no fuel day

There's a group appeared on facebook this week called 'No Fuel Day - 19th November'. I've been considering joining it, only I'd not be very good without fuel. Entertainingly I found it because Paul D joined it - and someone less likely to manage better than me without fuel I can't imagine :) Anyway, I went to the group today and discovered that in fact it is a protest about the price we pay for petrol, and the plan is to encourage people not to buy petrol tomorrow. That's all. I'm just back from Tesco, where I was trying vaguely hard to buy ethically not cheaply, and looking guiltily at the blueberries now marked 'Travelled by air'. I got a 5p per litre off petrol coupon, and looked at my tank when I got back in the car (yes, I do prefer to go to church on the bus, but today I had a number of errands to do afterwards, off the bus route), and I've a quarter of a tank left. To be fair, my car is small enough that I don't really notice a penny on a litre here and there, but since I don't think it's my turn to drive to choir tomorrow and the coupon is valid until the 2nd December, I might as well wait until the car is nearly empty and get my 5p worth. It would only be worth it if I go to Tesco again before the 2nd, granted, but since I'm almost there on Wednesdays anyway it's not an extra trip.

So in fact I probably could have joined the group/event with a clear conscience and 'succeeded', but I've been pondering the greater concept of no fuel day. Obviously, if I have to go to work at all, I can go totally on the bus, but then the bus uses fuel. I could stay home and work at home, but working at home involves light and heat. Don't suppose it has to - the attraction of many of the weavers cottages where I grew up are the first floor windows which are the full width of the house to bring in as much light as possible. My house is a dark house, so even if I didn't switch on the pc, I'd struggle to do much else in this weather without the light on. I could do housework (and no doubt should!) but my house isn't kitted out for ecowarriorness that wouldn't need electricity for the hoover (I think I own a dustpan and brush, though frankly I don't fancy doing the whole house with it), or hot water for washing etc. And though so far I've had the heating on minimum, my house cools down very quickly and I'm forever grateful that I can afford to heat it, as I can wear 6 sweaters but I can't write very well with numb fingers!

So what would I do with a no-fuel day? I'd be happy to have an excuse not to do housework, but not not to bake, or make coffee to spend quality time with people. I could wrap up warm and warm myself up walking into town. Then I could spend a whole day appreciating the peace and tranquility of all the silence and services in the cathedral - until it got dark, as although the cathedral is enchanting by candle light and the division of some candles by many people would be more efficient than many by many at home, it would still be fuel. So then we'd have to depart and head home again - to an additional four sweaters, fifteen pairs of socks and early bed. Hungry, most likely, unless we'd used fuel to cook... Makes you realise how much we take for granted, doesn't it? Building a fire provides heat, light and cooking capacity - how many of our AAA rated appliances do such combining?! 

Not buying petrol tomorrow is easy to succeed at. I hope it makes each of the 166 thousand people who joined the group think a bit more about it though, and be thankful that they aren't setting themselves a sterner test. Whilst they object to extra pennies on petrol, winter has begun, and thousands of old people have to choose between heating, lighting and cooking. May we be thankful for what we have and can afford, and look to fight for those who haven't and can't.

tags: conscience