In today's economy, a huge problem is rising gasoline prices. Many people are complaining about the sudden increase in the price of gasoline, because of the economic hardships it represents. It will take hard work and brilliant minds to create an alternate fuel source.
There are many variables affecting the price of gas. Gas prices are rising rapidly, and there seems to be no end in sight because the demand for this fuel just keeps getting larger. Experts say the reason is the law of supply and demand. They go on to say that prices are about the same as they were in the 1980s once you add in inflation. The government has stepped in to combat rising gas prices in the past. During the 1970s and 80s, the federal government imposed price controls and a windfall profits tax on oil companies in response to sharply rising gas prices. Car makers get subsidies for producing flex fuel cars which offer the option of switching between ethanol and gas in response to price changes. But, ethanol is only widely available in the Midwest.
There are a plethora of reasons for the price of gas these days, but, probably the most significant is that the output of oil is not keeping up with the demand. (French, 2004) Also right now, high oil prices are being driven by China's demand and by risk primarily due to uncertainty in the Middle East, Venezuela, and Africa. China, only one country within the global marketplace, has increased their oil supply by 30% in 2003. (French, 2004) Also, other countries are not filling our needs. Many countries we trade with are angry with us for being in Iraq. They feel that there is no need for our presence there. This is helping to influence their trading with the United States. Emissions standards are so high now that it is costing the oil companies more and more money to refine the oil. This needs to be complied to because if the gasoline is not up to par, then the companies cannot sell it. So, there is no choice for the oil companies but to spend the extra money. (French 2004)
Obviously, there are many bad effects of the increase in gas prices. The most obvious effect of the high prices of gas is that the consumer must pay more to get around places from day to day. It is ironic that a portion of our paycheck is going toward just being able to get to work in the first place. Consumers are struggling to fill their gas tanks while the major gas companies are recording record profits. It does not seem right that we are stuck, struggling for money, while the epicenter of the problem is raking in the money.With the amount of fossil fuels left inside the earth, it won't be long before we expend our fuel supplies indefinitely. We will continue to destroy natural land in order to satisfy our need for oil. This will diminish the quality of the earth we live on greatly. Landscapes that were once beautiful will be only tools to get oil from. (Hardman, 2008)
In addition to all of the above effects there are plenty more to state. Food prices are rising rapidly because it is costing much more money to ship our food to the stores all over the country. (Ward, 2008) The price of public transportation is also skyrocketing because they need to accommodate the price of gas. People are also struggling to pay their mortgages because of all the money being spent on gasoline.(Ward, 2008) It is ridiculous that this is happening just because of all the money being spent on fuel. Taxes are also rising dramatically for school. The bus companies need to pay more and more for fuel to power the busses. So, the money is coming out of the consumers pocket. (Ward, 2008)
Probably the most widely known gas alternative is ethanol. Ethanol is made mostly from corn, with a small part of fuel added. E85 powers a vehicle with 85 percent ethanol and other substances that total 15 percent. A major drawback to this solution is that the price of corn and other vegetables would skyrocket, because the crops grown would be exclusively corn. (Wiesenfelder, 2007)Fuel cells are also an option in the race to find a new fuel alternative. They however will probably not be available for a while. This is because the very complexity of their construction. (Wiesenfelder, 2007)What seems like a good option, however impractical, is to stop using gasoline altogether. We could stop using cars to get around and ride bikes instead. People could start living in their own small communities instead of living their life throughout a large area. If the gas supply runs out, this may be the only alternative we can think of.
There are also many other gasoline alternatives that will be possible in the future. People must opt to carpool instead of having their own cars. Also, many people could rely on public transportation as a means to get to work. Scientists could also focus on different types of cars instead of creating an alternate fuel. Mini cars could be a viable option for gas conservative people in the future. Also, available right now are hybrids. Many people already drive them. If people follow the lead of their fellow citizens, we could make a huge impact on the cleanliness of our world. (Leeds, 2005)
As we all know that gas prices are skyrocketing. This is a large epidemic throughout the United States and the whole world as well. The government is working hard to supply the demand. But the end of fossil fuels is inevitable. That is why scientists are creating ingenious ways to power our vehicles. Without the intelligent minds of scientists, our planet would see no hope for the future. But, because of the diligence of these hard working individuals, in the near future, we may have a safe and inexpensive, alternative to gasoline. All we can do now is hope and wait for the news to come that we won't need to pay four dollars a gallon at the pump anymore.
