Gas and the single home !

The price of Fuel aka Gas aka "Car Juice" is a hot topic in question for every household. The increased prices of car juice is directly proportional to the price increase in commodities. Insignificant as it seems, but there is an increase nonetheless. The bills tantamount to debt and related misery. So what can we do to remedy this menacing reality?

Get rid of our prized cars, mini-vans and convertibles??? Perish the thought! To even think of asking a N. American to give up their car is like asking for their right hand (or left) . To others it might seem ridiculous, but N. Americans are dependent on our 4-wheelers only because, we live away from almost everything including work. 2-Options come to min- A hybrid vehicle (that costs more than a regular vehicle), & Public transit.

Hybrid vehicles- New technologies take ages to develop and conspiracy theorists have deduced hybrid vehicles will never be the norm as long as the oil cartels have their way. In addition, Hybrid Technology is its infancy and the different variations like ethanol, electricity and propane gas (might I also add Water and air), do not have the needed infrastructure for their existence. Even if there is some infrastructure in place, it is at most negligible. So until further notice...Que Sera Sera !

Public Transit- The "Better Way" as Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) calls it. Not limiting ourselves to the latter, Transit in general is time consuming , sometimes unreliable and uncomfortable . It does get you from point A to point B , again the time factor is critical.

Weaving back to our main topic in question aka Gas, these are some general , that we can save on gas

1. Regular Tune-ups - Oil Changes, and regular servicing are are a must for a longer life of a vehicle. My dad once told me " treat a vehicle well and it will return the favor" .
2. Reduce Idle time- Long idling wastes more fuel than restarting an engine.
3. Proper inflation of tires - Use recommended tire pressures (aka psi) as specified on the tires. This truly makes the ride smoother and less strain on the engine.
4. Observe the Speed limit - Did you know that by observing the posted speed limits you can save a lot. Try it ; never mind the dodo who races off from behind you.
5. Close your Windows at High Speeds- When driving on the expressway, we know that you want to feel the wind in your hair. But this causes air-drag and forces the engine to work harder and hence increased fuel consumption for the same speed.
   
6. Plan your trips- Apart from work, try and club your grocery shopping with another errands and do it all in one go.
7. Carpool- I have tried this in the past when I used to work in Mumbai and it worked like a charm. You might be apprehensive at first, but after a couple of trips , it becomes a norm. Carpool with your own colleagues and save the two of you a ton ! Call it friendship building...or hey for those that have an eye for making it teh top, offer to drop the boss to work (just saying ..LOL !!) . For Canada , there is a web-site called http://www.carpool.ca/ or http://www.erideshare.com/

Options for the not so Car crazy...

1. Greens rides- Here I mean Bikes...gosh the evergreen bicycle has been around even before the car. Flex those muscles...and even if you cannot there is the moped..the bicycle on steroids. The moped is immensely popular with commute in Asia and their hot rod versions, the "Auto rickshaws" aka "tuk-tuks", are equally popular. So there you have it options galore.
2. Walking - Need I say more when it means a 10mins walk to the nearest grocery store. Exercise is key.

I have been exploring the points I shared above and the best thing that comes to mind, especially with summer around the corner is the bicycle.

Hope this article shares some light..and adds some relief to your wallet.

Going green !

Bills, Carbon footprint and Global Warming..What do these 3 have in common? No not shoes but $$$$ . Every where you go some one or the other is talking about these and the media is wasting no time in driving these down your alley.

Carbon footprint and global warming...what the heck was that ? When I first heard of carbon footprint, I thought it was something to do with fossils (pardon my geology background) and global warming was made known to me only by Al 'fake-o' Gore.

So lets talk about going green. What can we do to make it not so big a deal? How do we get rid of the bills that make us tear our hair out? How can we reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to not aiding in global warming (if ever there is such a thing)?

To do this , we need to understand the definition of the terms
1. Bills - An itemized list or statement of fees or charges.
2. Carbon Footprint- A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.
The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tonnes (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent.
3. Global Warming- Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid- 20the century and its projected continuation

Now that we armed with definitions, we can proceed to combat these 3 with one single step that has many ...LIVE A SIMPLE LIFE !! A simple life ..what is that? A simple life just means back to basics and giving priority to what really matters for human survival aka Food Shelter and clothing (in Hindi- Roti, Kapada aur Makaan). Sounds so socialist, but then again a blend of socialism with democracy is what made a 3rd world country like India a multi-billion economy with a GDP that only China can match.

