My husband and I live in a recreational area in central Minnesota. As with most recreation areas throughout the country this means many frequently use 4 wheelers around us. We have 4 wheelers ourselves that we use to plow snow from our driveway, haul wood from the wood pile to the house and to travel the recreation trails of the area. We also use our 4 wheelers during the deer hunting season to get back to our deer stands and to transport the deer out of the woods. I think they are a useful and fun vehicle; however there are so many people who use their 4 wheelers to destroy the natural beauty of our State unknowingly or purposefully.

It all starts from the fortunate fact that there are several paths in the acreage behind our home for 4 wheelers. We normally use these paths to go from one neighbor’s home to another and to simply walk in the beautiful woods. The wooded area where the paths are located has quite dense vegetation filled with very old beautiful hardwood maples and ash trees. This wooded area is classified under tax forfeited land, so it is collectively owned by the State of Minnesota. There is an agreement among the neighbors that we will all do our best to keep the paths clear of brush and fallen debris. However, there are no rules or guidelines whatsoever about the use of 4 wheelers on the paths. Everyone used common sense and was courteous to each other as well as to Mother Nature.

Everything seemed to be going well, until one particular day. Recently our path system was discovered by a group of 4 wheelers that are now using it as a connection from one racing area to another. The racing causes an excessive amount of noise and some serious damage to the wooded area, which prompted the interference of the department of natural resources which stepped in and banned the use of ATV’s in this wooded area.

This has been a great disappointment to those of us who were using our 4 wheelers responsibly. When I mentioned this to some of my co-workers I was surprised to find out a majority of them thought that all ATV trails should be closed. Many people see these trails as dangerous and harmful to the environment. I was amazed that they saw the 4 wheelers as a bad thing per se. A close look at the situation should reveal that the real culprits are those irresponsible people driving them.

The woods behind our house are much quieter now. People still use the paths for walking and nature-gazing. The thing that still bugs me is that others are getting the message that 4 wheelers are bad for nature, when the true message should be irresponsible people are really what are bad for nature. It is unfair that thoughtless behavior by some people is over – generalized and affects the entire community. I love Nature. I love my 4 wheelers, too. They can co-exist.

In the past months we have seen the price of gasoline soar higher than ever before, and this can be hard on people who have a budget that is tight. Even though gas prices have come down a slight bit, you still will want to do everything you possibly can to save on the money you have to pay out for gas. There are a variety of ways that you can save gas, and save money.

Tip#1 - Start Carpooling

Carpooling is a great idea for fellow students and fellow employees both. If you can find people that are going to the same place you are you can save gas by riding together. It may be a good idea to trade off on who is driving from week to week so no one person gets stuck having to drive all the time. If you have to take your children to school or other functions you can also work on trading off with your friends and neighbors to take them there.

Tip#2 - Public Transportation

If it is possible you can take public transportation to work instead of driving your car. Not only will this save you money on gas, but you will also be able to relax and not worry about having to drive through all that rush hour traffic. You may even be able to fit in a quick nap on your way to work or on your way home.

Tip#3 - Price Shop

Often it may be so convenient to buy your gas at the small gas station just up the road, but to save some money on gas you may want to check the prices at other gas stations that are nearby as well. Even if the difference is only a few cents, after putting hundreds of gallons of gas in you vehicle each year, those few cents are going to add up to quite a sum of money.

Tip#4 - Get Moving

You can save some money on gas if you start walking to where you are going, or you can ride a bike as well. You will not have to worry about paying to park your car, and the exercise will be great for you body. If you are walking or biking you will not have to worry about those huge traffic jams either.

Tip#5 - Take Care of Your Car

It is always important to take care of your car so it gets the best gas mileage possible. Also be sure to plan where you are going before you go so you will not have to backtrack and waste gas. If you can, you should use your air conditioning as little as possible because using it takes more gas. Roll down your windows and you will use less gas.

Tip#6 - Check your Tires

It is important that you check the air pressure in your tires as often as possible. If your tires are too low, or the pressure in them is unequal it can make your car burn more gas. You should also be careful how you drive. If you take off from every red light very fast you are going to burn more fuel, so it is best to take off a little slower.

These are a few tips that can help the money conscious person to save money on gas. Even as gas prices drop, these tips can still help you to save more money. Conservation is important, so take advantage of these tips, save money, and save gas.