Petroleum Rising

So... Gas has finally reached the deplorable over-4-dollar-per-gallon mark. Some friends and family have shelled out $60-$80 for a full tank of gas, and here I am complaining for $50 on mine! To illustrate the effect in the garment industry, it takes energy and fuel to power machines, transport vehicles, etc. I'm talking about sewing machines, to gargantuan dyeing and printing machines, boats and planes that ship/air yarns, fabrics, trims and finished garments, to name a few. Everything costs money, and cummulatively it adds up to something not really nice for your or my wallets.

One thing to reduce costs (and reduce carbon footprint) is to buy local. What farmer's markets and eco-friendly grocers have been preaching has been the same mantra for me, so far (until I get beat up by buyer so much with pricing that I might have to source overseas, eeks, hope not). I purchase locally-knitted fabric, my garments have little or no trims, and my dyehouses, printers, and contractors are either in LA or OC. Made in U.S.A., baby! So SoCal. :)

On another note, a friend tipped me off with a good idea. He experimented and drove his car slower than he normally does, and apparently it saved him some gas! Moral of the story, my friends, is make like a Sunday driver and less of a Speed Racer (hey, the movie is coming out, ya?). I know there's no such thing here in the City of Angels with all the constant head-beating-on-the-windshield traffic, but it doesn't hurt to try if it's less painful for your wallet and mine. Plus I'm curious to hear results, so let's all be more leisurely instead of hurry-warts on the road, and see where it goes (no pun intended). Let me know, ok?