Five Ways to Go Green and Save Green in Waynedale, Indiana

It's noon in Waynedale. How can you tell? Check out the local lines at the drive-thru at MacDonald's, Arby's and Azar's. Even now, with gas over four bucks a gallon we still see cars huffing and puffing in a line that just won't quit. And won't quit wasting gas, either. So, that's a number one way for a Waynedaliac to save some green. Park that car, and walk into the restaurant, order your meal. Wanna save a little more green while you're in there and maybe a few inches on your waistline? Buy a happy meal for you as well as your child.

Let' go for two. Can you feel those extra dollars crunching in your pocket, yet?

How many of you know that getting a commercial car wash is more eco-friendly than washing it yourself? That's right, any Waynedaler can drive their car down to Super Wash and make hay while the sun shines, and save tons of water. Much more water than you would if you were washing that car in your driveway. And commercial car washes have stringent environmental regulations that they have to follow in order to stay in business. So, save the planet- save the green.

Now, for number three, I would like to stir a little controversy. I know we all want a mellow lifestyle, but green doesn't always lend itself to mellow. Now, is the time to WALK to Ace Hardware and buy some compact fluorescent bulbs. "But, they cost so much more!" you whine. Yes, they do. But, they also last longer and are so much better for Planet Earth. Bite the bullet and save some money- in the long run. Where you might buy the old bulbs for 2-3 bucks and have them wear out in six months, those CFB's will be shining brightly from winter to winter, if not longer.

At the Waynedale Green Alliance.org website, http://www.waynedalegreenalliance.org- we often ask readers to share their ideas about what they feel we need to do in Waynedale to enhance our greener living in the area. Here is an email I recently received;

Dear WGA: I can't believe one of the oldest main routes in FT.Wayne {Bluffton rd.} don't have safe sidewalks and or bike paths! From Engle Rd. on south thru Waynedale. On the bridge across Fairfield ditch there is a sidewalk that leads to a well worn trail of mud. In dry weather it's not so bad but after a rain or snow you have a couple of choices, you can get muddy or wet, or you can take your chances on the road with high speed traffic. I see people walking and biking this dangerous stretch every day. I think a lot more people would use it if developed properly. I can't understand why an established main thoroughfare that pedestrians and bikers have been trying to negotiate for years has not been done before building paths where no one has ever needed to go before.

Thank you for considering common sense!- Roger Lindley- Waynedale

And that brings us to number four; Walking!

Walk to the store, walk to the library, walk to the post office or the beauty shop, if you dare. One of the best ways to measure greener living status in communities is the walkability in the area. I don't seem to think that Waynedale has very good walkability. Not to say that there aren't some areas that are ok. But, those of us who have lived here for decades know the truth. Obviously, Roger and I are not the only ones who have noticed the danger of Bluffton Road.

One of the chief reasons I began seeking out answers for Waynedale was because of the current gas prices. I realized that Waynedale has little bus action, poor trails, and no way to connect for carpooling- but if you can carpooling is our fifth and one of the best ways to go green and save green.

There are lots of reasons why people don't carpool. No one to carpool with, safety issues, and scheduling, to name just a few. But, if done properly and with the right planning carpooling is a major step in the right direction. Right now, according to Statemaster.com, only ten percent of the people in Indiana carpool. Probably in the near future, that figure will start to rise.

We had a crisis filled week this September 16-20 2008- the financial lid flew off the American economy and while politicians stammer, and the President tries to appear to be doing something, everyone in Waynedale is just trying to get by.