Fuel prices!!

[KelliH]

It might help if OPEC would release more oil to supply the "developing" countries, and the US were "allowed" more domestic oil production from ANWR and the OCS. I believe we import on the order of 3 billion barrels of crude oil per year. I'll stop here, although I guess this is a rant.

Maybe OPEC is pumping at full capacity, and they are producing as much oil as they possibly can and ever will? Demand for oil is at an all time high, but production has remained flat for the past three years. Oil is not limitless, and the Saudi oil fields are aging and have most likely reached their peak production (which means of course that the world has too). I do agree that we should be doing more exploration and drilling here in the US, but you have to keep in mind that North America has been explored for oil more than any other continent on earth. There are no unknown significant fields left to be found here, and no new technology is going to change that.

Ethanol blending hopefully lives up to its intent in the big picture. I wonder if anyone had the forethought to consider the big picture of emissions from farm equipment burning costly diesel to make the corn. Ethanol will decrease fuel economy for automobiles, so we'll be burning more gasoline, thus more emissions...but...maybe...just...maybe...we'll help the environment?

As of right now, there is no alternative fuel or energy or a combination of those that will allow us to run the daily life that we have become used to here in the US. We're not even close. The amount of petroleum, not to mention natural gas, that is needed to produce the corn we need to make the ethanol cancels out any benefit we might get from using it. In other words, it costs us more energy to produce the ethanol than the energy we would get out of it.

Our entire economy, our entire way of life, is dependent upon cheap fossil fuels. Take a look around and you will see all the things we use that are oil based. It's not just gasoline for our cars, trucks and planes, but it's in the plastic to make the computers and all the other electronics we use every day, it's in the oil based fertilizers that we have to use in order to grow our crops, it's in the medicines we take to keep us healthy, heating oil we need to stay warm in the winters, I mean the list just goes on and on.

We're in serious trouble, and the government is certainly well aware of peak oil, but the politicians don't want to seriously address the problem. I have been studying the oil industry and fossil fuels for years, and let me tell you, I went into a deep deep depression back in 04 when I realized how grim the situation is. It's frightening and we are seeing the beginning of it right now. Gas is NEVER going to go below $3.00 a gallon ever again, and I would bet that it will be $5.00 a gallon by the end of the year. By 2010 todays' gas prices will seem like "the good old days".

But hey, look on the bright side, maybe our future generations will live in a world without industrial pollution. :main_thumbsup:

 

[PacHerp]

wow Kelli, what a great read... I'll have to read up on the link you have posted on your signature... I'm really into this stuff myself.

 

[KelliH]

wow Kelli, what a great read... I'll have to read up on the link you have posted on your signature... I'm really into this stuff myself.

I hope you do look into it, it is the most important national issue in our lifetimes certainly, if not since our country's inception. People need to wake up and stop sleepwalking into the future.

 

[NickOC]

I think the true solution is creative thinking. My 1984 Honda 650 Dual Sport gets about 60 MPG (average). I really think that solar electric hybrids (maybe a diesel solar hybrid) will be the next best option as D's can run on bio with minimal conversion. The first combustion engines ran on bio diesel, and ethenol diesel mix. South America is pretty sucessful at mass producing its own fuel.

 

[AntMan612]

I am very supportive of "bridging technologies" like biodiesel and hybrids while we continue research viable alternative energy technologies. And I think Americans are at least starting to adapt to that mindset. Civilization is capable of AMAZING technological breakthroughs, and I believe we can get there in relatively short time (as long as we fund the research and encourage the tech fields in our Universities). The proliferation of technology today (such as, cell phones, plasma TV's, digital media) would have been practically UNHEARD of 10-15 years ago. We can get there, but sometimes we have to cut through a lot of politics, like ethanol.

 

[NickOC]

I am very supportive of "bridging technologies" like biodiesel and hybrids while we continue research viable alternative energy technologies. And I think Americans are at least starting to adapt to that mindset. Civilization is capable of AMAZING technological breakthroughs, and I believe we can get there in relatively short time (as long as we fund the research and encourage the tech fields in our Universities). The proliferation of technology today (such as, cell phones, plasma TV's, digital media) would have been practically UNHEARD of 10-15 years ago. We can get there, but sometimes we have to cut through a lot of politics, like ethanol.

