Definitely. But first, why are gas prices so high? Gas prices have close to $4 a gallon in some states, and are inching higher and higher in many others. You’re probably not surprised:  you know that gasoline comes from oil, and oil is an unreliable source of fuel. Prices are volatile right now because the Middle East is so shaky, worldwide demand is rising, and some American refineries are not operating at full capacity.

But even when prices at the pump aren’t high, the environmental and human health “costs” we pay for burning gasoline are out of sight, considering the pollution and climate change  it causes and the toll it takes on the air we breathe and the water we drink.

These tips will help you save money at the pump – because they’ll help you  use less gas to meet your transportation needs.

• 1. Drive smart – Avoid quick starts and stops, use cruise control on the highway, and don’t idle.
• 2. Drive the speed limit – Remember – every 5 mph you drive above 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas.
• 3. Drive less – Walk, bicycle, use a scooter or moped, combine trips, and telecommute.
• 4. Drive a more fuel-efficient car – Consider one of the new hybrids; at the very least, choose from among the EPA’s “Fuel Economy Leaders” in the class vehicle you’re considering.
• 5. Keep your engine tuned up – Improve gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent by maintaining your vehicle in top condition.
• 6. Carpool – According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 32 million gallons of gasoline would be saved each day if every car carried just one more passenger on its daily commute.
• 7. Use mass transit and “Ride Share” programs – Why pay for gasoline at all?
• 8. Keep tires properly inflated – Improve gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Replace worn tires with the same make and model as the originals.
• 9. Buy the cheapest gas you can find – Buy gas in the morning, from wholesale shopper’s clubs, and using gas-company rebate cards. Track neighborhood prices on the Internet.
• 10. Support higher fuel-efficiency standards and the development of alternative fuels – Ultimately, our best hope for beating the gas crisis is to increase fuel efficiency while we transition to renewable and non-petroleum based fuels. Endorse efforts to boost average fuel efficiency to at least 40 mpg. Support programs that promote research and development of alternatives to transportation systems based on oil.

Need a gauge to check your tire pressure? Find one in our store.

Want 10 ways to save money and energy in your home? Here you go.

These energy-saving tips save more than fuel.

The post Beat High Gas Prices Ten Smart Ways appeared first on Big Green Purse.

I attempted some answers — as the keynote speaker at the Society’s recent conference, “Environmental Challenge Oman 2008,” in Muscat, the capital city. The conference drew almost a hundred representatives from the ruling royal family, government, industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations.

The situation is pressing and time feels like it’s running out. Oman, a clean and peaceful nation that hugs the southeastern tip of the Arabian peninsula, is a naturalist’s dream. Its extraordinary coastline stretches over 1,700 kms, from the Gulf of Oman and the petroleum-important Straits of Hormuz in the North to the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean in the South. Flamingoes, sea turtles, spectacular coral reefs and hundreds of species of fish inhabit its waters. Stunning mountains 6,000 feet tall rim desert canyons and oases brimming with dozens of varieties of palm trees. Bedouin tribes still ride camels in the desert and weave rugs out of the hair sheared from the goats they also raise for their milk and meat. The capital city of Muscat (below) hosts a traditional souk filled with frankincense, silver and gold jewelry, and exotic fabrics even while modern business is carried on in the surrounding office buildings and cafes.

But because Oman also has modest oil resources (the country could run out of oil in as little as 20 years, according to some estimates) land development is accelerating at a worrisome pace as businesses cultivate alternative industries, including “eco” tourism. Two major beach-front developments are underway, and more could follow. Citizens worry about gobbling up the coastline and destroying habitat for the wildlife that dwell there.

In opening the conference, Her Highness Sayyida Tania Al Said (above, holding microphone), who co-founded the Environment Society of Oman, expressed her hope that more Omanis would gain an appreciation for their unique environment. It’s not just about recycling or saving energy, she noted, though both activities are extremely important to Oman. It’s also about the life and death consequences of our environmental behavior. Her Highness Tania Al Said reminded the audience about the devastation caused by 2007’s category 5 Cyclone Gonu. Gonu was the most powerful cyclone (another word for “hurricane” that’s more common in the Middle East) the country has experienced in over 60 years, with 40-foot waves destroying buildings and roads, uprooting trees, and in some cases, ending people’s lives. As with hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the U.S., many believe there’s a direct correlation between Gonu and human-induced climate change.

Conference attendees discussed ways to educate more children about the environment while encouraging their parents to begin recycling, using reusable cloth bags instead of plastic, and installing compact fluorescent light bulbs. I encouraged participants to visit www.myfootprint.org to calculate the “footprint” they leave on the planet. But clearly, as in any country, opportunites to do more abound. There’s little mass transit in the cities, no official recycling, and minimal solar energy technology – even though the country basks in over 300 days of sunlight a year.

People were too polite at the conference to suggest that His Highness Sultan Qaboos, who seems genuinely beloved by his people even after a reign that has lasted 35 years, issue a few royal edicts that would require people to trash less and conserve more. But in a nation that reveres the monarchy in general and its ruler in particular, a decree that citizens must replace plastic with cloth or install solar collectors on their very flat and exposed roofs seems like one of the most direct ways to jumpstart the burgeoning environmental movement in Oman. The United Nations has already declared Oman to be one of the cleanest and most peaceful countries in the world. Would that it would become one of the most environmentally progressive as well.

The post Oman Could Set an Example for the World appeared first on Big Green Purse.