Welcome to PolluteLess.com

You have arrived at a website designed to offer ideas in almost every area of your life to reduce your negative impact on the environment and help you use energy and resources at a more reasonable level. If you care about this - you have reached the right place.

There is no reason why you should care about what I have to say. The only thing I really hope you will do is go to this page and read about how you can pollute less, consume fewer resources, and use less energy.

Because, more than any other people on this planet, it matters what North Americans do in this area.

Scroll down to watch the "Featured Video" or read my latest entry of my (rather irregularly updated) blog

Riding your Bike in Town

Faster, less stress, less expensive, maybe healthier. Like in the video, I tried this in Munich, Germany with a regular bike more than 10 years ago. It took me 19 minutes to get home and it took a friend 45 minutes with her car. Why drive if you got nothing to move but yourself and a little bit of stuff?

If you cannot see the video below you may have to install the latest version of FlashPlayer.

Other videos featured here in the past.

Well, it does not stop raining here and I cannot do the work on my house I should be doing. So, I am updating my website instead.

You may have noticed: Oil prices have been going down recently. More than I thought they would and I sure hope they do not drop much further. (See previous blog entry below.) On the other hand, I expect them to not drop much further. But I could be wrong since high oil prices have resulted in a reduction in demand and that is something the countries who sell oil really do not want. They want us to stay hooked to their product!

What I find remarkable is that today's oil prices have such an immediate impact on today's gasoline prices even though the oil sold today will not be delivered until a few months from now. It just shows you that there is little direct connection between gasoline prices and oil prices. Prices for gasoline are not based on the price of oil. While I do not work (and never have worked) for the gasoline or oil industry, it seems those prices are based on a speculation of what oil prices will be and how much the customer is willing to pay today rather than how much the oil actually costs. Certainly, news of oil prices going up or down certainly influences the willingness of the consumer. And if you look at profits made by oil companies you wonder how much gasoline would cost if those companies kept their profit margins low and participate in tightening the belt a bit. But business is about making money - not friends.

It looks like we are willing to pay "close" to four dollars per gallon at the moment without changing our habits much. So that is what it will be. More later once we are used to it and vaguely remember lower gas prices. And MUCH more once we will have difficulties finding the stuff. Until then - let's keep the fossil fuel party rolling.

I e-mailed Barack Obama to give him the idea to reduce the income tax for each person by a rate equivalent to 2 gallons of gasoline per work day. That gives people who drive less or who have efficient cars (= do the right thing) a financial incentive. But I think I already wrote about that. Yup - I did. See further down. Anyhow, no response from the Obama camp. Just a generic e-mail once in a while. Well, I am not surprised. He is a busy man. And I am sure his staff is as well.

I have so little time. I cannot update this site right now every two weeks. My house requires a lot of attention and I have to do this during my vacation.

Just a few shorter comments below. Plus the entry I wrote a few weeks ago but never uploaded.

I am getting rather worried that gas prices will go down again. The current high prices are tough for many, however the prices have reached levels that require people to finally change their behavior and demand solutions that are more efficient. Everything is in transition because it got too expensive for most to do it the old way. If the prices drop a lot people will go right back to the old, wasteful, polluting ways. Oil has not been expensive long enough to create deep, long-lasting changes. The changes for the better are here - the mind-set is still "regret" rather than "relief" that the fossil fuel party is over.

Below find a picture I took yesterday. We went camping. The picture shows all who traveled with this rather small car (2002 Toyota Echo) plus all the stuff we brought. Five people plus a standard poodle. Who says you need a big car or SUV? Sure it was tight and you have got to know how to pack your trunk well. But that is just a question of comfort - not a question of NEEDING a bigger car. It is a matter of priorities (and therefor choice). In addition, we could have transported three bicycles on a trunk rack, hitched up a small trailer, and but a travel case on the roof. Although, I that much might have been a bit much for this little car for any longer distance.

