Oh no, this carcinogen and pollutant is getting more expensive!

[c9]

Received by email today:

Subject: LET'S DO IT!

IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES. AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL COMPANIES. THEREFORE WEDNESDAY MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT TO THEM" DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY. THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT. WAITING ON THIS ADMIINSTRATION TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN PRICES THAT THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO? REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO! WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE DAY, WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN. SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE MAY 19TH A DAY THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"

Never mind the all caps, the race-baiting (did you know Canada supplies more oil to the US than the Middle East does?), the hoax styling (forward this to everyone you know) and the Americacentric outlook, here's my response:

Sorry, but I'm not tired of (not really) high gas prices at all.

In Europe most people have to pay nearly TWO dollars per litre, and it still doesn't come close to covering the amount of pollution and wasteful behaviour that most car ownership causes. Sure, some people need their cars, but for most people your car (especially your big fat SUV) is a LUXURY.

Think about it: why are people willing to spend $1.49 for 500 mL of water, but $0.47 for 500 mL of gasoline is worth protesting about?

Better things to protest about in Halifax: why doesn't Metro Transit get a decent budget, and focus on increasing ridership instead of reducing neighbourhood coverage? why did city council ignore a perfectly good train track that could be used for commuter rail from Bedford, and now CN has torn it up? why are there almost no bike lanes, and why does the city keep trying to solve traffic problems by widening streets (Lacewood, Robie, ...) -- this is proven to not work!

I don't *want* cheap gas! :)

Cam

Just thought I'd post it here to continue the conversation, since gas prices seem to be the topic du jour.

Comments

[bartok.livejournal.com]

If they don't lower gas prices I'll club this baby seal.

[gueny.livejournal.com]

A agree.

Besides, these "buy nothing" schemes don't work anyway.

People just buy twice as much the day before or day after. The only way people can have a real impact, is to eliminate consumption altogether on those days. If people use oil, then oil is going to be bought. The rest is just a matter of the timing.

[kdborg.livejournal.com]

So... um... what do the companies do when there's a snow storm crippling part of the country? It definitely doesn't make sense to have this kind of protest.

[roosterbear.livejournal.com]

why are people willing to spend $1.49 for 500 mL of water, but $0.47 for 500 mL of gasoline is worth protesting about?

Sing it brother!

Unfortunately, the infrastructure in the US is such that many people are trapped into needing cars. Too many cities have completely inadequate public transit options, and city planning is totally around the assumption that everyone wants to drive everywhere, so if you want to get to work, for example, you have to drive. And because change would be slow, expensive, and require less selfishness (using public transit often = giving up at least the perception of control), I don't foresee that changing anytime soon, unfortunately.

I imagine that it's the SUV drivers who are whining the loudest about gas prices, perhaps because I really do hate those ugly expensive pollution boxes with wheels.

[canuckboy.livejournal.com]

My only concern with gas prices rising as they have is that public transit will also have to pay the higher prices. Thanks to our governmental leaders currently out there, transit is already inadequately funded and can't sustain services if gas prices continue to fluctuate this wildly.

The real solution to this problem is to invest in the R&D of alternative sources of fuel. These high gas prices will force the auto industry to seriously look into it, as the high gas prices mean less sales for them. I don't see the auto and oil industries being friendly for much longer.