59. (Phonk!) Choose 'eco mode' (eek!-Oh) mode when driving.

Honk-Honk!!!

eek!-Oh. The light just changed. We were only looking at our phone for-a-sec (we swear)… 

We hit the gas (a misnomer in electric cars), wave, we drive on and wonder why the person behind us is in such a hurry. “We’re in a hurry, too.  Geesh…,” we justify. Now we tell ourselves we are going to focus only on driving for the remainder of our drive… or at least for the next 10 seconds …or 4 seconds. 

We all know when we’re at a stoplight (or stop sign?), we have the indefatigable urge to look at what new messages MAY have come through since the last stoplight (or stop sign?). 

Honk-Honk!!! eek!-Oh. Damn. It happened again… Drive. Wave. Justify. Repeat. Phonk! 

Phonk (v): newly minted term to name the honk that happens when you’re looking at your phone and the light changes. 

With technology improving our lives, why hasn’t someone invented an app that alerts us when the light changes from red to green so we don’t get Phonked at? Instead of ‘choosing (eek!-Oh) mode when driving’, we want to invent an app that alerts us a split second before the stoplight turns green. Call the app - Phonk Out.

To help you not ‘Choose (eek!-Oh) mode when driving,’ here’s a simple 2-step process:

1. Don’t look at your phone when you’re driving or at a stoplight (not so easy), or
2. Get the Phonk Out … 

Future You doesn’t understand 'choose eco mode when driving' because in the future, that mode is just called 'drive.' So your Future You wants to use this time get your Halloween Spirit on, with two ‘past minute’ costume ideas for Halloween 2023. Yes, your Future You wants you to dress up as a ‘Past You’. Time travel. 

1) Re-create a costume you wore when you were 7 or 9 or 12…or

2) Dress up like someone who was on a poster on your childhood bedroom wall.

If you don’t dress up this year, your Future You will look back on Halloween 2023 with regret and ponder, “Was that the year you took yourself too seriously and somehow justified not trying on a future, past or fun persona during the one day of the year everyone has permission to be whomever they want? 

Honk-Honk!!! eek!-Oh… Drive. Wave. Justify. Repeat. Dress Up and Phonk Out.

P.S. - It’s been reported that Corporate Housing companies can help people to not ‘Choose eco mode (eek!-Oh) mode when driving’ (but encourages wearing costumes for Halloween) by trying to invent the Phonk Out app (and decorating electric vehicles for Halloween). Post your costume photos and we’ll celebrate your youthful, playful exuberance by sending you a ‘Phonk Out’ t-shirt. This way, you’ll now have a ‘Past You’ Halloween t-shirt costume to wear for Halloween 2024.  

Why does this ‘Future You’ Series exist? What’s it about?  

1. Promote easy, quirky sustainable practices that are NOT preachy, or guilt-ridden and without a focus on the ‘saving the planet’ (hint: the planet is going to survive no matter what we do). 

2. A playful post of simple ways to sorta improve our lives, and the lives of those we love. Also improve our future lives… by taking playful action today. 

3. Still reading? Cool. We think you’re amazing and full of joyful zest. 

This series is based off ‘105 Simple Sustainable actions’ - from Stephane Omsanski’s article in Parade from 2021.

https://parade.com/1300935/stephanieosmanski/ways-reduce-carbon-emissions/

59. Choose 'eco mode' when driving.

If your car has an eco mode, that's favorable (especially to sport mode). Eco mode switches the car to a mode of improved fuel efficiency, lowering the engine's fuel consumption and make it easier to run as such.