However, this is not as easy for us in N. America as the government/ administration does not always practice what they preach. We do live in a capitalist country when the key word is 'Consumerism'. The BS fed about saving and then the media, dictating as to what is right or wrong for us makes it difficult for us humans to make any sound decisions.

Ever wondered why we all have cars, if not just one? Have you noticed that all office building are located in the infamous 'Downtown area'? Affordable housing are located on the city outskirts (almost an hours drive away, if not more) The ever piling bills & taxes encourage both spouses of the family have to work. Who will take care of the kids while the parents are at work? Who will take care of the children's activities ? Who will pay the medical bills ? and what about vacations, phone calls, internet, Blah blah blah! The questions go on and the guilt piles up.

Tackling all 3 is as not difficult as you would imagine. Doing it all at one go with drastic measures is stupidity. One step at a time and it will ease back on you.

In subsequent posts, I shall outlay some ideas on how we can save something, if not a lot. I am working on getting back to basics and paying off everything. Ideas from readers are most acceptable. We need to band together as one community to kill debt which is draining our lives slowly but surely. The height of it all is that we do not even see it!

Resolutions are Made to be Broken ...or are they?

Happy New Year everyone ! It is time for the annual ritual of making resolutions.

From various inquiries made and delving into my vast library (aka Google), I have put forth some of the most common resolutions:

1. Going to the GYM/ Fitness- No kidding. I have been to the gym in the past and it calls for more discipline that sitting in class listening to Physics from an English professor. It involves making adjustments with family, work and play. "Blessed are those that can keep up with this for they shall be shapely and healthy". As for the rest of us, welcome to the Fatty Boys & Girls Club...burp !!!

2. Spend more time with family and friends- Sure you will. The next thing, you are going to the gym (hammers down resolution 1, doesn't it ??), working overtime to make more money so that you can spend time with family(The irony of it all). Working Overtime to make to make the extra bucks benefits the Taxman more than you. Rule of thumb...20% work and 80% results.
Read "The 4hr Work Week- Timothy Ferris" you will get some ideas on how to improve your working lifestyle.

3.Quit Smoking- Really? Did you have to wait for New year to make this resolution or did the last negative of your lungs, not aid in any manner? It is difficult for many smokers to bid adieu to this vice but it can be done. If you need some help, go to The Lung Association of Canada.

4. Quit Drinking- LOL !! Yes you will quit drinking after just "this last one". "How can I say no to the Boss when he offers me a glass ". "My friends will think I am a wimp". "It is the most 'sic-est' thing to do"."I can give it up anytime"...and the excuses pour in like the beer from a keg. I have lost a few loved ones to this "easy to give up liquid". If you find it hard to go without a drink or two everyday, and need assistance to quit or even reduce consumption, visit DART

5. Get out of Debt: Debt in North America has, is and will always be one big epidemic and is the major cause of any economic downfall. Should this one not be a mantra for all of us any given time? Unless you decide on this when you see your credit card bills from all the gift giving over the holidays. I use a term called 'plastic fever', and its symptoms are debt piling while your bank balance is sinking. Debt-relief and control measures are available by visiting Office of Consumer Affairs OCA

6. Learn Something New- Get yourself outta bed and do it. There is a lot to learn out there and to me is one of the best resolutions ever. Enroll in a course, looking for a new job or even taking up a new hobby are some ways to learn something new. Go ahead , it is good for you and your resume.

7. Help Others: Cash Donations is not the absolute solution but does aid in some way. You might say your busy (which crushes every resolution stated above), but if your time is really in short supply, maybe you can at least find it in you to donate furniture, clothing and other household items that you no longer need to your local charity . Some charities will even pick them up for you.

8. Get Organized: This is the simplest of all resolutions and can be achieved easily by just spending 30mins of your time putting stuff in its place. Now to get started, well that is another ball game!

In conclusion, for the looser the excuse "Resolutions are made to be broken" is not farther from the truth. The excuses will fall by the wayside faster than you can say "Booyakashaa!!" We are all party to this in some shape or form.

However, you can achieve this (and you can), by making these resolutions/goals simple (not overdo it), take baby steps, time lines, letting your friends and family know that you are serious and you need their help and, yes...YOU WANT TO DO IT TO ADD VALUE TO YOUR LIFE!

Jesus Christ said 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:28-31). Go on make a change , get selfish (in a good way, of course). Making yourself happy will make everyone around you happy. That is the key to personal success.

'Nuff said, I am off to work on my first resolution and that is not spending too much time on this laptop !!!