I hear ya!
Living near "silcone valley" I see alot of Smart cars 9the elctric brand), hybrids of all sorts, and the stereotypical gas hogs just on the way to work. . Just getting bearings from events such as post war industrial breakthroughs to the . com boom...it is very evident that private industry and private investors hold the keys to making breakthroughs applicable to everyday life. It is only a matter of time before economic pressure and the ambition of inventors bring investors to a head imo.

 

[mynewturtle]

Here in London Ontario your looking at 1.30 a litre. Not sure how much that is a gallon but im pretty sure for then $5.10

 

[Ccrashca069]

It also helps if people that can make the differerance like the President won't because his family has alot of money from the Oil Industry.

 

[LadyGecko]

I am one of the oldest people on this forum-that I know of
I have seen a lot of stuff in the almost 55 years that I have been around

I have never driven a motor vehicle and I never wanted to
I ride a bike or i walk and i only have my bf take me to the store for really heavy things that i cannot handle on my bike
That might be once per week

My BF drives a cab for a living and believe me-things aren't that great right now with him having to pay for all of the gas that the cab uses
He drives for a privately owned company and the owner and the drivers used to split the gas and then the drivers got a percentage of the trips/fares

When gas went over $3.00 per gal the owner made the drivers responsible for the entire gas bill per cab and basically his attitude was-if you don't like it-you don't have to work here

:main_huh:

I believe that this crisis could have been averted or at least the severity of it could have been lessened if measures were taken around 25 years ago to seriously study and develop alternative energy sources

The US Government is way too entwined with the Oil Corporations for anything else to have been done to lessen the sales/profit from oil and it's numerous by products
But then Big Business and the US Government have always been "strange bedfellows"

I remember when the price of gas was under .50 per gallon

I remember prices for many things being ridiculously cheaper than they are now and sadly the average income has not ever risen in proportion to the rise in the cost of living

I live in a relatively low income part of Central Illinois
I believe that we are referred to as an economically depressed area

There are countless numbers of people whose homes are being foreclosed on
and there are many empty store fronts in our small "downtown" area

People are walking around wondering how they are going to make ends meet as their gas and electric bills take up most of the year to pay off on payment plans and by the time that they are paid off-it is time to start the winter season again
I have had a very bleak picture of the future for many years now

I would like to be optimistic and think that we could get someone into the Presidency that might be able to make a difference but I have serious doubts there
I have seen years and years of campaign promises either forgotten or defeated in Congress

I honestly wonder how long before the average person simply can not afford to live in a house and feed their familes
my -.02

Sandy

 

[Ccrashca069]

I don't care if you live in an economically depressed area or not Sandy. I do know you are a great person and take awesome care of all your animals.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I'm an old lady who has been through gas shortages many times... odd and even license plate gas days, and lines wrapped around city blocks to the gas station. I remember when gas was $0.33 per gallon for regular!

We, as a nation, need to become independent on foreign oil and look at alternative fuel sources. Unfortunately, many politically oriented populations will not sanctify domestic oil drilling. They do not want drilling on our own soil. Mexico is a goldmine of resources, but for some reason our government is not pursuing that alternative.

Our country alone would be able to supply our own fuel demands (if we conserved), but most of the environmentalists factions will not allow it. Alaska and the southern US states have not been utilized for their oil resource. Corn as an alternative fuel is not the way to go... we need it for food and feed for livestock.

This may sound pretty radical, but if we are going to go with other fuel sources, we need to cut-off much of the financial aid to the countries that hate us anyway, and don't even want us there. We need to focus more on our independence from foreign fuels sources, and become independent. That would REALLY put a damper on the global oil economy!

 

[PacHerp]

We, as a nation, need to become independent on foreign oil and look at alternative fuel sources.

Mexico is a goldmine of resources, but for some reason our government is not pursuing that alternative.

Alaska and the southern US states have not been utilized for their oil resource. Corn as an alternative fuel is not the way to go... we need it for food and feed for livestock.

This may sound pretty radical, but if we are going to go with other fuel sources, we need to cut-off much of the financial aid to the countries that hate us anyway, and don't even want us there. We need to focus more on our independence from foreign fuels sources, and become independent. That would REALLY put a damper on the global oil economy!

so... I guess all I have to say to that is ... 'AMEN!' ... lol!

