Environment vs. consumption and convenience

[radaro]

Gas prices in Ottawa have reached as high as $1.34/litre yet I don't see anyone doing anything about.  Everyone likes to b*tch and moan about the price of gas but no one wants to conserve.

What about:
- giving up the SUV?  Cars and vans have different consumption standards that SUVs and light trucks.  If you really must have an SUV in the city (and I can't imagine why other than image) what about only using it only when you really have to? like when you have 4 or more passengers.
- carpooling?  I've been able to walk to work this summer and I've noticed that 99% of vehicles on the road have only a driver in them.  I just saw this book on Amazon (I haven't read it) but the title to be a play on a WWII poster "When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden"  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1597775134/103-2686680-4045401  Also, carpooling would greatly reduce the number of cars, thereby reducing traffic problems
- walking or taking public transportation?  Not many people have the option of walking to work but what about walking to the store?
- modifying driving habits?  Most people seem to accelerate quickly at the green and then drive like mad until they rapidly apply the brakes at the red.  If you coast to the stop light (this takes some advance planning ) you can save gas.  Also, the faster you drive, the more rapid your gas consumption.  People should try to keep to the speed limit.

It's all basic economics: supply and demand.  The demand is getting higher and higher and the supply is dropping so price will continue to rise.  If the demand decrease and the supply stayed the same, the price would drop and we just might save our environment, too.

What legacy do you want to leave your kids?

[diamondlady]

Radaro, I understand your frustration, but I KNOW it will get worse before things get better.  I'm not going to b*tch about gas prices when theres folks in other locations with tougher situations than we have.

I agree with you to a point, and people should just be patient and understanding with the price of gasoline.  We knew this was a possiblity last year.  And, with Labor Day upon us, it's no big surprise that it is this high.  I guess I'm a bit frazzled by why so many people are upset over the price of it.  I'm not condoning it in any way shape or form.  I've seen it as high as 3.19/gallon this morning on my commute in, and while it's awful, folks were complaining 2 years ago when it was 1.62/gallon. Now, we would all be in line to get it at that price thinking it was a bargain.  

Just be patient.  I KNOW it sucks, but if we all conserve a bit and try not to go too crazy with driving, it will all balance out in the end.   Right now it's really bad, but with the refineries in the gulf down, I expected that and with the end of Summer, I'm really not surprised that its 3.00/gallon.

What to do, I'm not sure...but I'm not at all surprised.

And color me crazy, but can you traslate that into US dollars for us so we can compare pricing?  

Diamondlady
Peer Moderator

Edited by diamondlady on 02/09/05 06:19 PM.

[countrigal]

I must say that I like what you say, but can't see it working well where I live.  Though my husband and I will start trying to drive to work together (as we only work 10 blocks from each other) in order to conserve gas.  I drive a minivan due to family size and necessity, and my in-laws drive an SUV for necesity - needed space for 2 wheelchairs and ability of passengers to get in and out more easily due to limited mobility.  My husband only drives our truck when he needs to haul things, either on the trailer or in the bed of the truck, otherwise he drives the car.

As for public transportation or walking... there is virtually no public transportation where I live, and that includes the entire state, and what is available is unreliable.  And walking is not an option since we live in a sprawling suburban area... and it's a minimum 15 minute drive (with no traffic and no lights slowing you down) to the nearest store of any kind.  If I lived within walking distance of work, you can bet I'd be doing so.  And if I could walk to the grocery store, I'd do that too.  I did a lot of that while I lived overseas, only driving when I had to, and loved the freedom of walking and getting exercise while completing necessary tasks.

I've looked and looked into carpooling from my area, but no one lives in my area that also works in my company.  And there really are no other companies close to us that I could look to for carpooling partners either.  And with kids, that adds a kink to carpooling.  (my company is in a residential area, with the only close 'business' being the Middle School next door.)

So while it sounds ideal to say that everyone needs to conserve, it's not always as easy as it sounds.  Our cities have gotten too large so that folks live in rural-suburban areas which require long commutes to work and/or shopping, and for a number of folks, it's too late for them to modify the vehicle that they drive as they only have one and it's the SUV or whatever, and in a lot of areas mass transit is minimal to non-existent.  What we can do is try to drive smarter, drive more efficiently (something I've already started doing, which has increased my MPG's), and when possible, purchase vehicles which will allow for more fuel conservation.  I'm really interested in the alternative fuel sources that are being developed... would love to be able to buy a vehicle that runs on diesel and have it burn on oil from soybeans or other reproducable sources, and the knowlege is already there, we just have to support the building of plants for production and refinement, and get the farmers to start planting for those reasons.

