So-Called Gas Out
I see the “gas-out” and “boycott” e-mails are making the rounds again. Let me drop this in your lap, and think about it for a while: The premise of the e-mails is that if we don’t buy gas on one particular day, or from one particular dealer, we will “send a message” to the oil companies.
I would like to point out flaws with both of the premises, and suggest an alternate “solution” to the high gas price problem.
If we don’t buy gas on one particular day, the oil companies won’t feel the burp in revenues. They measure income (at the least) by the month – not by the day. If you don’t buy gas on Tuesday, you will on Wednesday or Thursday, or whenever – you won’t not buy gas this month.
If we boycott a particular dealer, we won’t hurt the oil company – we will hurt the owner/operator of the station, who is already hurting because the cost of goods sold has been jacked through the roof, and the owner/operator is being squeezed from above (oil company), below (consumer) and both sides (media outlets). Not a fate I would wish on someone who lives and works in my neighborhood.
My suggestion, if you really want to make an impact on the oil companies, is to stop making refined oil products such a high demand consumer item. Start being more conservative on the gas pedal. In the city, drive at a speed that allows you to minimize stopping (fancy phrase for hitting all the greens). When you do have to stop, let off the gas earlier, and slowly accelerate when you restart – jack rabbit starts and stops guzzle a lot of gas, even in an econo-box. Keep your car maintained – tune ups, oil changes, tire pressures. Carpool. Walk. Ride mass transit (although, here in Phoenix, mass transit is laughable at best unless you happen to live and work in a straight line on a main feeder). Ride your bike. Write letters to your representatives pushing for alternate fuel vehicles to be legislated in sooner. Alt-fuel vehicles are gaining in range and speed, and make a viable choice for driving. Driving, not racing.
Instead of passing on the “Gas Out” e-mail, pass this one on. Changing the way people use the resource is going to be more difficult than just pressing the “Forward” button on your e-mail, but in the long run it will have more of an affect.
I would like to point out flaws with both of the premises, and suggest an alternate “solution” to the high gas price problem.
If we don’t buy gas on one particular day, the oil companies won’t feel the burp in revenues. They measure income (at the least) by the month – not by the day. If you don’t buy gas on Tuesday, you will on Wednesday or Thursday, or whenever – you won’t not buy gas this month.
If we boycott a particular dealer, we won’t hurt the oil company – we will hurt the owner/operator of the station, who is already hurting because the cost of goods sold has been jacked through the roof, and the owner/operator is being squeezed from above (oil company), below (consumer) and both sides (media outlets). Not a fate I would wish on someone who lives and works in my neighborhood.
My suggestion, if you really want to make an impact on the oil companies, is to stop making refined oil products such a high demand consumer item. Start being more conservative on the gas pedal. In the city, drive at a speed that allows you to minimize stopping (fancy phrase for hitting all the greens). When you do have to stop, let off the gas earlier, and slowly accelerate when you restart – jack rabbit starts and stops guzzle a lot of gas, even in an econo-box. Keep your car maintained – tune ups, oil changes, tire pressures. Carpool. Walk. Ride mass transit (although, here in Phoenix, mass transit is laughable at best unless you happen to live and work in a straight line on a main feeder). Ride your bike. Write letters to your representatives pushing for alternate fuel vehicles to be legislated in sooner. Alt-fuel vehicles are gaining in range and speed, and make a viable choice for driving. Driving, not racing.
Instead of passing on the “Gas Out” e-mail, pass this one on. Changing the way people use the resource is going to be more difficult than just pressing the “Forward” button on your e-mail, but in the long run it will have more of an affect.
posted by cary | 14:11
2 Comments:
a one day 'gas out' will never work. It may make us feel better, but unless people change their driving habitsand/or vehicles, we will still be buying gas and paying whatever the price is. My suggestion is that people think about their driving habits, run all your errands in one trip, and if possible, get a car that uses less gas. The problem with the price of gas is that the supply and demand process works...if we lessen the demand, the supply will go up and the price will fall.
You are correct, dawn - just gotta slow down our consumption, and the rules of economics will prevail.
Thanks for stopping by.
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