This is an "eco-rant".  Prepare for whining, complaining, bitching and moaning.  Thank you.

The Ecollo offices are nestled in quiet, suburban area in the south of the city.  Pinky Bean walks to the office almost every day and CeeBee ususally rides his mountain bike to work.  Me, I commute by car because I live too far away to walk and no busses can get me from the 'burb that my house is in to the 'burb that the Ecollo offices are in.  So my commute is a ten-minute drive along an open highway that runs through a scenic park.  I'm one of the few lucky ones who doesn't have to drive to and from the downtown core everyday in gridlocked traffic.

If you live in or near a city you've seen the morning shuffle: dads going to work, moms ferrying their kids to school.  All in their own cars, all going in different directions.  It's like this crazy, uncoordinated ballet of SUVs and minivans winding down suburban streets and highway on ramps.  Millions of us drive around everyday to run our errands and live our lives.  Okay, fine, but why do we have to do it in the largest, most elaborate vehicles ever designed?

Every day I see guys driving in titantic trucks and stupendous SUVs... alone.  Do you really need 300 horsepower to shuttle your 160-pound butt to and from work everyday?

And have you seen minivans lately?  There's nothing "mini" about them!  They should call these things "super-mega-ultra vans"!  I understand that some families require the extra seating of a van, but do you need a V-6 engine and a 14" high-def plasma display in the thing?

I commute by car, but it's a tiny, very fuel efficient car.  I'm in the minority.  I know there's an ego-boost that comes from driving around in a big truck and a certain social status from having a fancy car with tons of unnecessary features.  But how much more of a reality check do we need about global warming and fossil fuel consumption before we try to take even a baby step in the right direction?

I'm not going to stand up on my soapbox and tell you to walk, bike or take public transit.  I'm not going to tell you to stop commuting or to move closer to work.  Heck, I'm not even going to say that you shouldn't drive a truck or a minivan.  But c'mon people, when you're selecting a new car can't you opt for the 250 horsepower engine over the 330 horsepower one?  Some people need that kind of power: to haul heavy stuff or tow trailers.  Chances are a smaller engine can propel you through the Starbucks drive-thru every morning just fine.

We have this tendency when we're buying things, especially potential ego-trips like cars, to look for how much we can get- the more the better, right?  Perhaps we should ask ourselves, "What's the minimum I need?"

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