Today I took a trip with my Dad and Brother up to see my Great Grand Mother. She lives a good hour and a half away from us which gave me plenty of time to think about things not just in the Green area, and talk with my dad about a lot of it.
We started out the conversation about how incredibly awesome it's going to be to get out of bed in the morning and already be on campus at school and ready to take on the day. In all honesty the hour drive in rush hour traffic to school Monday through Friday was killing me. I was already exhausted by the time I parked the car no matter how loud the music was on the way there or how much caffeine I took in-the result was always complete exhaustion. I got in to West hall, the brand new and awesome looking dorm where most of the people I know are housed. Life is going to be good, regardless of my roommate situation although I think I'll be able to get along with him just fine. After all I have lived with my brother for the past 18 years (lol just kidding Eric). It's going to be freaking amazing to finally feel like I'm in college too, away from home family and everything I've known-although honestly Elmhurst feels like home too in a sad and strange kind of way. I am seriously so very excited for this fall, not only because I'm getting the hell out of dodge, but academically as well. I want to finish and start teaching already. Seriously, come on now....
Anyways talking Green wise is a major point of conversation around this house lately. Conservation, alternative fuels, everything. One of the main points I keep bringing up is getting off this petroleum necessity that has consumed the world. I'm driving a Toyota Matrix XRS and getting on average 27-28 MPG, which I am incredibly pleased with. I love my car and am very glad I went with the Matrix when I was looking at cars. BUT I still have to roll in to a gas station every week to fill her up with gas, and I refuse to put anything but premium in her to keep her running like new for as long as possible. 40 bucks a week in gas, which is better than most I know, and come this fall I won't be driving as much as everything I'll need to get to is within walking distance, including the girlfriend :)
Still, the thought of having to pay more than 6 dollars a gallon for gas makes me both sick to my stomach and pissed off, so my solution is less than 5 years buy one of these babies and get off my petroleum addiciton for good. That Truck, or SUT as it's referred to by the website will go 100 miles on a single 10 minute charge and has zero emmissions. IT IS 100% ELECTRIC and still goes 0-60 in under 10 seconds and has a top speed of 95 mph! A pickup truck that does not use gas...now that sounds like a badass machine to me. My next vehicle is going to be a Phoenix SUT in blue unless Toyota stops draggin their feet. The 2009 Chicago Auto Show is going to be a very interesting event, and I'm excited to see what all the big names will have in the ways of fuel conservation-I hope that I'm not disspointed.
My record of how much I'm putting in to the waste stream continues on schedule with day 2 being today. This coming Saturday edition will have that full report, as well as what we do aroudn this house to conserve and recycle and what I do aroudn my office to conserve and recycle, and will most likely be published on Sunday just so that I get the full 7 day record down. So far my lists are not as massive as I initially thought, but I'm sure my weeks tally will be enormous enough for me to have to make some changes-we will see though. I've also just decided that my account with INGdirect.com is now going to be my Green Savings Account, and every pay check I will divert as much money as possible in to it- saving today so that I have a stable and Greener tomorrow :D.
