Reducing Our Dependence on Foreign Oil

It's about time we got our collective geek together and did something about excessive energy prices. Having grown up during the 70's gas crisis, you woulda thunk that it all would have been solved by now. (Yeah, right.) This is a backwards world we live in, but I have some crazy ideas on how we can change things.

Most cars are too heavy because they rely on metal frames and bodies. Make the vehicles lighter and the can use smaller and more fuel efficient forms of propulsion. Big family movers (ie: minivans and SUVs) should be shaped like aerodynamic squashed eggs, with lightweight, yet ultra-sturdy bodies made of high-tech foam and carbon-fiber.

First we need to make them light. Super-light. After that, an energy-efficient means of propulsion will be key.

Today's hybrid gas-electric cars are a great step in the right direction. While I don't drive a hybrid, a number of my friends own various models of the Toyota Prius ... And they love them. This month's Consumer Reports states that 94% of Prius owners would buy another ... topping the chart of all the cars surveyed. Now the Prius is interesting, but it's not really my cup of tea. The new Honda Accord Hybrid, however, is positively intriguing. Not only does it deliver significantly better mileage than the standard model, it also provides better performance.

Hybrids have drawn heat in some quarters for not delivering their EPA mileage. (When I first wrote about hybrids last summer, I got a rash of emails from folks eager to debunk the virtues of hybrid technology.) While there are certainly environmental issues, much of the shortfall comes at the hands, no make that the feet of the drivers. It's an educational process ... folks have to learn how to drive for the best mileage ... as with any vehicle.

All that controversy aside, it's likely that hybrids are not the long-term answer. For the majority of folks, they might not be the short-term answer either. While fuel cell technology looks promising, it's still many years away. In the meantime, innovations such as biodiesel stand to shake things up without turning the world upside down.

Until all cars deliver great mileage, we need to take care of and drive those cars that already do. Ten year old Honda Civics that get 30 MPG shouldn't be allowed to die an early death. Rather, they should be rebuilt and restored.

The same goes for those clanky old VW and Mercedes-Benz diesels ... rebuild 'em, convert to biodiesel, and turn Rock the Casbah up to eleven on the sound system, I say.