Low-Tech Ways to Fight High Fuel Prices

My family's Honda(HMC) Odyssey sucked up $52 in gasoline in a single day, as crude oil prices hit new records this week. The time has certainly come to lower my family's dependency on foreign oil.

I think a few small measures at my home -- and yours -- can go a long way toward reducing our reliance on black gold.

Relax. You don't need to run out and buy a new energy-efficient hybrid vehicle just yet. My most recent contribution to the cause, in fact, was rather low-tech.

I walked my dog.

That's right. Instead of driving a three-mile round trip to buy five pounds of dog food, Riley, my lovable mutt, and I hoofed it to a local pet shop and carried it back home.

Obviously, my family won't get rich from the savings we incur by walking three miles instead of driving. But collectively, as a nation, it seems we could make a significant dent in our gasoline consumption by walking to and from just one errand per week, whether from home, or during the lunch hour while at work.

Yes, I know. It sounds like a hassle.

Walking means an errand may require one hour of your time, instead of 15 minutes. But you may find that modifying your driving habits, even on a limited basis, has innumerable side benefits.

I'm as busy as anyone, but I actually enjoyed jumping off the treadmill of my chaotic work and family existence, just for a short while. I listened to a woodpecker, saw a few ducks and probably burned about 200 calories -- all in addition to shortening my "to do" list. And at the end of the week, my hour-long walk will hardly seem to matter in terms of the time it detracted from whatever else I may accomplish -- or don't.