Gas Consumption And You

Seattlest lived in Seattle for a couple of years without a car and it wasn't that bad. It's a city that's really conducive to walking, what with the hills and the rain and everything, and the bus system is fast and on-time. Oh, also the monorail's coming any day now. Ok, Seattlest lived in Seattle for a couple of years without a car and you know it sucked. We bought a stylish junker for ourselves a while back and have been destroying the environment and participating in global society as an aggressor in comfort and on-schedule ever since.

Actually, we still take the bus to work and probably only take a nip off the petrol teat once a month.

Are we the norm? Seattlest can never be sure whether we're indicative of larger trends or just an outragous freak whom everyone points and laughs at. How many times do you fill up a month? How do you get around?

We bring this up because the Cascadia Scorecard website posted on gasoline purchasing trends in the Pacific Northwest on Friday and they seem to have a little chart that shows gas consumption plateauing in the region since 1998. A plateau might not be as exciting as actually tailing off, but it's a pretty good start when you consider that gas consumption has risen in every year since 1950 except for a little dip in the late seventies - A time which we've heard many myths and tall tales about that we privately doubt.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@seattlest.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Dan in News on January 9, 2006 12:22 PM

Comments [rss]

brian

i take the bus when i can (1-2 days a week) but it's so inflexible (last one leaves at 6pm) that in order to enjoy the city at all i have to drive most days. if it's between saving gas and having a life outside work, well... i'll be the guy spending 2 hrs/day on I5 alone in an SUV, thanx. :)

Dan

Yeah, I'm also cheating a little when I say I fill up once a month. My fiancee has to commute daily to Bellevue so as a household our visits are much more frequent.

Junk

Take the bus back and forth to work, but do own a small truck. Only hit the gas station twice a month hopefully.

BUt on the other hand, my wife is in her car all the time traveling from school to school and back home again. Life of a local music teacher. Also she drives everywhere. Most likely runs to the pumps every week.

Junk