Is there anything we can do to stop the rising cost of gas ?
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
Canada
September 12, 2008 7:51am CST
It is the same everywhere you go everyone is talking about the price of gas and how it is on the rise and there seems to be no end to this . Is there anything we can do as to stop this ? What would be a good approach to stop these rising costs ? Do you really believe that if you don't fill up at a certain station for the week because of an email going around will really help this problem ? Do you worry about what it will be like in a couple of years if gas prices keep going up all the time ? Would you be able to survive without a car to get you where you needed to go ? Is the rising cost of gas affecting your life and how ?
7 people like this
23 responses
@moneyman123 (194)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
I wish someone would find a way to stop the raising cost of gas prices can't afford to go anywhere anymore because it cost to much for gas . Not buying gas at one gas statation doesn't seem to do any good cause the next gas station just jacks up there prices too . And now they have them all where they are close to the same price so it doesn't really help unless you want to drive a long way away and what would be the point of that you would burn your gas to buy gas .
4 people like this
@TakeThisName (769)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
well because when we boycott it doesn't do anything at all I am not sure there is anything we can do . We are going to end up in a depression because of this if they don't stop being so greedy and trying to rip us all off . We don't all make lots and lots of money to afford these prices taht they feel we can all pay .
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
12 Sep 08
I could get by without a car if I had to, and probably would be a lot thinner. I do not think we can stop the rising prices, the e mail boycott notices do not work. I do not worry as there is nothing that will be improved if I do. High prices of gas did make me rethink the idea of working two jobs, especially if one involved some driving. I think I am just as well off as I am right now. I have cut back drastically on driving around, too.
2 people like this
@mattcassethan (226)
• Canada
13 Sep 08
Ya stop buying gas . but since they know we need gas to get to work they just keeping adding to the price of gas knowing there is nothing we can do about it . We should all camp out on their lawns until they start to lower the prices . If enough people would camp out on there lawns they might not like that so much and see how they would feel to have people all over making a mess of things cause that is what they are doing to us making a mess of things .
2 people like this
@Jerrymouse (697)
• Malaysia
12 Sep 08
There is a way you can reduce the price of gas and that is to solve the age old mystery: invent a new renewable, clean and very cheap source of energy that can replace gas. It is impossible to reduce significant amounts of consumptions for the gas price to drop because if the demand drops then production drops and thus the price still remains the same.
However if you replace gas with a better and cheaper substitute, the price of gas will drop and the total demand for gas will drop significant enough to forever limit the rise of gas, it is just like how synthetic rubber have replaced natural rubber, although there are limits to synthetic rubbers. If a better and cheaper substitute is invented, people will use the substitute instead. This will effectively lower the demand for gas, reducing its worth. Who knows, you might be nominated for a nobel price because of this.
You might argue that inventing a substitute is hard but how easy is it to lower the demand for gas to significantly have an impact on the price of gas? A very large number of people is depended on it now, making it impossible to reduce the demand.
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
12 Sep 08
The oil companies plus a lot of others that supply our needs are treating us like dumb idiots and taking advantage of us every way they can. The American people have come to a point to where we must rely on these people to supply our needs. They are totally convinced they can treat us any way they choose and we can't do anything but take their crap.
They can do this for only one simple reason. The American people are not united. If they were they could totally control the price of anything sold in this country. If the large part of the population refused to buy Exxon gasoline for 1 month you can bet they would have someone in Washington beating on some desks. This will work with any industry that has enough power to put pressure on the people in Government. If people would stick buy each other the only way for Exxon to get back into the gasoline business is to lower their price.
The consumer has always been in charge of pricing. They have this power for the simple reason they have a choice in what they buy. You could put a lot of pressure on suppliers by simply buying a different brand. You would still have anything you wanted. If people would unite and do this the suppliers would get the point real quick and start putting a lot more effort in pleasing the consumer.
The Government doesn't worry about public pressure because we are not united to combine our power but they fear the pressure large companies can put on them. These large companies are the ones that are paying the bill to get these people into office and keep them there. The politicians will do what ever they have to to stay in office.
2 people like this
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
If this is the case we really need to find a way to unite with one another as there has to be a way to stop these rising cost before we all end up back using horses like they did years ago . You would think with so many people concerned about this that it would be easier to get people to unite but so far it doesn't seem to be working . I don't live in the states so we don't have any gas stations but if we did I would not be buying from Exxon and getting my gas elsewhere .
Thank you for your response .
4 people like this
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
That should have read we don't have any gas stations called Exxon , of course we have gas stations lol they are just few and inbetween where I live :)
4 people like this
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
You are so right and I agree with all that you have said and you said it a whole lot better then I could have :)
4 people like this
@hmbw_24 (404)
• United States
12 Sep 08
I dont think we the american public can put a stop to it. our hands are truely tied. for those of us who do not live in cities and can not walk or bike or something like that we have no choice but to fill up to get to work and the grocery store. I have cut down on extra trips as much as possible. Other than that i have no idea what the average citizen can do!