 

[LadyGecko]

Thanks John

and a BIG DITTO to your post Marcia!!

I have long wondered why we choose to funnel monies into those countries when have so many that need help here?

I also remember .33 cent gas prices
sigh

 

[AntMan612]

Hurting ourselves & sending $billions overseas...hmmm

I totally agree with your comments, Marcia. Paying foreign countries billions of dollars for their oil is a choice somebody made to protect our environment. However...(big picture thinking here), we're just putting the same or worse environmental impacts on the conscience of SOMEONE ELSE, with environmental regulations which we do not control. I still consider domestic oil production a short term strategy, to keep us from hurting our own. I'd be interested in learning what reserves we actually have (e.g., off the CA coast) that we can't even touch.

 

[Gecko]

Funny thing is my crappy old car get's like 250-300 miles on almost a full tank of gas which is a little over 10 gallons. So now I pay about 40 bucks a tank. My car predates the SUV/light truck crazy though.

I'm kind of the opinion a lot of people who claim to need "big cars" probably don't.

One problem is that american public transit in most places is a joke compared to what it is in places where you actually can live a high standard of living without a car.

 

[BEAR]

While it is a national security issue to be energy independent...we as a country have not done anything to forward this.

We know what oil does to the environment. We know that we are poisoning our own planet. We know we are in dire need to change things...

However, drilling here or anywhere else ISN'T the answer.

We have been giving huge tax cuts to these oil companies who are constantly raising prices without any visible reasoning. We give it to them for "Technology".

Why are we putting that in the hands of companies that make billions in profits selling OIL?

No one sees ethenol as a final solution, but their are limitless technologies that could be created, as well as millions of jobs, by expanding research in new technologies i.e. Solar, Wind, Hydroelectric, etc.

We have lived in so much comfort, but now people are talking...now people are questioning..It shouldn't of taken this long.

I am no longer comfortable...and seeing this whole thread proves no one else is either. Maybe that is a good thing! :main_yes:

Why isn't their some type of huge reward for whoever comes out with a practical, sustainable, green energy source? Tax free for life? 50million?

There is so much to all of this..it scares me. I am being handed a world that is pretty screwed up in many ways...I have to make the best of it. We need to come together as a nation and secure our future.

Clean sustainable energy for national security, a cleaner environment, a better economy! :main_thumbsup:


P.S. Would someone mind doing a bit of research and telling me what Fords 1st Model T ran on, and was made out of? I believe it was some type of plastic..but i forget what kind... :main_laugh: Some will be suprised.

 

[Ccrashca069]

Hey Bear believe it or not while Bill Clinton was still President they were going to give Big incentives for companies to make better cars that ran on less gas and alternitive fuels. Then it was election year and We now have a President whos family has alot of money in Oil. Now with it being anouther Presidental Election soon, maybe then something will be done. I don't like anyone thats running but if they can promise alternitive fuel cars and lower gas prices they have my vote lol.

 

[BEAR]

Hey Bear believe it or not while Bill Clinton was still President they were going to give Big incentives for companies to make better cars that ran on less gas and alternitive fuels. Then it was election year and We now have a President whos family has alot of money in Oil. Now with it being anouther Presidental Election soon, maybe then something will be done. I don't like anyone thats running but if they can promise alternitive fuel cars and lower gas prices they have my vote lol.

good for him.

theres a lot to this election: the economy, gas prices, homes, womens rights, the war, etc etc.

the gas that we are consuming for our war vehicles is crazy...I have a buddy at work who is a marine...He was telling me how they all run on deisel and there pretty much aren't any standards as far as MPG. just consuming so much fuel, you would be surpised. (let alone our brave soldiers in harms way, and the thousands who have already been taken :main_no: :main_angry: )

 

[Gecko]

The war veichles thing may be stuck in low mpg simply because of weight issues. A lot of protection comes from things just being heavy and massive, and that of course causes more fuel for movement.

 

[BEAR]

:main_no: obviously, but the point I was trying to make is that everything comes to play in this.

It is unfortunate, but the combustion engine pretty much hasn't changed in 100 years.

I'm not buying it.:main_no: