Carbon Footprint or Just Plain Odd?

Those of you who know me, may know that though I’m not math-y I DO like to quantify the things around me. To establish the statistics of my life, as it were. You could say that my life isn't just a book, it's a spreadsheet. For example, I have a spreadsheet dating back to 2004 when I bought my Honda. This spreadsheet details per tank, monthly and annual mileage per gallon, the number of miles I’ve driven, how much money I have spent, the average cost of gasoline each year, as well as how much money I expend each day - on average - in gasoline on my commute.

Understand this has nothing to do with the recently-hyped "Live Earth" or my "carbon footprint" or whatever they are calling it. I could give a rats' .... Well, that's not entirely true. It is incumbent upon us as stewards of the planet to responsibly manage our resources, natural and manufactured. My ecological footprint is below the national average for most Americans - I mean that in a good way. I am more ecologically conscious (according to the test) than most Americans.

Not because I'm being a responsible steward though. It's because I'm cheap. I shut lights off when I leave the room (because I don't want to pay a high electric bill), I traded my beloved jeep in for a Honda (because I was sufficiently prescient to see that gasoline prices were on the rise and was already spending $400 a month in gas (when it was $1.89 per gallon mind you). I recycle (because it is required where I live) and once the metro extends to Dulles, (in ten years) you can bet I'll be taking the train in to work (but only if the company I work for gives me a monthly allowance to do so).

I love to see how inexpensively I can live. Predictably, this has caused my children no end of frustration. Heating bills in upstate NY? Let's just say they weren't a problem for me. The kids will tell you a different story, like when my son went to a friend's house and felt his feet tingle. He realized that was heat. The kids mutter something about abuse. I consider it character building.

Did you know that once gasoline prices hit $3.84 per gallon, it will be more cost effective for me to commute via the toll road than the non-toll routes? The spread sheet says it's true! Not only that, but since my air conditioning system broke in my car, I have achieved a 7.8% improvement in my mpg! The numbers don't lie! I don’t think I’ll get it fixed! It’s amazing what getting 39.59 mpg does to me! Now if I can only figure out how to breathe when rolling the windows up in this heat, I bet I’d squeeze another few percentage points out of my gasoline dollar!! Who needs a hybrid? Of course, if I had one of THOSE I could drive in the H.O.V. lane and further increase my…oh my oh my…..I had to go run cool water over my wrists. I was getting all a-flutter.

I’m better now. Oh my.

Truly though, it was only a matter of time. "Before she went completely insane." you mutter? Not yet, not yet. But close ~ since I’ve decided to combine two of my passions. Korean Drama and Spreadsheets. Yes! Thrilling isn’t it?!