1 person likes this
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
13 Sep 08
I am like you and live in the country and we go where we need to go and that is it .
Thank you for your response .
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
12 Sep 08
Then you are doing your part. There are a lot of people in the same fix you are but there are a lot more that are in a position to do more about it. It would make a lot of difference if we would all just stay at home all we can and stay off the roads. These young people can come up with more places to go than they can afford to buy gas to go. My Daughter is always griping because she wants to go somewhere and doesn't have the gas.
1 person likes this
@chopsuey (97)
• Malaysia
13 Sep 08
In my country, even when the price of gas is subsidized by the government, we still suffers from the increasing prices of food and other services. I think it's time to explore other alternatives to gas. Some of my colleagues are opting for NGV and others are using hydrofuel technology. There are also ongoing research to find the most suitable biofuel for cars. Electric cars are also emerging as options here. All were done to decrease dependencies on gas. I'm adopting a wait-and-see attitude first as i need to know which of these choices are the best. But for now, i take public transports, eating at home frequently and i carpool sometimes. And i manage to save a lot doing this.
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
12 Sep 08
Hi sam...
I don't think there is anything we can do...They kind of have us up against a wall...They know we need the gas in order for trains and trucks and all others to get where we need to go...
Even if no one bought gas for just one day it wouldn't matter because they know that we will have too eventually..
Alot of people have jobs that are sometimes as much as an hour away from their home and they depend on their vehicle....
If there is a bus, or taxi, then maybe some could survive without it...but the majority won't..
I just hope it doesn't get worse...but we won't know until it happens....
2 people like this
@Jerrymouse (697)
• Malaysia
12 Sep 08
There is a way you can reduce the price of gas and that is to solve the age old mystery: invent a new renewable, clean and very cheap source of energy that can replace gas. It is impossible to reduce significant amounts of consumptions for the gas price to drop because if the demand drops then production drops and thus the price still remains the same.
However if you replace gas with a better and cheaper substitute, the price of gas will drop and the total demand for gas will drop significant enough to forever limit the rise of gas, it is just like how synthetic rubber have replaced natural rubber, although there are limits to synthetic rubbers. If a better and cheaper substitute is invented, people will use the substitute instead. This will effectively lower the demand for gas, reducing its worth. Who knows, you might be nominated for a nobel price because of this.
You might argue that inventing a substitute is hard but how easy is it to lower the demand for gas to significantly have an impact on the price of gas? A very large number of people is depended on it now, making it impossible to reduce the demand.
1 person likes this
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
Well whoever does come up with this new energy to replace gas I sure how it is sometime in the near future and who ever it is will be set for life that is for sure . Thank you for your response .
4 people like this
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
12 Sep 08
You are exactly correct. As things stand now the large oil producers will not allow anything to be mass produced that will hurt their oil profits. Our Auto make4rs could do a lot to reduce the amount of fuel needed to power our cars but they are not allowed to do it. The same money that powers the auto makers and the oil companies is coming out of the same pocket. The investors are making a lot more profit from the money they have invested in oil than they are what they have invested in cars. It puts a lot more money in their pockets to keep the cars using all the fuel they can.
We are very rapidly reaching a point where we won't have any choice but take this country back from the greedy people that are hurting us all. We can unite and do it in a peaceful manner or take up our arms like we did when this Nation was founded.
1 person likes this
@bbsr13 (4196)
• India
12 Sep 08
Hello,Samtaylor! We have nothing to do to check the rising price of gas or oil as it is not in our hand,but yes we can save some money by limiting our consumptions.For short distance journey we must avoid using cars and bikes.We can manage it with a cycle or by public transports.Whenever possible we can travel by public buses to attend office even.Thus by the end of the month we may be able to save money to purchase gas next month.But this will definitely cause much pain initially.But we will be acquainted to the system ultimately.Thanx.
2 people like this
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
Where I live there is no such thing as public transportation other then our own vechiles . We all live quite a distance from a store and have no other way to get there unless we were to use our own vechile . The closest store to my house is 15 to 20 minutes away and that is just a little store . To get to the big store that carries everything you need is half an hour to forty minutes away so it is not like one could even walk to get the things they need or even take a bicycle . It makes trying to cut back on how much gas we use only because there are things like milk that one needs everyday with little one's .
Thank you for your response .
5 people like this
@nicholejade (2430)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
The emails that are going around stating. "Do not buy gas at a certain service station for a day or for a week" is a load of crap. With the high demand of fuel and oil there is always going to be high gas prices. They only way that you are going to impact the nation with the fuel economy is stop buying gas altogether at the two biggest gas companies SHELL and I can't think of the other for the love me at the moment. But when it does come to me I will post it. However the only way this is going to work is EVERYBODY stop buying gas at the two biggest gas chains not for a day and not for a week. It will take time. the prices will drop and then you do it again. Keep this cycle goign and they are bound to reduce the fuel prices.
