Three Degrees of Peak Oil: Improvisational Tragedy

Episode 3: Three Degrees of Peak Oil: Improvisational Tragedy.
5/28/05 (1st Anniversary)
Written on the grid.

My girlfriend is selling her Toyota Tacoma. (Yes, a girl with a truck. That’s why I love her.) She took all of the paperwork out of the glove box to post the truck on Auto Trader. I noticed the Fuel Economy Information provided by the DOE and EPA – supposedly our government watchdogs on all things environmental and energetic.

Besides the fact that the truck gets an embarrassingly low 19 mpg highway, at the center bottom of the page it says, “Estimated Annual Fuel Cost: $1,235.” That’s it.

No information on what price of gas the estimate is based on.

No information on number of miles the estimate is based on.

Just magic: $1,235.

I think she should call Toyota and demand a rebate!

It is clear that someone designed this Fuel Economy Guide. It is clear that his/her supervisor approved it. It is clear that millions of Americans looked at the guide -they just did not care what it said. And no one. No one at DOE. No one at EPA. Not your father or your mother or your brother or you sister said, “This is fucked up. This is just a number. What’s it based on?”

Was it ignorance or apathy? Which is more dangerous?

And I wonder how the DOE/EPA publishes this uninformative information these days. By the time they print the paper it’s obsolete? Maybe they could do it on the internet and update it daily as gas prices rise. Or maybe have radio stations announce a list of estimated annual fuel costs for all vehicles every morning like they do with school closings during snowstorms. Or maybe on American Idol. At least that way they’d know the information would be well distributed.

Said girlfriend told me that my other blog entries are too long. Sorry to bore you blog readers. Sorry to take your time away from American Idol.

So I’ll end this now. But I’ll end it on a positive note. Sorry again.

This is my money saving solution for gas stations across America:

Take the 1’s used for posting gas prices and turn them into 4’s using a little white paint. You’re never going to use those 1’s again anyway. Those 4’s will be plenty handy until August when you’re gonna need a butt load of 5’s. In the meantime, please pass the savings on to your customers. They sure could use a break at the pump.

Obama – Running mate?
Stewart – This is timely stuff, John.
Colbert – Word me, dude.
Beck – Endorsement for Obama and me?
Jack – How much is biodiesel this summer?

Peace and Post petroleum, Nedly, RfD

noslen.obel@gmail.com