This morning I listened to a report on BBC about renewed efforts to harvest coal in England. Towards the end a opponent of those efforts was asked why not to do it and, although his answers were all correct, I thought they did not hit the nail on the head. He said it was stepping backwards, it would be short-sighted, etc. All this need to be defined better to those who do not see it already. So, why not use coal? It is there, let us use it! It is energy - we need it!

This is a question of values, not a question of technological feasibility. It is a question of what it means to "step forward" and what it means to make "progress". It poses the question whether it is desirable to harvest and base our society on energy that we can only create at high risks for our health and existence and that will ultimately run out rather than promote and support energy that has no such risks, and exists (for all practical purposes) forever. To use a metaphor: Is it stepping forward to create ways to cleanly burn the boat you are sitting in to keep the party going, rather than finding different ways of enjoying life and using the sun to power it? Of course we should use technology to solve our problems. What are the problems though? If we have pollution due to unsustainable life-styles or over-population, I find it makes much more sense to focus on changing life-styles rather than on the pollution cause by the wrong way of living. We know we cannot support 6.5 billion people on this planet to live like North Americans or even Europeans. Yet, we (almost desperately) search for ways to continue living like that. While this is understandable since living like that is rather comfortable, it seems more reasonable to look further ahead and further than just your immediate environment (= your backyard and family). Real progress is for more than just a few people/nations. Renewable energy coupled with the necessary life-style changes (because there is not enough renewable energy to continue to the current party) has a long, bright future. Clean, high-tech coal is a luxury only a few can afford just for a little while longer. High-tech methods will allow a few wealthy nations to use coal cleanly while other people will follow our example but without being able to use it cleanly. Focusing on clean coal (or any other miracle cure) will distract from the urgent need to change our ways of living. We are simply too fat and we need to change how much we eat and and how we live, rather than getting more liposuction.

I have no doubts that coal (or any fossil fuels) will continued to be harvested and used. Nevertheless, the sooner we get away from "needing" it, the better.

Again, I am getting suspicious regarding the development of the gasoline prices and the timing. I noticed it during the last election 2 years ago and I am beginning to see it again. Two years ago the increase of prices for gas slowed (or even reversed a bit) during the months before the mid-term election, and then right after the election there was a noticeable jump up. This may have been only in my area, but I am sure the oil companies have an interest in diverting the public eye from gasoline and heating oil prices during an election year. People who are angry with the companies who sell us energy for a huge profit do not vote for politicians or parties who support those companies.

Unlike during the recent months, the price increases are much less dramatic at the moment and (I expect) will stay that way until November. Maybe even drop just a bit to make us believe that things are heading in a positive direction. And when the election is over - boom! - they jump up again. Unless the oil companies right now really cannot control how much we have to pay. In a way that would be even worse news. It would mean that even the richest and most powerful people and companies on Earth have lost control over the liquid that lets our society function peacefully. Just great.

Talking about public perception (and a completely non-environmental topic): I wonder how much effort the Chinese government would have displayed to help their people in the earth quake stricken areas had there not been so much negative press just a few weeks earlier in regard to the human rights situation in Tibet and the Olympic Games in Beijing this year. The earth quake and the resulting disaster must have been a welcome opportunity to shine positively and divert from all that talk about boycotting the Games or the opening ceremony. Those sanctions have not been mentioned much after the earth quake and the positive steps the Chinese government took to help their people. It sucks to think this way, but I do not believe that all the sudden Chinese officials care much more than in all the years before. Let's see how they help their people during the next disaster AFTER the Olympic Games when they do not need to be perceived well by the World. What can I say, I am a doubter.

