Rick Raw: Rising Price of Gas Reaching Critical Mass which Will Force Positive Change

By Rick Grant rickgrant01@comcast.com www.rickatnight.com

Traditionally, Americans adjust to changing economic situations like the price of gas and food. However, I ask: How high does gas have to reach before Americans start getting serious about conservation and alternative fuel sources for their cars. Today, at an average of $4.00 + per gallon, the price of gas it is reaching that point--its critical mass, in which Americans will shift their thinking, and start taking steps to conserve energy. In this respect, as gas rises to $5.00 per gallon and beyond, the crisis will have positive consequences. Of course, it will cause a lot of misery as well, with many businesses like restaurants and entertainment venues going bankrupt as a direct result of people cutting back on discretionary spending.

When the public starts demanding hydrogen fuel cell and electric powered cars which produce zero pollution from their exhaust pipes, then the car manufacturers will meet the market need. There is already a waiting list for Toyota’s popular Prius hybrid car that gets 50 miles per gallon. Shell is planning hydrogen gas stations that manufacture the hydrogen at the solar powered sites. Norway has a 600 mile hydrogen highway with this type of technology for hydrogen fuel cell cars.

In contrast, prestige car dealers are pushing luxury as a perk of the rich in commercials that feature an arrogant guy commuting to work in his Cadillac Escalade, saying, "It’s worth every penny." In other words, he’s so rich he could care less about he price of gas. But the buying trend in car dealerships across the country is for smaller more fuel efficient cars. The big SUVs and bulky pickups are not selling. In fact, people are trading in their gas guzzlers for hybrids and flex fuel cars. Diesel powered trucks can be converted to run on bio-fuel made from French fry oil picked up from fast food chains and sold at special fueling stations. The savings and eco-friendly exhaust offset the fact that your truck smells like a French fry.

The positive effects of rising gas prices has been reflected in the latest gas buying statistics. Americans are buying less gas than a year ago. Consumption is dropping, down from 9.4 million gallons to 200,000 fewer barrels per day than in mid-September of last year. Sadly, this will not lower the price because America is not the world’s leader in consuming gas anymore. China is now the world’s leader in gas consumption and, as a consequence, pollution.. So, the worldwide demand is going up, which is driving prices up. The truth is, petroleum plants just can’t keep up with the demand for black gold.

Global warming, caused by rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, is now a real threat to the planet has made an impact on the Zeitgeist. More importantly, the price of gas has caused a paradigm shift in the public’s collective mind-set toward eco-conservation. We have reached the point that most every American citizen recognizes the need to switch to alternative energy sources and radical new ways to get around.

Yes, the excrement has hit the fan, and people are waking up to near future catastrophes as the ocean level rises, and large coastal regions like Miami and Manhattan face serious flooding. Sometimes, we need a wake up call or a slap on the face, like the gas prices skyrocketing to absurd levels, to hurt us financially, so we are forced to consider real change to survive.

Now, America will have to face the new reality and consider transportation options like using mass transit, riding bicycles to work, or buying fuel efficient vehicles. That guy in the Cadillac Escalade commercial may feel smug in his wealth and luxury, but his mockery of the ordinary person who struggles to make ends meet could get his obscenely large fuel sucking phallic symbol trashed.. The Escalade and the Hummer are now symbols of greed, waste, and anti-conservatism.