reliance on foreign oil is absolutely insane! We send our families away to other countries to die because they are protecting our freedom (to use oil). That's obscene...

We dig and drill, destroying the environment in the process, so we don't have to send our loved ones away. We trade one type of life for another, not to mention that we're just creating a massive nightmare for our future generations.

We're polluting and paying and abusing for a resource that, once it's gone; it's gone! I don't get it... I'll be the first to admit, that I'm a contributor to the problem. I want to change that, though...

We own a Dodge Dakota and a Honda CRV. Both run on regular gas. The truck's gas mileage isn't very good, where the Honda seems like it can go for ever on a single tank.

I've decided to sell my truck, and by a late model Mercedes diesel, in which I can run biodiesel. I still don't feel exactly comfortable selling my truck (which has almost 100,000 miles) for a car that's 15 years its senior. The truck has no mechanical problems (anymore), but it's getting to the point where I'm going to have to start investing money into it to keep it running at peak performance. So, I find it a little disconcerting that I'm willing to buy an even older car...

Of course a diesel engine lasts much longer than a regular gas engine, but it's not just the engine that I'm concerned with... There is steering, transmission and suspension systems to worry about. Not to mention the electrical...

Also, living in Colorado, it get cold. Too cold for biodiesel to flow... So, I'd only be able to run bio for 9 months (or so); then I'd have to switch over to a bio/dino blend... I do have an idea for this, though, but I'll elaborate more when I buy the diesel.

I also worry about driving in the snow... I haven't been without 4WD for years!

I don't worry so much about the Honda. It's a good little car, but we're going to eventually swap it out too. We'll probably get a used hybrid. I think it makes sense to have at least one car that will start when it get very cold, plus it's just plain easier to find gas in our neighborhood.

Another issue with the truck is that, since I have a baby seat in the front seat, I can't fit in any passengers. I could stuff someone into the seats behind the cab, but every time I've offered to drive someone, the car seat base gets pulled out and whomever I'm driving sits in the front, anyway... It's not a huge deal, but it would be convenient (remember that this blog is about convenience vs. eco) to not have to worry about that...

So, my plan (for now) is to sell my truck, and buy a diesel car. There's a local co-op where I can get biodiesel, and learn more about it. Maybe even start making my own sometime in the future... That's it for now...

-S