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Why Higher Gas Prices Are Making Me Smile |
14 Comments |
| By Michael d'Estries in Conservation, Energy, Green Living | May 2, 2008 | ||
I’m not naive — I understand that there are severe hardships in store the longer the price of a barrel of oil soars ever higher. But here’s the thing. Every time I pass by my local gas station and see the numbers a couple cents higher than the day before, I smile. For some that might seem odd — and for those that depend on cheap oil, my sentiments are with you. Unfortunately for all of us, those unaffected and those in dire straits, this had to happen. As someone who champions sustainability day in and out, writes about political hangups to change America’s dependency on oil, and laments our lack of investment in renewable energies, this is a blessing in disguise. My only hope is that this continues — and is less of a “rubberband effect” we all experienced in the wake of Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
Why? Because if we are to shift to an economy that is truly self-sufficient and sustainable, we have to be hit hard collectively in the wallets. It’s the only way. As environmentalists, we can release movies, write articles, hold rallies, and buy all the green products in the world — but to to truly bear witness to real change, it has to come from those not directly involved. In other words, everyone must be faced with a burden. For some, climate change might be their burden and buying a hybrid vehicle or biking to work might be the solution. For others, higher gas prices which affect the bottom line might be their burden. In the end, what matters most is that it is a common hardship. Whatever the personal impact, the demanded outcome will be in unison.
Back in December 2005 — when the price of a barrel of oil was a staggering $70 — Wired magazine wrote an article titled “Why $5 Gas Is Good For America“. Here’s a highlight:
“So what’s a price-shocked, carbon-afflicted highway jockey to do? Keep driving. In fact, drive more. The longer gas stays expensive, the higher the chance we’ll see alternatives. Put that pedal to the metal. And smile when you see a big black $3 or $4 out in front at the gas pump. Those innovators need all the encouragement they can get. Shale oil, uranium, sunlight – there’s enough energy out there for a dozen planets. Where we’ll all park is another matter.”
And Ladies and Gentlemen, that should be the moral of the story. Sure, we went through this BS back in the 70s — but I’m not sure if the world was ready technologically or even mentally to embrace alternatives. Although, I will concede that watching Jack Nicholson drive around in a hydrogen-powered car makes me wonder indefinite “what ifs” had we embraced the future 30 years ago. Alas.
So, to those gritting their teeth over what’s happening at the pump, hang on. Remember, we’re all in this together. From the guy with the Suburban in his driveway, to the woman who rides a bike to work but faces higher food prices. The greatest thing to look forward to in times of strife is the eventual change. And it will come. The days of $1/$2 gas are well behind us. The time now is to innovate and recognize the flaws in a society so dependent on cheap gasoline. And here’s one more sobering thought: No matter how bad you think it is now, it could (and may one day soon) be much worse. In fact, in a recent survey of a 155 countries, the US was ranked as the 45th cheapest — even with the average around $3.45/gallon. Think you’re hurting? It’s $8 a gallon across much of Europe, $12.03 in Aruba and $18.42 in Sierra Leone.
This alone should give you reason to smile as you drive by the gas station. I know I will be.
Michael said,
When anthropologists look back at our time they will call it the age of oil. Everything in our world is dependent on oil in one form or another. As the price of oil soars viable substitutes will arise in the form of renewable energy. Of course as the price of oil goes higher and higher, the monetary incentives to develop those viable substitutes increase as well. Until those substitutes are developed though we stuck paying incredibly high prices at both the pump, and the market.
Stacy said,
So what you’re saying is the high gas prices are going to fix everything?
Do you order things and have them delivered to your home? Do you have plastic bottles in your house that also support the oil industry? Do you at all costs avoid products that are made in China? Is your house heated and powered with either a solar, wind or hydro system? Do you use baking soda and vinegar to clean your home or are you old school and still contribute the companies that take pride in their “scrubbing bubbles”? Do you know if the very server that this site sits on is powered by an renewable resource?
I’m not defending the family of 3 that feels the need to own a driveway full SUV’s, but I do find it amusing that people can be so snarky over gas prices, but yet these same people will go out of their way to use the electricity to make their thoughts publicly known. Wouldn’t it be more eco-friendly to make a sign with recycled paper & non-toxic markers, then attach it to yourself with string made out of hemp and peddle around town?
Keep smiling….
