My daughter came up with an alternative fuel concept:

Pedal-Powered cars.

Design a different kind of hybrid car that uses pedal power to augment the other fuel or battery supplement.

Install pedals for each passenger, as well, so that every person can contribute, thus promoting carpooling. Plus, it would offer health benefits to our society that is dealing with increased obesity.

I love the idea, but I suppose it does have its glitches to work out.

Then again, I discovered that the basic idea already exists–not quite like my daughter envisioned it, but creative alternatives are out there.

There’s the Velomobile, the Twike, the more bike-like versions like the Rhoades Car and Quadracycles, and then there’s this video of the HumanCar, apparently powered more like a rowing machine (I suspect they’ll kindly correct me if I’m wrong).

Before investing in any of these options, however, I need to log more miles on a normal, two-wheeled, non-modified bicycle. It’s simple, and I already have one in my garage, ready to go.

Speaking of riding bikes, have you heard of “No Impact Man”? He’s showing up on morning television shows and has a highly trafficked blog. He and his family (wife, 2.5yo daughter, and a dog):

…while living in the middle of New York City, are attempting to live without making any net impact on the environment. In other words, no trash, no carbon emissions, no toxins in the water, no elevators, no subway, no products in packaging, no plastics, no air conditioning, no TV, no toilets…

Yes, I know. It’s hard not to stop in one’s visual tracks on the “no toilets” thing, isn’t it? It’s like “Frontier House” in the city.

Anyway, if you watch the Good Morning America link I provided above, you’ll see that he’s biking all around Manhatten. His wife claims that she can get places faster than any car or cab by riding a bike. They created a little rickshaw-type seat so that he can pull his family behind him. Very nice. He had his made from recycled materials as if it were his nifty invention (his first was a gift from a fashion designer riding one around New York City–he stopped her on the streets to ask about it, and she loaned it to him; his second was the specially made recycled version), but in spite of only just now hearing about the Velomobile and the Twike, I had heard of rickshaw-type bikes before. No Impact Man isn’t the first or the only one riding a specially designed bike around town–for example, I’d heard of this Pedicab company several years ago.

A post at Hedges Happenings about biking was also inspiring, as she lives out in the country. Her challenges differ from New York City traffic–she has gravel roads to contend with. She explains:

We had ridden a bit (by a bit, I mean 2 miles at a time) last summer and some this spring.  We determined, however, to build up to a ride to town.  The nearest town is 5 miles (each way) and has a quick-stop,  library, hardware store, lumber yard, bank, pizza shop, and post office.

So we have been pedaling and pedaling and finding the pedaling to be addictive.  I can’t wait each morning for our ride. 

Like No Impact Man, Kim’s family is reducing their consumption of fossil fuels, starting the 90% Reduction Challenge. She’s keeping track of her numbers–very impressive Low-Impact Family, Rural Edition.

We ate dinner by candlelight last night, not so much to save electricity, but because it’s so pleasant. One of the kids suggested we switch over to candles to save electricity each evening.

Hey, it’s a start. Now that I’m trying to hang the laundry out to dry more often, I guess I’m taking a few tangible steps to reduce consumption of fossil fuels (and save money).

I’m not quite ready to Compact or commit to 90% reduction or bike to church…not yet, at least. And I’m definitely not ready to go without toilet paper.

But I must admit that overall, I’m intrigued and inspired by No Impact and Low Impact commitments.

And I love the idea of increasing use of the bicycle. It’s healthy. It’s free.

But I can be a little bit of a wimp.

I wonder if there’s rain in tomorrow’s forecast?