@FIRST_LIGHT

I achieved 20.2 MPG on the way into work today. W00T! I drive an extended cab 2003 GMC Sierra pickup truck.* On a normal day, the fuel efficiency computer would read around 16.5 MPG. The difference today was that I decided to drive the speed limit of 65 MPH instead of my normal 75 MPH.

That's a 22% increase in efficiency just from driving a little slower. I arrived about 5 minutes later than normal. Imagine if everybody gave up 5 minutes per commute to drive a little slower. The world would save a lot of fuel. And the economy would save a bunch of money that could be routed into investment in new businesses and education - things that create more resources for the future instead of just burning up.

I remember when I was a kid in the 70s during the first oil shock. There was a lot of encouragement on the news and from the government to conserve energy. There were large scale public awareness campaigns about driving the speed limit, keeping your tires properly inflated, turning down the thermostats, properly sealing the windows and doors in your home, etc. It seems odd that we don't have more of that right now in the era of $3.50/gallon gasoline.

I'm a big believer in free markets with regulatory constraint. And I also believe in the power of marketing. The government has a marketing role to play in educating, encouraging, and making it insanely easy and convenient for citizens to do the "right thing". Conserving resources is a "right thing". I'd like to see a few billboards encouraging citizens to save money and conserve resource by driving the speed limit this summer.

*If I care about the environment, why do I drive a gas guzzling truck, you ask? I am a Boy Scout leader and use the truck to haul gear all over creation. I keep a valid Terrapass to keep it carbon neutral. I wish it used less gas, but the ROI on buying a more efficient vehicle isn't there at this point in the life cycle of my truck and you can't haul 20 backpacks in a Prius.