It might be time to fix up your rusty old bike.
Gasoline prices are already spiking in what The Wall Street Journal (paywall) calls “the most severe energy crisis since the 1970s.” In response to bombing by the U.S. and Israel, Iran attacked vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil normally flows. As a result, most shipping traffic in the strait has halted.
“We are looking at what is by far the biggest disruption in world history in terms of daily oil production,” energy historian Daniel Yergin told The Wall Street Journal. “If it goes on for weeks, it will reverberate across the global economy.”
Here’s a guide, drawn from the Yale Climate Connections archives, to what you can do to get through the immediate crisis – and help wean your community off oil in the long term.
I also want to hear from you: How are rising gas prices affecting your community? What are your strategies for reducing how often you need to fill up? Let me know here.
Drive more efficiently.
This is the simplest strategy to implement. You can start today:
- Maintain a proper tire pressure
- Keep your engine in good condition
- Use cruise control on the highway
- Avoid high speeds (cars are most efficient at about 60 mph and under)
- Accelerate slowly from a stop (if it’s safe to do so)
Switch some trips to a bike or e-bike.
My e-bike has replaced virtually all of my in-town trips, saving me money on fuel and parking – and since I’m exercising during my commute, I don’t need a gym membership, either. A few notes:
- E-bike libraries are growing in popularity. These libraries typically let you borrow an e-bike for free for a few days to try it out.
- Other communities are helping residents pay for e-bikes. Does yours? If not, could your community start an e-bike fund?
- Kids at an elementary school in Portland, Oregon, ride in a bike bus to school: “This parade of bicycles has a set route, and kids and parents join the growing caravan along the way,” our radio team reported in 2024.
Consider the bus.
Many communities have made improvements to their bus systems recently, upgrading stops and making the rides fare-free: “Far beyond just saving riders money, free buses deliver a cascade of benefits, from easing traffic to promoting public safety. Just look at Boston; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Kansas City, Mo.; and even New York itself, all of which have tried it to excellent effect,” Emily Galvin Almanza wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times.
Get an electric vehicle.
This is a more expensive option than biking or taking the bus, but think of an EV purchase as a divorce from oil geopolitics.
If you’re a renter, don’t miss this guide to charging up. Live in a rural area? Read this.
What about road trips? David Carlson drove 6,000 miles in an EV and wrote about what he learned. (Bottom line: Road-tripping is doable if you plan ahead.)
Dig deeper on EVs:
Help build the walkable, bikeable community of your dreams.
Your elected officials may be unusually receptive right now to reducing car-dependency. Here’s some inspiration for getting started:
