Teens Wait Longer To Drive

Teens Wait Longer To Drive

 

Teens Wait Longer To Drive

As soon as I hit sixteen years old me and all my friends couldn't wait to get our drivers license's it was a right of passage for every sixteen year old kid that I knew. You go down to the DMV and take your driving test as soon as you can convince your parents to take you. Then somehow convince them to help you buy some clunker of a car that you will fix up so you will have a way to get around. But, now it seems teenagers are waiting to drive longer and longer. For several different reasons really. 

Some of The Reasons Teens Are Waiting

Teen Driving Laws

In several states there are harsh teen driving laws that regulate teen driving. For instance in California if you are a teen driver between the ages of 15 and a half and 18 years old you will be given a Driver's Permit. You must drive with a Driver's Permit for at least six months before you are able to apply for a Driver's License. Teenagers with a provisional permit may only drive with an adult 25 or older in the vehicle. Once you pass the all the tests and actually get your driver's license you still have restrictions. You cannot have any passengers under the age of 20 in your vehicle and no driving between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. This restrictions is for one year. Now when I was a kid I looked forward to cruising around with my friends and going out late or taking a girl on a date. Well, with these types of restrictions on your license none of that is possible.

Technology

Technology is another reason teens are waiting to drive. For a couple of reasons really. One being that teens would rather spend $100 dollars a month on a smart phone plan, than that same money on insurance. Let's face it cars cost money and they can't connect you on Face book. But in the car you can drive over to your friends house and see what they are up to. In today's modern world a teenager would rather go onto Twitter or Face book than actually drive over to the same friends house. Not to mention if one or the other has moved with the economy and jobs situation then it may not be just across town it may be across the country but you can still connect on a social network just like your right there.

Families are Moving Closer To City Centers

Families are moving out of the suburbs and into the down towns to cut back on commute times not to mention the fact that it puts them closer to friends and family. They are also able to use services that they left behind when they originally left the city in the first place such as library's and colleges and medical facilities without having a long commute in their car.

This is Great For The Environment

This is really great for the Environment. All of these shorter commutes and less kids buying cars therefore driving less is great for the environment. Because if they don't buy the car then they will ride their bike or get a ride with a friend or their parents or simply ride the bus. So all these options become available and normal to them if it's something they have always used. Not to mention it is cheap compared to gas, insurance and upkeep on a car. For instance this summer you can get a bus pass you you and your bike for my whole county for $43 dollars. That is cheap that won't even buy most people a tank of gas around here.

Dodge Charger, a photo by jbspec7 on Flickr.

VIA http://www.thedetroitbureau.com

Reusable Water Bottle Choices

Reusable Water Bottles

 We are all trying to cut back on our use of plastic and throw away single use items and one of the ways to do this is with the simple single use plastic water bottle. I mean think about how many of them we have simply thrown in the trash over the years. Man if I had a quarter for every one that I have thrown in the trash I would probably be rich. Now I am switching over to a reusable water bottle. Reusable plastic bottles can help cut back on the amount of plastic you throw away simply by letting you fill them up at the tap and going on your way instead of getting a new bottle of water out of the fridge every time you want some water. I mean who would have thought way back when we would actually pay for water by the bottle. If you think about it we pay more for it than we pay for gas and no one bats an eye at that. But we all do it day in and day out. So my plan to stop throwing away plastic bottles is simple I will use a refillable glass bottle day to day and when i am somewhere where I don't have a filtered tap to refill my bottle I will use a refillable filtered water bottle.

Glass Water Bottle

I really like the glass refillable water bottles. They just seem nicer than having a single use plastic bottle that you refill over and over again and it's something you can wash in the dishwasher and not have to worry about the buildup of bacteria like that single use plastic bottle. My favorite refillable glass bottle is the Takeya glass water bottles for in the 22 ounce size. I know at the end of the day if I have emptied that a couple of times then I have had my daily intake of water. Not to mention it comes with a sleeve for a little bit of protection.

Filtered Water Bottles

I prefer Filtered Water Bottles whenever i am out at the park or someplace where I really don't know the quality of the water I am drinking. So I always take a filtered water bottle when i am at the park or walking the dog or what have you. This is a good one also when you are filling up even from the school drinking fountains. I like the Brita 24 ounce bottle with filter. It's a good deal and it comes as a two pack with a filter. So at this cheap of a price you get two fairly large water bottles so there is not excuse not to drink water and no excuse to be using single use plastic bottles and throwing them in the trash or even the recycling bin.

Plastic Water Bottles Mountain Ice Hunger Takes Flight KFB May 20, 20107, a photo by stevendepolo on Flickr.

Apple Abandons Green Standard on New Products

Apple Abandons Green Standard on New Products

     Apple Computer has been a leader in green computing technology receiving the Gold Standard every year since 1997 from EPEAT which stands from Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. EPEAT is a leading standard in green consumer electronics. 

Apples decision on EPEAT

     I think this mainly came about with their new retina displays on the new Mac Book Pro. Previous to this product macs and all the other products have been fairly easy to repair with sub assemblies that if you had the right tools you could easily take them apart. With the new Mac Book however that is not the case. 

What Does This Mean For Apple?

     In the short term it means nothing. We will probably still buy their products because let's face it they are good products. However school districts have policies on how much of their electronics have to be sourced from green electronic sources. That has been one of Apple's capstone ideas from the old days put computers in the schools and you make customers of the students. Will Apple lose that or do they need that now that they are a huge company. The next thing they will lose is the Federal Government as 95% of their electronics have to come from green sources. 

What Do You Think?

     Will Apple abandoning it's green ideals make you consider another company when you are buying a computer or phone next time? Let me know in the comments.

Apple inside II, a photo by Sant'Anna Silveira on Flickr.