Breaking the bank

I am officially broke. I’m slightly below the Ramen-noodles-only-diet poverty line, and recently even living on a dollar a day sounds lavish in comparison. But I’m sure I’m not the only part-time waitress, part-time student who has been feeling the heat recently – most students I know are a bit strapped for cash. \nIn case you’ve somehow managed to avoid noticing, the going price of gas is at least an arm and a leg – which averages out to about $3.96 a gallon. On a good day, I can fill up my tank for the pretty little sum of $57, and I’ve seen others pay $60 or more. While the $4 mark is a record high in the United States and marks a 30 percent increase just this year, Europeans have been paying more than $4 a gallon for about 6 years, according to a study by AAA. Read: It’s only getting worse.\nIt’s not just the price of gas that’s soaring. While converting fry oil into biodiesel to power your car was once a cheap, eco-friendly solution, prices are on the rise for even the processed fry oil that restaurants once had to pay someone to haul away. An article Friday in The New York Times on the theft of such fry oil from restaurants put the price of “yellow grease” at 33 cents a pound, up from about 7.6 cents a pound in 2000, and thefts of oil from outside of restaurants are on the rise in more than 20 states.\nSo you can keep driving on gas for an average of $4 a gallon, or cruise around smelling like fried chicken all day for about $2.50 a gallon. There’s got to be a better option – and there is. Leg power. \nLiving in Bloomington means you can join an already thriving network of cyclists on the streets of a fairly bike-friendly city. But if you’re not ready for the spandex and speed there are cheap commuter-friendly options. For about two tanks of gas you can get a Huffy cruiser bike at Kmart and enjoy some fresh air on the way to work. \nFor about zero tanks of gas you can volunteer at the Bloomington Community Bike Project and earn a bike as you learn how to repair and maintain it. You could also buy a bike from the Bike Project if you still want to support a great local operation and the “earn a bike” program isn’t for you. \nIf you’re looking for a better workout or a spot on the “Cutters” Little 500 team, you could save 40 tanks of gas to buy a new Cannondale or talk to any of the local bike shops about which bike is best for you. There are many awesome shops in town ready to help.\nWhether you’re motivated by environmental concerns or your pocketbook, summer is a great time to switch from four wheels to two. And every time you chose a bike you’re helping Bloomington “break away” from its dependence on gas.