Motivation Through Guilt

Yes, some of our Green motivation is through guilt. I’ve been out with the girls more than once when someone has said, “You mean you don’t recycle your batteries?” or the like. Of course my first thought is that I already do almost everything right. But I make guilt-provoking statements, too. After all, I’m already Greener than most visitors to this page.

So it was very reassuring to realize that my new car was producing much better gas mileage than the EPA would allow me to believe. After resigning myself to justifying mpg’s in the lower 20’s, I’m thrilled to be enjoying averages in the upper 20’s instead. This is with a vehicle that’s larger than the old one.

As the oil leak spreads across the Gulf of Mexico I can’t help but think that the days of driving oil-based vehicles are numbered. I hope to get at least 6 years out of every car I buy, but 10 would be even more gratifying. Will I be able to buy gas at any ol’ station, or will they switch to natural gas and battery charging? No matter, I’ll just be among the 12 million or so car buyers this year who will continue to be consumers of something to burn in our engines. It may be corn squeezin’s or Jack Daniels, it just depends on the price.

My point is, the world isn’t coming to an end and there is much hope in the incremental improvements being made by car and appliance manufacturers. Happiness is my slowly shrinking carbon footprint…and my waistline.