CountriGal
Peer Moderator

[countrigal]

Conversion:

$1.00 Canadian = $0.841186 US

1 Liter = 0.264 Gallons (US)

Therefore $1.34/Liter (Canadian) would be the equivalent of $4.26/Gal (US).

And the US has been lucky in our gas prices for years.  While other countries are paying more per gallon, we've been paying little or nothing in comparison, and complaining about that then.  We, as a country, have been using and using with little or no thought put to what would happen if/when... so now we're being hit with those issues and all folks are doing is complaining.  Me, I just pull up to the pump and pay, thankful that it's not what it could be and what it probably will be at some point before it starts to get better.  And I think the US has seen the last of $1.XX / gal gas.  Now that it's gotten higher, and folks are still paying, I expect gas stations to keep higher prices.  It may drop back to $2.1X per gallon down the road, but not for a while.  I'm lucky that it's still only $2.59 where I live, but who knows for how much longer that'll be.

CountriGal
Peer Moderator

[donnap99]

I've been working on and off all day on a spreadsheet to determine at what price gas will have to be that it will be worth it for me to start using mass transportation (whcih will take generally 1.5 times as long and will be a major pain on evenings I have classes). I will do it if I have to, but it's definitely not my first choice!

DonnaP99

[kjorg]

Gas prices are $3.25/gallon here for premium. I usually buy the plus, which is usually $.10/gallon cheaper. Still makes it $45 to fill up my car. Unfortunately, I commute 25 miles one way to work. Have to get there somehow. Not sure if there's a bus line that connects the two cities. Will check into that. My husband drives all over the place for his job. self-employed. with a truck. I think it's $60-$70 to fill up his truck. It's definitely affecting us.

Frankly, I'd be surprised if we ever see anything below $2.50 again. Even before the hurricane crisis, they were talking about the production in Iraq, Saudi, etc .... being down and probably wouldn't reach their high production again. It's not a never ending supply. I wish there were more alternatives to choose from. We here in the U.S. are slow in accepting anything else.

-k

[geminigirl]

Petrol prices in the UK are currently at £4.20 per gallon / 91pence per litre - I think that works out around $6 - $7 or so a gallon?  I really couldn't imagine giving up my car for anything ... I drive to work, but do try and walk to the supermarket or family visits of a weekend.

[gee4]

I walk to work so only use the car when I need shopping or visiting friends.  However I just wonder how much more it will increase .... at this rate we'll be giving up the luxury of having a car!

G

[ecogirl]

When I lived in the Highlands almost 2 years ago, we were already paying around 90p per litre.  I hate to think how much it is costing up there now.  And you don't have any choice.  The supermarket was 40 miles away, the bus only passed every three days and the post bus would take you to the next village to the village store but it didn't come all the way back!  From this point of view, I'm glad to be back in civilsation.

caroleanne

[Jackie G]

Am watching the news as I check DD and I've just seen a pump price in the south at £1.03.9/litre - yikes!

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[peana]

It is a catch 22 situation - without good public transport most people have no option but to rely on their car.  I'm lucky living in London - most of my usual buses run every 8 mins during the day, and even run all night at 20 min intervals!!  We sold our car over five years ago, hiring one when it's unavoidable.  However, I tend to rely on buses and trains.  You can catch a train to just about anywhere in the UK from London with only 1 or 2 changes so we really are spoilt.  At a recent wedding in Wiltshire hubby and I beat the car driver's journeys by hours.

Unfortunately so few people are in this position - it makes me really angry how bad public transport is in the rest of the country.  It's impossible to get people out of cars if there is no realistic alternative.

[tiffanyctd]

Same here! There was one time that I tried the public transportation around here because my car was in the shop. What was normally a 10 minute drive to work (through town, during rush hour), took about 2 1/2 hours!!! Now, I'm closer to work, but there is NO public transportation on this side of town. I'd love to walk or bike, but my family freaks out any time I suggest it, because there are no sidewalks and I would have to walk for a mile on a VERY busy street. ARRGGHHH!

Thankfully, my car gets fairly decent gas mileage, so a tank of gas lasts me 2-3 weeks.

[whitesatin]

My husband just started a new job in Sacramento which is approximately an hour and a half to two hours from where we live.  His brother and family live about 15 minutes from his new job, so he is staying with them to shorten the commute and save gasoline.  He is coming home once during the work week and coming home on the weekend.  That is a HUGE sacrifice for us.  We miss each other very much.  He is coming home tonight.  Yeah!

WhiteSatin

[ecogirl]

Jackie, it's not just down south the petrol prices are over £1.  Just passed one in Edinburgh with unleaded at 102.9p.

caroleanne

[Jackie G]

Carole

I filled up the other day at 94.9 and that hurt me!  I think £1+ is going to really hurt.  Trouble is my boyfriend and I take turns in driving to see each other, so we use a lot of gas!

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org