Willi Kremer said,
hmm, I don’t know who did the calculation, but the price on Auba is $4.85 / Gallon
Sorry to spoil
Michael d'Estries said,
No, of course not — High gas prices will not fix everything. Is that what you wanted to hear or were you just being factious for the hell of it? Cute.
But they will push us in a direction that directly fuels the viability of alternatives — not to mention the R&D so desperately needed to push down costs of renewables and sustainable tech.
Do I attempt to limit my use of oil and coal? Absolutely. Can I currently afford to go off-grid? Nope — but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. What’s needed is a shift in thinking so that such things do not seem so foreign — or hurt the pocket book.
It’s a fact that when things become more expensive — and volatile in price — people will move towards items that are less so. They just need to demand it — and thanks to higher gas prices, such a common denominator is right around the corner.
And Stacy — Keep smiling!
Michael d'Estries said,
Thanks Willi — CNN admitted some errors in the chart which have now been updated. Looks like everything has been adjusted; with Bosnia-Herzegovina coming in at close to $11.
Dan Cooper said,
Don’t worry about people like Stacy… their mantra is “it’s all bad, so who cares?” Instead of looking at the positives of making small changes (that really do help) they just say, “you think you’re better than me because you actually care about the environment.”
Keep smiling Stacy!
gps93 said,
Oil companies do not care about the Earth, they only care about money, but when they screw the Earth up where would they live. So money would be useless if we all died because of global warming (which would be extremely unpleasant) we can not live anywhere else in this universe but here on Earth.
Hunterseeker said,
You might want to check out this report:http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-17992#
Laura said,
Dan is right. Stacy’s completely missed the point of the post. Its really just about the economy and demand. We will be forced into creating energy alternatives when the oil prices go up, its just a fact. I agree with Michael, because it is something we need to have happen and it will be good. It just really irks me when people like that think that because someone does his or her part to help the environment, however small, they’re snarky or smug. That’s kind of attitude and thinking that Michael said needs to be shifted. No one is perfect, and we shouldn’t be judging others for trying to help. It’s not getting us anywhere.
Sylvia Blyden in Sierra Leone said,
Hi, the price in Sierra Leone is NOT that high. We have it as 16,500 per gallon which at Le3,000 = S1 means we are buying gas at only $5.50. Just thought I should correct an otherwise brilliant article.
James said,
who will bring food to the supermarket when it’s too expensive to haul it here?
suburbans can plant gardens
but the cities will have problems
Mohamed Alusine Kandeh said,
The price of gas in Sierra Leone is NOT $18.42 as indicated by CNN and other news channels. Although the price of gas changes rapidly in Sierra Leone, a gallon is about 16,500 leones which is the equivalence of $5.50.
Green Thoughts for Today | Mind on Fire said,
[...] Why Higher Gas Prices Should Make You Smile, at least if you believe that the only way we’re going to get out of this crisis is by switching to “alternative” (to fossil fuels) forms of energy. I have often said that $4 was the price point at which I would stop driving and I’ve been trying to live up to that. I’ve been better about biking to work (I have my husband poke me in the back when my alarm goes off each morning to get me out of bed) and I’ve actually done so twice a week for the last three weeks. Yay me It means getting up & getting ready earlier than I’m used to, it means more exercise than I’m used to, and it means being more organized (like figuring out what’s for dinner the evening before I have to go shopping); but it also means a certain smugness that makes me feel warm inside (or maybe that’s just the exercise) when I pass gas stations, and an even better smugness when I pass cars because I’m actually going faster than they are in traffic. [...]
Uncle B said,
The amount of oil left in their wells is declining,and the people of the OPEC countries are terrified. They are running out of livelihood!. We are replacing their expensive oil with bio-diesel, we threaten to run economy cars, We plan LFTR Thorium reactors, We have a “Slow Poke” reactor in Montreal Canada that works well. We can grow weeds and turn them into bio-diesel and ethanol. We stopped giving corn away and turned it into ethanol. We are totally capable of running an oil free economy, given enough time and reason to make the changeover. Even our own government statistics indicate that there is enough solar power in the deserts of the south west, to run our entire country, once converted by existing technologies to electricity. The grid is already there. A breakthrough in battery technology will convert us to carbon fiber bodied electric cars, and we have more scientists, with better educations than ever before, armed with computers, modern labs and good paychecks working day and night toward this holy grail of modern science. ” Oil free” is not an “if” thing, it is a “when” thing.