In regards to Jon's comments, I agree in principle with his comments about 50 cents per gallon being a powerful disincentive to
driving/flying, but it sometimes may pose difficult choices such as in my case.

I should first note that I used to drive more. Now whenever possible I walk, ride my bicycle or take public transportation. When I drive on the highway I allow more time and go about 45-50 mph to conserve fuel (which is sometimes problematic when others are going 70 mph!) My resistance to driving sometimes puts a strain on personal
relationships. As you can imagine, not wanting to go "away" for a vacation doesn't always go over very well!

I use my car when I have to carry a lot of stuff. This stuff is usually computers that I collect and refurbish for a poor school district in South Africa. To quit this unpaid "job" would be a tricky trade off-I would have to sacrifice the benefits for literally
thousands of school children. (I hope that the more educated the children are, the more environmentally aware they will be.)

I believe so far I have provided a significant fraction (1/4?) of all VGT money collected. The VGT concept has only a limited value if a handful of us participate. I know this is very unscientific, but I am pretty committed to put my money where my mouth is, yet even I feel some hesitation for writing out checks for more than $100 a whack.
Anyway, if it remains 50 cents a gallon, I still enthusiastically support the concept. But we must expand the number of participants. I am working on going through all my old email and compiling a big list of addresses to email to about it. I also mention it whenever I am at any kind of environmental meeting.

Alan

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Population pressures "create a volatile mixture of youthful
aspirations that when coupled with economic and political
frustrations help form a large pool of potential terrorists." George H.W.Bush
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