Back to the environment: There must have been a motorcycle meeting somewhere in NH this weekend. Laconia, I think. Hundreds of motorcycles on the road. Most were single riders. Most were big (the bikes, that is). While it is very true that many motorcycles use less gas per vehicle when compared to a car, four people on four big motorcycles is certainly NOT more efficient than four people in one car (or even SUV). Even if the motorcycle gets 50 mpg. If four people on four of those bikes travel 50 miles, they consume 4 gallons of gas and that equals 12.5 mpg per person. Not that impressive, I say. And that ignores the fact that most of those people own cars as well. While they cannot operate two vehicles at once, both vehicles had to be manufactured, both have to be maintained, and both have to be disposed off one day. But who am I kidding? It is not about the environment or getting from A to B, otherwise they would just stay at home or take the car instead. It is about enjoying the ride and the road. It is a sport and leisure activity. A life-style - not a mode of transportation. It currently requires a lot of gasoline, but certainly can be done with more efficient machines or different source of energy. We just never had to worry about this. No wonder the big, powerful, loud, cruising bikes were not developed for countries where there is less space, more people, and gas always cost more than in North America. I wonder how it will be in North America in 25 years regarding motorcycles? Will people still drive the same kind of bikes? How about other fossil fuel hobbies? Will it still be admired by as many as today?

While I generally suppport but also suffer with high gas prices, I noticed they can have a weird result. I live in Quebec but never get gas here since it is even more expensive than in the USA (where it still is less than half of what it is in Europe). A week ago, en route to get my daughter, I was waiting at the border and listened to another person's conversation with a border guard. His reason to cross into the USA was to get gas. That is nothing special really; many people living close to the border do it. However, his only reason (as he said) to drive his shiny, clean pick-up truck 20 minutes South was to get the cheaper gas. He was willing to drive 20 miles and burn more gas and pollute the environment just to save money. While pinching people's wallet may result in changes that we could not accomplish otherwise, it sure can create bizarre situations. While "greener" often is "smarter" (and cheaper), it occasionally is more expensive (at least when viewed without a long-term perspective). Of course, I may be expecting too much from a person who drives such a nice pick-up truck. It seemed to be not used for the work it was designed for, but rather for pleasure. If money continues to be valued highest, the environment will continue to be treated as a means to secure that highest of all values. It keeps coming back to the idea that we need a value revolution.

And as tough it is (and I may be moving back to the USA as a result of a variety of unfortunate circumstances), gas seems to not be expensive enough. People still ride their cars, motorcycles, ATVs, etc. for pleasure. Hopefully less but I have not noticed much change in my town. People are still wiling to pay for this sort of fun. I would like to see some sort of government intervention. How about a deduction from the income tax based on driven miles to work with a vehicle that consumes one gallon of gas per 35 miles maybe for a maximum distance or 25 miles? The people who want to take advantage of that need to keep receipts and a log book. If you choose to drive a more wasteful vehicle, you pay more. If you choose to live further from work, you pay more. Or how about a deduction of your income taxes equal to 2 gallons of gas per work day? You use more, you pay more. You use less, you get higher deductions. You use public transport, you still get the deduction.

I showed the "11th Hour" to several groups of my students. They do not love it but they understand the message and urgency and listen intently. Not bad at all for a documentary. Better than "The Inconvenient Truth" concerning young adolescents. As much as I like that documentary, there is just too much of Al Gore and the kids see it as a promotional video. I wish there was a version with less of him. YouTube, maybe? In any case, other good (= popular while increasing awareness) movies to show adolescents are: "The Day After Tomorrow" (scientifically dumb, but really popular), "Water World" (good action), and "Help Save Planet Earth" (older and goofy, but they listen). I have purchased "Planet in Peril" but have not shown it yet. Once I know I will change this post. Oh, and if you want to see a glimpse of the future if we do not change, watch "Idiocracy". You can find it on YouTube in nine 10 minute segments. Kind of depressing if you think seriously about it, but kind of amusing if you see it as a cynical satire. Rated R though. Mostly for language. See the first part above or on Green Videos page.

