Fuel Prices and the Economy

(Annie apologizes for the lapse in reporting. She was busy being hired into a permanent job and working to make a success of it.)

So much is happening with the environment; one hardly knows where to begin again. But two current issues just seem to jump out: fuel prices and the economy.

It is unfortunate that very few of our political leaders (of either side; Republican or Democrat) have mentioned one thing each of us can do, right now, to help our own personal economies and the environment. That thing is: CONSERVATION. It appears very few leaders are willing to stick their necks out and tell us Americans that we need to stop consuming so much.

It is an unpopular answer; kind of like Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth. Back in 2004, President Bush stated that America was "addicted to oil". That was the truth then, and seems to be the inconvenient truth now. We Americans consume 25% of the oil and gas in the entire world. That's ridiculous.

The gas and oil industry seems to say they are helpless against the rising demand for fuel, and there is just no way their CEOs can reduce their own obscene compensation packages or their company's record-breaking profits. What is a poor oil industry to do? It's not their fault, they seem to say. Gosh, they wish they could help, but their hands are tied....

Whose ever fault it is, we Americans can do something right now. We can drive less. We can carpool more. We can turn our motors off in traffic jams and at long lights. We can park the car and walk into the fast food joint, rather than idling in the drive-thru. We can slow down. If we slow down to 60 mph or less, we get 30% more miles per gallon. That's HUGE!!

We can walk, carpool, take lite rail, bicycle or motor scooter. We can stay home instead of driving long distances on vacation. Some of us can purchase energy efficient vehicles. We can combine errands into one trip. We can plan our routes out so we don't back track.

I sure hated it when President Carter ordered the highway speed limits reduced during one of the earlier oil crises; I love to drive fast. But I did notice my fuel gauge went toward empty much slower....

During WWII, the government rationed gasoline. Citizens got gas coupons or tickets and had to use their coupons sparingly. To my way of thinking, we are again at war; this time for energy and the environment. If we suck it up and take a tougher attitude about our own consumption, we can save ourselves a few dollars and help out the environment too.

Let's prove to ourselves and the world that we can take action on a grass-roots level, and make a difference.

Thanks! As always, looking for feedback and ideas!!