How to Reduce Dependence on Fossil Fuels

Shell Oil geologist Dr. Marion King Hubbert predicted that U.S. oil production would peak in the 1970s. Those old enough to recall the gas shortages of the 1970s know he was right. Hubbert also predicted that global oil supply would peak in 1995. Today, global oil reserves are harder to extract and of lower grade and insufficient volume to meet global demand, which has steep economic impacts for all. Read on to learn how to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Buy a diesel car to reduce your dependence on fossil fuels. Diesels can run on biodiesel fuel, which can be made in combination with fossil fuels or entirely from non-fossil fuel-based ingredients. Most diesels require little or no mechanical conversion to run on biodiesel fuel, which is becoming more readily available at gas stations across the country. You can even make it yourself if you have the right ingredients.
2. Go solar to reduce your dependence on fossil fuels. Make plans now to migrate your home's electrical needs to solar power. Solar power can be expensive to install, but as it grows in popularity, the price of the technology is falling as it becomes more widely adopted. You can go whole hog and install a solar photovoltaic system to run your entire home, or you can take it in steps, gradually adding solar equipment as your budget allows.
3. Telecommute. If you can do your job from home, that eliminates the huge fossil fuel demand presented by commuting. Employers are becoming more and more agreeable to telecommuting arrangements. You may have to start out with a part-time telecommuting arrangement to prove to your boss that it will work. Be flexible. If your boss is completely against the telecommuting option, switch jobs if you can find one that allows telecommuting.
4. Turn your lawn into an organic garden. You'll reduce your dependence on fossil fuel in two ways. One, you won't be buying produce that was grown half a continent away and trucked in by gas-guzzling 18-wheelers. Two, you will be reducing the use of petroleum-based fertilizers. That's right. Many fertilizers--including lawn fertilizers--are made from petroleum products, which are in wide, wide use by commercial produce growers and lawn care companies.
5. Heat with wood to reduce your dependence on fossil fuels. Thanks to more stringent air quality regulations, today's air-tight wood stoves produce a fraction of the emissions they did back when they became popular during the energy crisis of the 1970s. You can heat a well-insulated 2,000 square-foot home with as little as three cords of wood a year. Depending on what area of the country you live in, that could cost you from $150 to $600 a year for heat--or a fraction of the cost to heat with oil, gas or electricity.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide to heat with wood, avoid old second-hand stoves. Buy a new, air-tight, energy efficient stove that meets modern air quality standards.
• Get your chimney cleaned by a professional chimney sweep at least once a year when heating with wood. Don't wait for the first cold snap to schedule your cleaning, or you'll be left in the dust.
• Check with the company that issues your home insurance to be sure that your home owners insurance allows wood stoves.