1 person likes this
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
12 Sep 08
I agree. If it takes 6 months to get a reaction so be it. You can buy all the gas you need from other companies. The people must be united and a lot of people do this or it won't work. I don't see this happening for the simple reason the people will never unite. It's hard to get 3 people all going in the same direction at the same time any more.
1 person likes this
@ClassyCat (1214)
• United States
13 Sep 08
We need a lot more discussion on this subject nation wide, and some good suggestions. Not buying from Shell and other companies that are large, may not work either - - first of all, because many don't buy from them anyway because they're so high priced. Then there's always the chance that Shell has a lot of other 'little' stations using Shell gasoline as well.
It is hardest on folks like those that are in the outer areas of the cities, and the small communities.
It is a bit easier for those of us in the bigger cities that have Mas-transit bus service - - and yet many just don't want to bother using it, because it can be a hassle, having to wait for a bus, and having to change buses to go across the city. Here where I live, in the south central United States, you can take the bus about 12-15 miles across town and back for less than $5.
I'd like to see the re-entrance of electrically run "trolleys" in the larger cities - like the streetcars in San Francisco, and other large cities.
The American train system needs vast improvement and expansion too.
I think it's wonderful that some of our billionaires donate large sums of money for many things, but I don't understand why they don't put some of their resources into the transportation systems in America. We have a bunch of very wealthy people living here, and it is this nation that has blessed them as such. You'd think they'd want to 'pool together' and do something.
And as far as the kids driving all over on Friday and Saturday nights "girl watching and guy watching'- - THAT needs to be nipped in the bud for sure.
Ok - so much for my quarter's worth on this.
Classy Cat
1 person likes this
@middaymoon (79)
• Singapore
13 Sep 08
the crude oil price is dropping steadily to USD100 due to slowing demand and slowdown in the economies, but this may also signal another record high when the price spikes up again...
1 person likes this
@erajavallaban20 (5)
• India
12 Sep 08
Increase in cost wil affect everybody & so we have to find the substitute fuel for that. Till that time better use woods as fuel.
1 person likes this
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
16 Sep 08
Morning Sam,
This is a very simple form of generating a usable source of energy. There is a lot of energy in wood but most of it is used up in producing the flame. The principal is very simple. You just burn wood in a way where you can control the oxygen that gets to the fire and collect the gases off it. The smoldering fire releases the energy from the wood in the form of a gas that isn't consumed by flame. This gas can be used anywhere you can use natural gas or propane. There are a few that are using it now but mostly on farm tractors and things like that.
What hinders the use of wood gas is the fact you can't set on your Bu** and use it. It is one of those fuels people will use if they don't have another fuel that is easy to use. With the chippers you can buy now it is a lot easier to use now than it was during WWII. You can even run the gasoline powered chippers on the wood gas to chip the wood. Most of the wood gas being used now is off the road where you don't see it but if gasoline keeps going up that will change. Some use it to heat hot houses or their homes.
@babygurl03 (268)
• Canada
13 Sep 08
I wish there was somethign we could do but don't think there is anything we can do except to stop buying gas and we need gas to get to work and go for our groceries and who can be stuck in the house all day .
1 person likes this
@davipiero (175)
• Indonesia
12 Sep 08
Save your fuel. Use bicycle for short distance. Invent water powered vehicle. Use small engine capacity cars.
1 person likes this
@rekcart83 (149)
• Philippines
13 Sep 08
I don't think there is anything at all that we ordinary people can do to stop the rising cost of gas. Although I though it's starting to go down again. Its down from 60php from last month to 52php per liter now here. Anyways I only drive on weekends when I'm going out to go somewhere and always commute when going to school.
@VE3IYB (209)
• Canada
13 Sep 08
I don't believe at this time that there is a lot that the consumer can do to stop the price gouging that the oil companies are charging. I also believe that the oil companies know this and will put the price at whatever the local market will bear. You also have to figure out the the government is just as bad. In our country clearly 1/3 of the price of gas is taxes. My wages don't go up when the cost of gas goes up and if we get a raise at work it is always lower than the cost of living increases. At some point the oil companies will price themselves out of existence cause the blue collar worker can't afford to drive. Public transit is not an option in this area because transit is slow, does not cover the whole city and is expensive. Cycling to work might be an option if the bikes don't always get stolen.
1 person likes this
@Sean_Jean (269)
• Canada
13 Sep 08
Actually there is something we can do. " Stop using cars!! " Ride your bike to work, take a public transit! Its all supply and demand.. When demand goes up and supply is down = more money for them!
@redwarrior82 (480)
• Singapore
13 Sep 08
I don't drive a car, so I don't know much, but my father drives one. Recently he's been complaining about the rising cost of gas too. Nowadays we don't drive to nearby places, we would rather walk.
Isn't there something called uh... Biofuel that is much cheaper?
1 person likes this
