If you are worried about the skyrocketing price of gas and oil then you might want to reconsider your dependency on these items. Of course, we all need to heat our homes, get to work, cook our food, and do many other things that require the use of energy, however, there are plenty of ways to cut down and minimize their use. With oil prices zooming past $68 per barrel on Friday, (1) and the price of gas at its highest level in 12 weeks (2), it won’t take long for us to feel the pinch of our over usage of this limited resource.

The most obvious way to conserve or use less oil is to drive less, or at the very least driving less by oneself. According to AAA’s “cost of driving” someone in Los Angeles could save roughly $300 per month by simply taking the train to work. (3) Not only that, but instead of sitting in traffic becoming more and more frustrated at rude drivers on the road, you can sit back and relax and enjoy the ride. Some trains in the LA area have cafes, bathrooms, and electrical outlets and tables at their seats, all to make your ride that much more enjoyable. Imagine how much more productive your days can become spending that hour each way actually working on your laptop, reading a good book, catching up with old friends, writing your personal memoir, or just relaxing! You may even be able to get your employer to pay for the commute!

And through my personal experience I can tell you that there is not anyplace in Southern California that you cannot get to within a few hours on a train. If you are considering looking into an alternative way of getting to work and back and are in Southern California, call (800) COMMUTE. There are plenty of very nice people that are in no hurry and will to sit with you on the phone to find you the perfect commute.

If you are not quite sold on the idea of giving up your daily drive, then at least consider ride sharing and carpooling. Ask around your office to find out if anyone lives on your route to work. You might be surprised to find out that there are others in your office that sit right there next to you on the freeway each and every day, in their own cars, burning and wasting precious resources. There are plenty of online resources, such as http://www.rideshareonline.com/, http://rideshare.511.org/, http://www.commutesmart.info/, and http://www.erideshare.com/, There are even new Car Sharing programs out there starting to grow in popularity; such as, http://www.citycarshare.org in the Bay Area offering the use of a car for just $4 per hour!

If you live outside of Southern California and are considering visiting our fine state, considering taking the train to your tourist destinations. I have met a few people doing just that and words cannot explain the looks in their eyes and the excitement in their voice as they “really” get to know the place. If you are interested further in this idea, check out my L.A. Without a Car link for some useful information.

In many major cities public transportation is common and used by people at every level of society, yet in some places it is considered taboo. Why is this? I don’t quite understand it, especially considering that many cities and states have spent a ton of money upgrading their lines and systems. Pasadena for example has an excellent public transportation system that makes it easy for anyone to get practically anywhere in town, quickly, easily, and cheaply. (4) So if you are really starting to feel the pinch of these higher gas prices, I say that it is time to fight back, and the best way to do so is to stop giving them so much of your hard-earned money. Even if you can't use any of these solutions everyday, try one just one day a week and see how it goes.

If you are finding it way too difficult to cut down, maybe you should consider getting some help. Addictions come in all types. Just because you are not sticking a needle it in your arm or between your toes does not mean you are not using or addicted. For more information on this subject, check out my “Addicted to Oil” entry.

I look forward to seeing you on the rails!

(1) Reuters. (2006). Oil prices surge back above $68 a barrel. MSNBC, . Retrieved Jan 21, 2006, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5612507/

(2) Reuters. (2006). Gas prices climb to 12-week high. MSNBC, . Retrieved Jan 30, 2006, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8533441

(3) MetroLink, New Rider, Retrieved Jan 20, 2006, from http://www.metrolinktrains.com/new_rider/

(4) San gabriel valley area: pasadena. (). experience LA: Cultural Treasures & Regional Transit, . Retrieved Jan 20, 2006, from http://www.experiencela.com/GA_SanGabrielValley.htm