I looked at a National Geographic magazine last Thursday in the waiting room. I think it was a Special about China. A lot of photographs of people consuming stuff. Many of the pictures looked like they were taken inside a US mega-shopping mall or Dollar store. Anyhow, it was fascinating. This is a huge country with a huge population and they sure are beginning to live at North American levels of energy and resource consumption. What I find surprising is not that they want to consume like us and do not seem to hold back in concern for the environment; I am not Chinese and do not want to point their way from a country that has modeled this for decades and still is the biggest waster of energy in the world. What I find troubling is the attitude of US or European corporations I notice more and more. They want that market no matter how destructive it can be to sell modern products in such large numbers. And not only China, India is seen as this huge market as well. The richest 1% of the people of India amount to 10 million people. And those 1% have money to spend! Getting just 10% of those people interested in purchasing a car results in 1 million more cars on Earth! It is going to be interesting in the USA once those two countries flex their economic muscles. India and China make up 30% of the world`s population. We are used to getting it our way since we have been the most powerful nation on the planet. Times are changing and we may have to pick at left-overs soon. Not looking good if old ways are to continue. But our corporations will participate. If money is to be made it will be made no matter what. So while we look in concern at the environment in the US (and occasionally world-wide), the corporations (made up by the people who are concerned when at home) reach for those opportunities without scruples. No doubt with the excuse that it will be someone else if not them. The “great” role-modeling continues. When will we learn that we are responsible for what do on this planet every minute of the day – not only in our own backyard or when not at work.

In around a month there will be the annual local parade in town. Parades show people and products that are admired, respected and accepted by the organizers of the parade. There will be some floats, there will be a few people on bikes or on foot, and you get to see a lot of people who are something here. You also get to see a good selection of machines that pollute, and you get to breathe a whole lot of toxic exhaust fumes. Are we that backwards? We display proudly personal vehicles (trucks, hot-rods, muscle cars, street racers, ATVs) that are not museum pieces and in use only occasionally. No, they are in use every day when the weather is right. Inefficient, fossil-fuel burning machines that are used for no other purpose than entertaining individuals while polluting the environment for all. We wave at the drivers, point out certain features and details on the vehicles to our children, send the kids to get the candy they throw, expose them to a good dose of dangerous fumes, never mention any of their negative environmental impacts, laughingly cover their ears because of the noise, and accept blindly that they will learn from us that those devices and their users are to be admired. What is wrong with us? At a time when driving is so costly and the awareness for the environment is so high, is it not time to change what we are supposed to be proud of?

Today I put up the new and redesigned website (Generation2) of Polluteless.com. It looks much better that what I had even though it pretty much contains the same information. I will see what it does. I have had amazing feedback for another website I created and people looked only at two pages. Is everybody in such a hurry? Does nobody read? Is it all about the first impression?

Gas prices are going up. I predict $4.25 per gallon by end of the summer if not more. I need to find a job closer to home. It is difficult but we spend over $5500 on gasoline just to get to work. It is stupid and a huge waste of time. Unfortunately it is not easy to find work as a teacher in Northern Vermont. I feel rather stuck. I may have to change careers, but this is easier said than done. There are advantages when living in a large city but that is not an option no matter from what angle I look at it at the moment. It has to get a lot worse and when economic survival becomes all what matters, other aspects (like owning a house and enjoying living with my girl-friend and her children) will diminish. Sad and difficult times coming up for many in North America. This is the beginning of a major transition we need to get through. Later we will be fine.

Not much to write this week. I have been very busy with the environmental game I hope will revolutionize environmental education. The kids love it. I am in the process of getting it ready for initial production. It will be available for free online, but the nice version to play right out of the box needs to be ready too. Once I can manufacture, I will begin advertising. I am thinking about giving away the first 50 games. It will cost me, but (A) it will hopefully create good publicity, and (B) I drive so much to work that paying for this equals some sort of carbon-credits. I help other people to pollute less. It might be more efficient than me trying to do it. Wishful thinking.

(Better Late Than Never).

Riding your Bike in Town

If you cannot see the video below you may have to install the latest version of FlashPlayer.

Other videos featured here in the past.