Top 5 Sayings to Retire Before the Planet Does 😂

What's not fine? Burnt out fossil-fuel sayings!

I’ve noticed something lately — and it’s not just the new solar array on my neighbour’s roof. It’s my language.

Every so often, in a meeting about clean energy and sustainability, I’ll hear myself blurt out something like, “Let’s keep our foot on the gas!” Then there’s an awkward pause, a few polite smiles, and I realize I’ve just used an expression that would make a petroleum executive proud.

It turns out a lot of us (especially those of us of a certain age, ahem) are still running on the linguistic equivalent of fossil fuels. These phrases once made perfect sense, but now they sound a bit... burnt-out.

So in the spirit of renewable language, I present my 5 worst carbon-clunkers!

1. “Firing on all cylinders.”

Once the ultimate compliment — you’re efficient, powerful, and roaring ahead! But unless you’re a 1968 Mustang, there are probably better ways to say it. Try “Fully charged” or “At peak solar output.”

2. “Now we’re cooking with gas.”

This used to mean “things are going great!” — and it still does, if you’re a gas company ad from 1957. These days, maybe try “Now we’re cooking with induction” or “Now we’re really generating!”

3. “Running on fumes.”

Still a perfect description of how we feel at 3 p.m. after back-to-back Google Meet calls, but maybe it’s time to update it to “Running on residual charge.” (Bonus: it sounds like what your EV says when you ignore the low battery warning.)

4. “Keep your foot on the gas.”

A fine expression in 1973. In 2025, it sounds like a climate emergency waiting to happen. How about “Keep your electrons flowing” or “Keep your solar array angled toward the sun”?

5. “More bang for your buck.”

Originally from the weapons world, this explosive one’s doubly dated — and doubly non-renewable. Let’s retire it in favour of something like “More watts for your wind” or “More juice for your joule.”

Bonus Round: “Running out of steam.” / “Burning the midnight oil.”

Both solid old-timers. But “steam power” and “oil lamps” are hardly cutting-edge anymore. Maybe we just say, “My batteries are running low”.

I catch myself using these old gas-powered idioms all the time, then have to laugh. The future is clean and renewable — maybe our language should be too.

What other expressions should we retire before the planet does? Which of your sayings are secretly fossil-fueled?

Share them with us — we promise not to gaslight you!