Do we have a responsibility to conserve fuel?

[Flopfoot]

For some reason I feel bad about driving down to the other end of Sydney to visit friends. I guess part of it is because I am an unemployed uni student and fuel is about AUD$1.20 a litre these days, but partly I feel like it is wrong to ‘waste’ fuel anyway. After all, the world is running out of oil, I’m not sure how quickly, some people say in 50 or 100 years we won’t have petrol any more? And also it causes air pollution, I guess that’s not such a big deal but I wouldn’t want to cause it unnecessarily.

What do you think? Should we worry about how much fuel we use? If yes, then what counts as a ‘justified’ use of fuel? Is there a certain distance, you wouldn’t travel that far if it was just for a few hour visit, only if you were staying overnight or something, or if there was an important reason for going there? Do you feel that sometimes you should use public transport even if it is less convenient? Etc.

Also, what do you think of my particular situation. Takes about 10 litres of fuel to get to Engadine and back - a 45 minute trip each way in light traffic. I go there sometimes on Tuesdays because people from a youth group there go to an evening mass and then we all hang out at someone’s place for a few hours (most people there are local) - sit around, talk, have a good time. Public transport is available but it is a hassle - takes 2-3x longer and I would have to make sure I left before the last train did. Is it wasteful to make this trip or not?

 

[vluvski]

Yes, we have a responsibility to conserve fuel, but lets not get carried away.

I don’t think your trip is a waste of gas, esp since you’re doing it for fellowship.

 

[Pug]

We ought to treat creation responsibly, be it use of fuel or polluting the air. But don’t go crazy!

For myself, I combine trips. That is, I don’t drive two towns over just to buy the good black licorice. I wait until I am in the area for several other reasons, and then I pick it up. Laziness really helps one utilize this concept of combined trips.

 

[DaveBj]

My answer would be “yes,” and this is something that really bugs me about the place where I work, which is a factory that makes fishing and pleasure boats (17-27 feet; I provide night security, not boat-making skills, so I am not part of the problem).

Every time I look at those boats, I am reminded that it takes a gallon of gas to push one of those things 1 to 5 miles through the water so that someone can go play. That’s a gallon of gas that won’t be available 20 or 30 or 40 years from now to take someone to the hospital.



DaveBj