Dog Days of Summer

Just saw "An Inconvenient Truth" - fantastic! Nice production, presentation, message, information...and as I'm into the music (hey, who isn't?) I must say that that part of the production was very effective...nothing over the top, mostly just mild dramatic underscore in certain places as if to provide an interlude to Al Gore's fine presentation, which stands on its own just fine. (The slick editing and variety of camera angles do spice things up - the display that he presents his charts with is gianormous!) I really like Melissa Etheridge's song, "I Need To Wake Up", written for the film and plays during the end credits - well done!

On another environmental note, we just purchased a used car that can run on E85 or "flex fuel" - naturally, there's no station nearby (that I'm aware of) that offers this type of fuel! I'm not sure it will make a difference in the whole scheme of things, but I'd like to think that a move away from fossil fuels (however small) is a good step.

I've received permission to display this logo in a generic letter to fuel stations that don't yet carry E85 - here's a simple letter that I will be handing out to gas attendants and station owners/managers when I attempt to fuel up with E85, but can't because they don't carry it:
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Dear Fuel Station Owner/Manager/Attendant,

I am the owner of an E85 or "“Flex-Fuel"” enabled vehicle. Presently, your station does not offer this particular fuel alternative; however, I am hopeful it will be offered in the very near future.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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I know, I know...if that's not the most lame letter, I don't know what is! Not to defend this lame-assed-ness, but my point is to simply and clearly convey a request (let's get it on with the E85, bring on the hydrogen, yada, yada...) - there are just some many forces at work here and the person at the service station is not exactly making the call (in fact, they're probably marginalized enough, working for a pathetic minimum wage!) The station owner may in fact have no recourse for offering E85 - I'm actually not sure of this point though. The fact is that we've all dropped the ball. Our elected leaders were not held accountable and big oil companies and car manufacturers have been able to hold off on ubiquitous fossil fuel alternatives for a number of years and have cited numerous reasons why (probably even more lame than my letter!)...suffice it to say, the letter is just one part of the message, but a message that must get out. Let's bring on the change, one car, one house, one product, one day at a time. But let us start right now.

Our vehicle in a 2000 Chrysler Town and Country LX. Although there are literally millions of E85 flex-fuel vehicles on the road today (not just the new models), you would think that by the year 2006 we'd have a plethora of choices at the pump. That's just not the case in Corvallis, Oregon at this time. Maybe it's true in your town too. Hopefully positive changes will happen in 2007.

Rob