People in houses shouldnt throw stones.

A couple things urked me this last week. I was reading an article in Car and Driver where the editor was making a list of the reasons why CAFE (big government) increasing the fuel mileage requirements for car makers from a 27.5 average to 35 or above is not a good idea. The main focus of the ideas is that if you raise the MPG on vehicles it makes driving them cheaper (if gas prices remain at the same level) and that encourages people to drive more. It is pretty simple sound logic. If you want to encourage people to drive less or use public transport you sure dont make driving cheaper, you make it more expensive. So to truly change peoples driving habits you have to change the cost structure of transportation to make the cleaner alternatives more attractive. But the one number that stuck to me in his whole article was that transportation only accounts for 18% of the evil greenhouse gases that Al Gore and his pals would have us worrying about. Would anyone care to guess what accounts for 38% of our greenhouse gas emmisions? One hint, it isnt cows, but they do account for a small percentage. Nope it is electricity. 38% coming from Electricity. What kills me is that you will see the Al Gores and Michael Moores and a lot of other people going after the automobile industry when in reality the bigger savings could come from going after the consumer of electricity. Of course, when you point your finger at the consumer of electricity you will be pointing your finger at all of your voting constituency, so you might make them mad and the might not vote for you when you hit them over the head with the truth. So instead we will go after big business whose total votes dont account for as many as all of the electricity users. Anyhow, I wont deny the need to be friendly to our environment, but lets go after the target that will give us the biggest payoff first. So here is an cut and paste of some easy ideas on how to cut your electricity usage (PS any time someone mentions the word total electic car remember that electricity isnt free and you have to plug in somewhere).

PS. It is ride your bike to work week. That doesnt take gas or electricity and you just might enjoy it, give it a try.
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slate green challenge
The Body ElectricBright ideas for trimming CO2 emissions.
By Meaghan O'Neill and treehugger.comUpdated Monday, May 14, 2007, at 12:05 PM ET

The electricity we generate is responsible for 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, making it the largest single source overall. As demand for electricity has risen, so have greenhouse-gas emissions, increasing by 25 percent over the last two decades, according to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. That's because most of our electrical-power supply comes from burning fossil fuels—natural gas, oil, and, especially, coal, a huge CO2 culprit.
Coal is abundant and relatively inexpensive, so it's likely to remain a prime source for electricity for decades to come. And with operation costs on the rise, power companies aren't likely to invest voluntarily in technologies to reduce emissions. There are low-carbon options: Renewable power sources such as biomass, wind, and solar currently account for just 0.6 percent of electricity production. Hydroelectric power, however, provides 7 percent of our electricity, and nuclear power nearly 20 percent. These sources have other drawbacks, but throw off little or no CO2.
If your electricity comes from a dirtier source (you can find out here), then the energy used in your household may amount to more than twice the greenhouse-gas emissions of an average car. Which leaves trimming CO2 pounds from electricity partially up to you. Distressingly, 40 percent of all household electricity used to power electronics is consumed while they are turned off. Below are tips for cutting back on your electricity use. We promise you won't have to live in the dark, and, conveniently, you should save on your electric bill as well:
• If every American household replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a CFL, we'd prevent 800,000 cars' worth of greenhouse-gas emissions.
• Replace your halogen bulbs, too. They can get as hot as 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, which means you could cook an egg on one. CFLs will save you money, as well as CO2 pounds.
• Cable and video-game boxes, DVD players, and other electronics can use as much energy in standby mode as a 75-watt light bulb that's left on. If a device offers an "off" option for standby lights, use it. Otherwise, try plugging electronics into a power strip, which you can turn off when they're not in use.
• How many times have you left your cell-phone charger plugged in, even when your phone is not? Wall chargers for things like iPods and cameras suck energy out of the socket, even when not attached to their mates. With the national average at five chargers per person, unplugging adds up.
• Rechargeable battery docks for gadgets like drills and handheld vacuum cleaners can draw from the socket five to 20 times more energy than is stored in the battery. Unplug them once tools are juiced.
• When replacing an appliance, look for the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star label, which indicates higher efficiency than what's legally required.
• If your refrigerator is near a stove, dishwasher, or heating vent, move it to a cooler spot. Vacuum the coils every few months to eliminate dirt buildup and check to make sure the door gaskets don't have air leaks. Set the temperature between 35 degrees and 38 degrees Fahrenheit for the fridge and at zero for the freezer.
• If you use window air-conditioning units, buy the proper size for the room you plan to use it in. (Here's how.)
• If you have central air conditioning, be sure to clean the evaporator and condenser coils, as well as the airflow components. When clogged, they reduce efficiency. Check the refrigerant level, too. (Here's how.) You can also use a programmable thermostat to help regulate temperature.
• Ceiling fans circulate air both to cool spaces and to keep them warm. Since they don't change the temperature, they should be turned off when you leave a room.