Earth Day Motorcycle Ride

Being that tommorrow is Earth Day (Apr 22), I guess we're supposed to observe the natural wonders of our planet, and recognize that we're slowly killing it.

"Phooey!" to that I say.

I was wanting to get some folks together for an "Earth Day Motorcycle Ride", where we celebrate by filling up our tanks with gas, and burning it all up with a 200 mile ride. But being that it falls on a Tuesday, I can't get anyone together.

For the record, I work from home, blogging all day long. Yeah, that's how I earn my living. I've got a bunch of websites, not necessarily motorcycle related. I don't commute to work, unless you consider walking from my bedroom to my home office, a commute. I can actually get a lot of work done at night, and spend time riding during the day. I'm kinda lucky that way.

But I believe this planet is far too complex and far too large for us to effect to any greater extent. The Earth has been through worse times before Man was ever around, and recovered quite well. Even if we engage in a full-blown nuclear World War, the Earth will still be here, and will still recover.

There's no way for us to destroy the planet.

If anything, what we're talking about is the destruction of human civilization as we know it. And by reading much of what environmentalists write about, I guess the destruction of civilization is what they'd prefer to have happen. So if the Earth will still be here, and will still recover, why are environmentalists complaining anyways?

Also, I don't subscribe to the theory that oil companies are purposely raising gasoline prices just to get rich, at least not in the sinister sense that many people seem to express.

Look, even though everyone is upset at the high gas prices, the fact of the matter is people still buy it up. You can go to any gas station, and still get all the gas you want. And that's what people are doing.

Obviously, gas prices are not "too high" if people are still buying it.

It's only when people buy less gasoline that we'll finally reach the point at which the market will no longer bear. That's when we can rightfully say that gasoline is too expensive.

There's also the argument that if oil companies built more refineries it would increase supplies and bring the prices down. That's true. But if people continue to buy gasoline despite the higher price, then why should oil companies fix what ain't broke? As long as people can afford the gasoline, technically there's no reason to build more refineries.

So while oil companies are indeed making record profits, it's only because we willfully give them the money.

You might say that we have no choice but to buy gasoline. That's not true. There are obviously other ways to transport ourselves, and cheaper ways to do it. But the problem is that no one wants these other ways. I mean who wants to walk, ride a bicycle, or God forbid, carpool? The fact is that gasoline is still cheap enough that driving solo in our cars remains affordable.

So how can we rightfully complain that oil companies are getting rich at our expense, when we're too lazy to utilize cheaper methods of transporation?

The complaining is stupid.

Gas prices are not too high. Most folks who complain about those prices are just too lazy to make the necessary lifestyle changes.

And since I still enjoy burning fossil fuels in my motorcycle, for nothing more than mere joy riding, I can't rightfully complain about oil companies either. If anything, all I can do is celebrate the fact that I can still buy gasoline, and still enjoy my motorcycle.

Maybe for a rider like myself, that's what Earth Day means.