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Apologies for off-topic for the 9000 board, but here goes...
The reason gas prices are high is because of our reliance on oil from the OPEC cartel - and the reason we need OPEC oil is because the average fuel consumption of the entire U.S. automotive fleet today is lower than it was in the early 1980's. This is because of the abandonment of CAFE (fuel efficency) standards by Regan and the fact that SUV's, as "trucks", don't have to follow more modern fuel-efficency standards. I have heard studies that say if we reduced the average fuel consumption across-the-board by 3 Miles per gallon, we could completely eliminate our need for oil in the middle east... taken a step further:
You know those new government anti-drug messages, "if you buy drugs, you're supporting terrorism"? I don't really buy it, most of the people I know use one drug and it's grown in someone else's backyard nearby, but in any case, here's a better one:
Middle-Eastern terrorists are P.O.'d at the U.S. for our intrusive forign policy in the region. Number one reason we get so involved is to maintain a steady supply of cheap crude oil. The reason we need that oil, instead of relying on what we get from other sources (Russia, North Atlantic, North and South America), as mentioned above, is the SUV's, which drive down the national fuel efficency average. So how about this statement (good bumper sticker perhaps?):
"If you drive an SUV, you are encouraging terrorism."
If we do go to war with Iraq (the sooner the better IMHO, lest Saddam complete the bomb), some members of OPEC have threatened to cut off oil supplies. While this may just lead to increased production from other countries, I for one would welcome a 1970's style doubling or tripling in gas pump prices for a year or so. Getting by for a year on walking, biking, mass-transportation, and judicious use of my nicely fuel-efficent 9000 would be worth it to me if the situation was enough to start the anti-SUV backlash.
Economically, the switch to alternative fuels (hydrogen, solar, wind) is inevitable, because in the long run they are much, much cheaper than oil. The question then is just how long it will take, and the answer is it will not happen until the price of oil gets sufficcently high to overcome the currently high startup price of these alternatives. Once that happens, the switch will take place, and the startup price will drop. It's a rosy picture in the future, but it may take a long time to happen. Yikes! Enough ranting.
posted by 63.224.74...
, Thu, 9 May 2002 07:03:53
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