The benefits of high gas prices . . . ?
Quite aside from the horrific events in New Orleans (the imagination boggles and the heart shudders), the question of fuel costs is on many people's minds.
Excerpt from an editorial in The Globe and Mail, Thursday Sept. 1, 2005:
It might make us think a bit, for one thing. It might make us think about our love affair with big gas-guzzling cars and consider smaller, more energy-efficient vehicles or electric hybrids. It might make us think about our fear of nuclear power, a safe, clean technology when used properly that looks more and more attractive as oil prices climb. It might make us wonder why we haven't invested enough in big-city public-transit systems . . . It might make us think about building better bicycle paths. It might make us reconsider passenger rail . . . It might make us think about designing towns and cities so that people don't have to drive everywhere.
How high does gas have to go before these kinds of changes happen? Will they ever happen? What will it take?
Where I am, the price of gas is now the equivalent of between $3.80 and $4.00 per US gallon (very roughly). I'm lucky enough to be within easy walking distance of reliable public transit and a well-serviced shopping district, so I don't need to use a car every day. But of course, it's not just about gasoline. It's also about fuel for air travel (ouch!), freight and transport (think--> the price of fresh produce in mid-winter?), and the refinement of other products like plastics.
We had an energy crunch in the 70s. For another decade or so, manufacturers made small cars. Now that's passed into history.
What about this time? Will we get over our shock and get used to soaring energy prices, because so many of us feel we have no choice?
Excerpt from an editorial in The Globe and Mail, Thursday Sept. 1, 2005:
It might make us think a bit, for one thing. It might make us think about our love affair with big gas-guzzling cars and consider smaller, more energy-efficient vehicles or electric hybrids. It might make us think about our fear of nuclear power, a safe, clean technology when used properly that looks more and more attractive as oil prices climb. It might make us wonder why we haven't invested enough in big-city public-transit systems . . . It might make us think about building better bicycle paths. It might make us reconsider passenger rail . . . It might make us think about designing towns and cities so that people don't have to drive everywhere.
How high does gas have to go before these kinds of changes happen? Will they ever happen? What will it take?
Where I am, the price of gas is now the equivalent of between $3.80 and $4.00 per US gallon (very roughly). I'm lucky enough to be within easy walking distance of reliable public transit and a well-serviced shopping district, so I don't need to use a car every day. But of course, it's not just about gasoline. It's also about fuel for air travel (ouch!), freight and transport (think--> the price of fresh produce in mid-winter?), and the refinement of other products like plastics.
We had an energy crunch in the 70s. For another decade or so, manufacturers made small cars. Now that's passed into history.
What about this time? Will we get over our shock and get used to soaring energy prices, because so many of us feel we have no choice?