This evening my neighbor stopped me. He wanted to know the name that goes with our rose bushes. He also wanted to know where to get them. I quick ran inside to ask The One That Knows (The Wife) and came out with a written answer for him...
This exchange then led to my first real concerned conversation about gas prices and the high price of food with folks (I believe) that don't know about The MinusCar Project.
There were some interesting bits of information. Apparently a local Citibank vice president rides the bus to work. Has been for four years. Does so not because of high gas prices...but "for the cause." This vice president was formally presented as an example to other Citibank employees.
Also, at another Citibank site folks have arranged a car pool system based on residence location. Like a bus service only organized and operated by peers. I've always known MinusCar leads to plus community.
The conversation evolved into talk of corn and floods and how we put our food into gas tanks.
The final bits of conversation, he said - "people need to slow down." "I agree."
...the roses are called Hope for Humanity. They are mine. I have them.
7 comments:
Two thoughts on this. First, it seems that the higher up the food chain an employee is, the less likely it is they will take public transportation or ride a bike. Like it's an image thing or something.
Second, I think that if people really did slow down, they'd really like it. The problem is that it often takes a lot of effort to put yourself in that position. I've been slowing down, and while I'm not there yet, riding a bike to work each day sure makes me feel slowed down.
I agree with smudgemo. Our recent staff retreat fell during the Commuter Challenge, and all but our lone anti-social staff member AND the two execs got there by bike or carpool.
But beautiful post and gorgeous roses!
Locally - I don't think it has to do with the food chain so much but more about family, Mr. (-) excluded. It's easier for me to get on the bike and arrive when I want to arrive somewhere. On second thought, I don't see my Owner or GM getting rid of their big gas hogs anytime soon.
Slowing down has been running through my minds quite a bit as of late. As I watch people buzz down my 20 mph street at 35mph plus, I always wonder if it's THAT important that they go that fast.
Maybe it's just my crazy perspective due to the fact I bike everywhere, but people seem to always be in a hurry, but in reality, I doubt there is very often a true rush. Just a perceived rush.
Yup, we just had someone pinch us off on Minnesota Ave. (we were riding right, she just missed us and the car in the left lane) so she could get ahead of us, then make an immediate right turn into McDonalds.
10 more seconds was just tooooo long to wait.
Makes me want to glue some very rough sandpaper to my left glove and accidently "rest" my hand on their car as they drive by....
http://www.slowmovement.com/
Hey, I just discovered this blog tonight. Nice job.
Riding my bike every day to and from work is great, I'm much more mellow and I feel great. The bike also paid for itself with all the money I saved, seeing as how gas is already 5 bucks here.
About the food chain, I'm happy to say, my own boss stopped driving as well and is taking PT to work, so there are a few of us at work who are trying to set a good example...
I feel another blog coming on...
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