By Betty Vedrine, Guardian Senior Reporter, betty@nasguard.com

With the high cost of food and fuel wreaking havoc on the average person's budget, many persons are seeking ways to cut costs at the food store and at service stations. Yesterday, The Guardian took to the streets to find out what measures Bahamian consumers are taking in order to ride the current cost of living storm.

"Well I have been buying in bulk and cutting down on the amount of food that I consume," said Sheila Carey. "I also cut down on the amount of driving that I was doing."

Carey is not alone. With the cost of gas and groceries eating away at the wallet, many people are forced to cut back on the perks to pay the bills. As summer is just around the corner, it may be time to start finding ways to cut expenses. And with gas at an all-time high and the grocery bill getting more and more painful with every trip to the store, some Bahamians are forced to rethink their spending habits.

"Bahamians will have to change some of the habits that they have," said Rufus Gray. "We need to cut out all the starch anyway, so not having rice is not such a bad thing."

Some say it's not just the extras like vacations they're cutting back on. Many people who have regularly gone out to dinner or lunch while at work aren't doing that anymore. You may have noticed the refrigerator at the office is getting a lot fuller these days.

"I've been bringing lunch to work not only because its cheaper but it also means that I don't have to get in my car and get lunch," said Sherry Johnson.

And they are not the only ones deciding to make some changes in lifestyle. Two day ago, the Minister of State for Public Utilities, Phenton Neymour, issued a press release advising Bahamians on ways to cut energy costs. "The Government of The Bahamas is concerned about energy consumption locally and seeks to inform, educate and provide guidance to our nation's consumers on the topic of energy conservation," he said.

Neymour said that although Bahamians use some form of energy derived from fossil fuels, little thought is given to its origin and economic impact. Saying that all Bahamians must pay keen attention to the environment, Neymour said that the issue of saving energy is vital. "Energy sources, like fossil fuels, took millions of years to be created and cannot be made overnight," he explained. He added that it is because of this reason that every effort must be taken to conserve energy and find alternative forms of energy.

And to this end, last week the Bahamian government appointed a National Energy Policy Committee with the objective of suggesting a national energy policy. In addition, the Bahamas Electricity Corporation recently formed a Renewable Energy Committee, which will conduct research to find efficient, cleaner and cost-effective options like wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomes and solar energy.

Major food chains such as City Markets are also joining in to assist Bahamian consumers. According to Marketing Director of City Markets, Azaleta Ishmael-Newry, the company plans to introduce money-saving programs soon. "We have two new programs that will be rolled out next month that will help customers save money and stretch their dollar," she said. Newry also encourages consumers to use Sav-a-chek coupons.

The recent increase in the cost of food and fuel have been a global challenge hitting the hardest many third world countries already plagued with economic challenges. Just last Month six persons were killed following violent demonstrations in the cities of Port-au-Prince and Les Cayes in Haiti, prompting a $27 million grant from the United Nations to assist with food and farming. On Tuesday, hundreds of youth in Mogadishu, Somalia, pelted stones at shops and cars in addition to blocking streets with blazing tires in a second day of violence over soaring food prices. The food hike and ensuing violence in some countries have even prompted the UN to set up a task force to tackle what it has termed a global food crisis.

For now, The Bahamas appears to be safe from violent acts over the escalating prices, however, Minister of Agriculture, Larry Cartwright told The Guardian last week that it may be time for local farmers to start producing staples such as rice locally. "We used to grow rice in Andros before so we would simply be reintroducing it to The Bahamas," said Cartwright.

While the government does its part to find solutions, Neymour said that Bahamians can participate by reducing their energy consumption, especially given the nearing summer months. The following are some tips for conserving energy:

Automobiles:

Avoid aggressive driving, accelerate gradually

Avoid speeding and obey the speed limit

Ensure that your tires are properly inflated

Keep your car tuned and use clean oil and air filters,

Don't overload your car

Combine errands into one trip

Consider carpooling

Walk or ride a bicycle, or use public transportation

Shop by telephone, mail or online.

Homes, Business, Workplace

Turn off lights in any room you are not using

Consider installing timers, photo cells or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.

Use task lighting, instead of brightly lighting an entire room.

Use fluorescent under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen

Use compact fluorescent lamps

Turn off all electrical equipment and appliances when not in use

Cut down on use of water

Use low-flow aerating shower heads

Insulate hot water tanks and pipes and drain a quart of water from tank every three months to remove sediment

Lower the thermostat of water heater

Use full loads for laundry

Use cool-down cycle for drying

Clean dryer's vents

Purchase energy-efficient appliances