Large leaps to complexity

Large leaps to complexity. That was my husband's joke right from the beginning. Anytime I made a non-green choice I was teased with this line. But I think this time we're truly guilty of it. You could also call it hypocrisy. Or, if you're feeling kind, compromise.

Here's the thing: we bought a new vehicle and it's a beast. Okay, so it's not a Hummer or anything, but it's not a tiny hybrid either. It's a minivan.

We have survived with a tiny Saturn for 10 years. It was easy on gas, had enough seats for us as we added more people, and it got us where we needed to go. Last summer, however, we discovered some major vehicular shortfalls. We decided the kids were old enough for camping but realized that packing for trips became tests of human ingenuity. This winter we also realized that we couldn't fit both ice skates and toboggans in the trunk. Surmountable? Absolutely. Pain in the ass? Oh yeah.

We have vowed for years that our next car would be a hybrid. But used hybrids are hard to find. And they're still not cheap. The fact of the matter is that we're hard on our vehicles. I have a tendency to scrape them in underground parking garages, my kids tend to accumulate apple cores, goldfish crackers and sand inside, and my husband spills alot of coffee. It's hard to justify buying something expensive when 1) we don't drive too much, 2) we will make it look 10 years old in a matter of weeks. We opted for a cheaper, 4 year old, gas guzzling van with AC, tinted window, power locks, and an automatic starter.

Simplicity? Absolutely not. Right choice for us? Unfortunately, yes.