ANOTHER PERSON'S STORY - REGARDING FUEL CONSERVATION

CLARK COUNTY, Wash. - Vancouver resident Danni Brancaccio says she doesn't consider herself "super green." But an attempt to save some money on gas has led to an experiment in extreme fuel conservation that would make any tree-hugger proud. She is attempting to drive her car all summer on just one tank of gas. Brancaccio doesn't drive a gas-sipping hybrid and isn't towing around a trailer full of fuel. She drives an average Honda sedan that probably gets good mileage but has not been modified in any way. With just over a month of summer still left to go, the gas gauge is definitely tilting towards empty.

But Brancaccio isn't worried. Like many drivers, she's changed her routine to cut back on buying gas, but it's safe to say she has cut back much more than most people. Typically, she drives her car 1.5 miles to a park-and-ride facility where she gets on a bus with many other commuters and goes to work. She said she drives slower now and uses cruise control when possible to save gas.

The difference is that she now arrives an hour early due to the bus schedule. That's no problem, though, as it gives her time to read."I've read a lot this summer," she said as she relaxed in a lobby before going to work. "I've read about 10 books."Brancaccio also picks up rides from friends and sometimes borrows her mother's car to avoid using her own.

But she also walks a lot more and said she's switched from heels to flat shoes for more comfort. She says she still has many other tricks to use to stretch that last quarter-tank to the finish line. She thinks she can drive about 3 miles per day at the most and still make it. While she said she doesn't consider herself a staunch environmentalist, she "respects the fact that… we need to be wary about what we do" when it comes to fuel use.Brancaccio is tracking her experiment with a blog accessible through the Vancouver Colombian newspaper's Web site.

There was a previous post which asked for other ideas about what people can do to make a difference. I think the most important thing people can do --- is simply, begin. As mentioned in previous blog posts and comments, that which began as a project to conserve fuel, has evolved into multiple opportunities and benefits.

If you don't currently have stock in the oil industry, perhaps get some, or, how about taking steps to conserve, and use less. You will save, and the oil industry might have more need.