There are several simple acts that we old guys could adopt without too much effort to act a bit more responsibly toward protecting the environment and decreasing the effects of climate change. Most involve altering an existing habit or adjusting to a new one , like adopting a recycling habit, or replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents. In most cases it requires us to do something. And there’s the rub.
Once we old farts have settled into our comfortable habits, they stick with us as if attached by crazy glue. And to change–like setting up an additional can for recyclables, for instance–requires us to: 1) Make the decision to establish an in-house recycling can, 2) Obtain a recycling can, 3) Find a place to put it, 4) Make decisions every day of what is recyclable and putting it in the new can, 5) Trying to remember not to put the coffee grounds in the recycle can, 6) finding out where to empty it when full, and 7) Physically taking it to the recycle center to empty it.
No wonder we don’t take on such a formidable task—it’s a seven step process. Makes you want to take a nap just thinking about it. Mind you, a woman could probably whittle it down to five steps, which explains why more women become sensitive to the plights of Mother Earth than men.
Well, I’ve figured out a way to gently ease us out of the “set in our ways” category into a “green” practice with a minimal amount of effort. You do this while sitting down. It does not require you to exert any effort, and in fact, requires less effort probably than any of your present slovenly habits (asks your wife if you’re not sure what they are) that you practice without a thought.
I’m referring to reducing our highway driving speed from 75 or 65 miles-per-hour to between 55 and 60 mph. Now don’t gasp, it’s not that daunting a task.
It simply requires us to exert less pressure by the bottom of our foot on the accelerator pedal of our truck or motorhome. That’s all. Try it. Just lift your foot an eensy teensy bit. And voila! Your speed will decrease, and to stay on target, you can monitor the speedometer right in front of you without having to get out of your comfortable drivers’ chair.
And here comes the pay off. Most cars achieve the best mileage figures when driving between 45 and 55 mpg says Patricia Monahan, deputy director of clean vehicles for the Union of Concerned Scientists. In an interview in the San Francisco Chronicle, Monahan explains that for every mile per hour over 60-mpg, fuel economy drops by about 1%. And it gets worse as you creep up to 65 and even worse at 75. I improved my gas mileage from 7.3 mpg to 8.6 mpg by staying below 60mph (and avoiding fast starts and stops)–an improvement of 17.8%.
Though the last study was conducted in 1997, it revealed that slowing from 70 to 60 mph improved fuel efficiency by 17.2%, and from 75 to 55 mph, the improvement was 30.6%! Now admit it, did you think that by simply raising your foot such a tiny amount could knock that much off your fuel bill? If you get this concept, it disproves that old adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”