Living in Arizona, which is the middle of the Mojave desert, we use a lot of solar here.  My apartment uses solar for electricity and natural gas for my stove and water heater.  My electric bill each month is less than $50 and that's for my lights, refrigerator, computer, tv's, stereo, the basic stuff so that's not so bad. 

I do drive a 2002 Dodge Durango, so I'm guilty of owning an SUV, but it's got a high performance fuel injection system that allows me 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the freeway. 

Still, unless I absolutely have to take the truck, I use the bus a lot.  There are, of course, places the bus doesn't go or doesn't go efficiently.  Before I got laid off and was taking the bus to work and back I would have to leave 2 hours before start of shift to get to work on time.  The bus took 1 hr 45 min for a trip that would take 20 minutes by car.  I have a 2-yr pass so it doesn't cost me anything to ride the bus but I still take my truck out when I have to.

Hugz from Phoenix, USA

Victoria

Remember, sometimes the dragon wins. Correction: MOST times.