A recent study concluded that it’ll be several years before green cars are greener than those that currently burn solely fossil fuels. All the work that went into producing the vehicle seems to have racked up a rather hefty green bill of sorts and it’s going to take some time to catch up. I think it’s safe to say that the hybrid has caught on and will probably continue to sell well for a while. Ford is in a bit of a financial pickle, even more so now than they were before, since gas prices have been soaring high. They had the opportunity to start a line of hybrid cars years ago but didn’t want to have to deal with the upfront financial loss that would come with doing so. Toyota was slightly less nearsighted when they realized that people would be looking for Ways to Beat Rising Gas Prices sooner rather than later.

With the price of gas breaking records, perhaps even records of how much time it takes to break a record, everyone is feeling the pinch. Pinch at the pump, pinch at the grocery store, small businesses are trying to deal with the lack of disposable income coming in from those wishing to dispose of it, and while having a night out at the latest blockbuster a few inches of financial flesh can be felt in the grasp of the money eaters. Heck, even the price of fertilizer has risen. You know there’s a problem when even poop costs more.

Unfortunately not everyone can afford, or are unwilling to purchase, a new hybrid. Those with some basic knowledge of how a car functions are modifying their vehicles to burn used cooking oil. Unfortunately yet again, some of those people are stealing oil from restaurants, leaving them without fries to fry. Fuel from food is a horrible idea. If the cost of food isn’t high enough already, get a nation hooked on burning maize. A family rib eye dinner will require taking out a mortgage or rearing a tasty beast in the basement.

So the rise in gas prices is good for the hybrid sellers, bad for the gas guzzler sellers, bad for those who are hooked on something silly called food and pretty much all prices of almost all goods. And it’s bad for the environment. I read an article about some dude who took it upon himself to try and revive some old World War 2 technology. As the war progressed and fuel became scarce a new boiler system was set up for vehicles that ran on wood. Imagine a highway full of cars and trucks chugging along, each with their own water boilers in their trunk? Timber? Yes, I think that would be heard slightly more often.

I’ll do what I can to cut down on gas usage; I’ll slowly accelerate and not rush to stop signs, I’ll walk or bike when I can, but I’m not planning on chopping down the 75 year old maple tree holding up the head of my hammock. Neither should you. I like my hammock. And my tree.