Even if you don't own a hybrid.....

Would you think to rent one?

Last month my daughter, niece, sister-in-law and I drove 1200 miles from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco, w/ several awesome stops along the way. It was an all girls road trip extraordinaire, with side splitting laughter, spontaneity and flexibility, scarey winding roads, spectacular night skies, amazing redwoods, waterfalls and ocean views, great meals, great wine, comfy beds and one unfortunate speeding ticket.

We decided to have a laid back attitude, booking only our flights (barely weeks) in advance, and trusting the rest would "come together" in the end. But as our departure day neared and we had not yet rented a vehicle (a responsibility that I had promised to take on), I began to panic.

With out a doubt I wanted to rent a hybrid. I wasn't sure if a Prius would be big enough for all our luggage and a week's worth of comfortable traveling, even though my 2001 was not an accurate reflection of the newest model... but I did figure we'd fit easily into a Ford Escape Hybrid. I'd seen those at car rental lots before, and in the Portland area there'd have to be a plethora of choices! Right? Well.... maybe not.

I called and googled every major car rental company (most of which are all owned by the same parent, by the way) only to find that that no hybrid SUV's were available for a one way trip with a drop off at the San Francisco airport. However, I could get a midsize SUV from any of these companies, no problem. 18 Miles to the gallon. But we'd all fit. Without any credit card needed to reserve one, I finally relented and held the cheapest option I could find, and continued my hybrid search.

Many frustrating hours later, I booked the only hybrid vehicle I could: A Prius. I totally ignored the little images on the website that showed a Prius holding only 3 pieces of luggage comfortably. I thought if we packed light enough and our bags were all small enough (who was I kidding!), perhaps we could jam it all in. And I wouldn't have to embarrass myself on this blog by admitting I'd rented a gas guzzling SUV. Again, no credit card needed, so with two vehicles booked, our options were open.

While we waited in line at the Hertz rental kiosk I had time to run to the lot and look inside the Prius to get a sense of the trunk space ... such a disappointment. No way would all our stuff fit in there. I trudged back to the group, defeated.

We were up next. I explained to the patient woman in the Hertz uniform our woeful story of wanting a hybrid but having too much luggage for the Prius. Other than a gas guzzline SUV, what did she suggest? She turned to her monitor, typed for a few minutes and said: "How would you like a Nissan Altima Hybrid? We don't usually have them but someone just dropped it off from out of state. The trunk holds 4 suitcases"!

I was ecstatic! We all agreed we had some great trip karma.... well, for the most part. As we walked up to our beautiful "race car red" hybrid Esther said: "Oh no, it's red.

The color most frequently pulled over for speeding!"

It could have happened to any of us, Esther... sorry it was you!

On a final note... the more we as consumers ask for green options, the more will become available. Next time you or someone you know needs to rent a car, ask for a hybrid. Perhaps the next person who needs a hybrid SUV will get one!

How Green do I really have to Bee??

Subtitle: Part II of the Fire Pit Story

First, let it be known to all that I sometimes have a hard time making decisions. (those who know me well might mock my "sometimes" qualifier)

Second, let it be said there is a very happy ending ... in my yard sits a lovely fire pit awaiting this evening's gathering (weather permitting). But this fairy tale ending was not without its green judgmental dragons to be slain.

As per my last post, my search for a gently used fire pit included pinging a few folks on Craig's list, an email to my town list, and joining Freecycle!

It took about 12 hours for my Freecycle membership to become active, and when it did I posted a "WANTED" email. I got one response from someone suggesting I use cement bricks and build something fireproof. Ya right..."Thanks for your suggestion" was my reply.

From my town list I received one offer for a loaner (which I shared in my last post), one suggesting that I check with the fire department to see if they're legal ("thank you for your suggestion"), and another letting me know Walgreen's had them for 50% off.. around $14. ("Thanks for the info!"). A fourth neighborly email said she thought she had what I was looking for, and she'd send a photo if I'd like. ("Yes, I'd like! And how much are you asking??")

Before I heard back from my local option, a phone call came in from my most desired Craig's list option. I really liked the design of this one and had already imagined me and my friends gathered around it... 'Yes, it is still available, and you can come by tonight or tomorrow" $50 - non negotiable, and a 45 minute drive.. without traffic. "Great, I'll call you back with when I'll come by, just working out my schedule"

Only 20 minutes later, an email with a picture of a barely used, clean and simple fire pit popped into my email box. "Is $25 too much?" and only 5 minutes away.

So, do you see where I'm going with this story??

Do I make the "greener" choice.. save gas, money, time and buy locally OR buy the one I have coveted from the moment I saw it? And if I choose the less green choice, what do I tell the bloggisphere? Should I make a decision based on what THEY might think of me? How much does what it looks like really matter? What if I travel all that way and I don't really like it? Will one of them be upset if I buy from the other? Should I try to see the local one first? You can see, my mind is not a pretty place sometimes.

But herein lies a true dilemma if one chooses to really think about it: How much influence should the "green-ness" of our options affect our purchase decisions?

Ok, sometimes it's obvious: Do I buy the Hummer or the Hybrid? Buy compact florescent or incandescent? Wash in hot or cold water? Turn off my computer for the night or leave it running? (Please, turn it off ;)

But other times, not so much: Locally grown or Organic? Take the train or the bus? Spend $150 on a pair of Organic cotton jeans or $30 on sale at the Gap? Travel 10x the distance to get what I want, or pick up what's right around the corner?

I guess it's a matter of scale and differential that takes me from the no brainer decisions to the mental gymnastics I went through for this. It's exhausting to weigh every decision from this perspective, but the more I involved I get in the green movement (and the more this blog holds me accountable) the more clear it is that every choice, even the smallest ones, are an expression of my values.






And yes, making the greenest choice possible is one of my values... and pretty high on the list at that.


But this time, aesthetics won out.

And by the way, if you or anyone you know is looking for a barely used, well cared for fire pit for $25, I know where there's still one for sale.

Happy Friday!