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Originally Posted by xswinnyx
:idea: I'm thinking that the price of gas is not really an issue. It's the fact that those that have money, make money. I think that if we were to use alternate fuel sources, they would be high priced in no time too. You can use used vegetable oil in diesel engines, and restaurants throw it away. But if the demand for it goes up, it will be just like the liquid gold we are pouring into our cars now. If everyone started riding a bike, you soon would not be able to find a bike for less then $500. :x
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Well the difference is that you're turning the waste from one product into something useful in its own right. I dont really agree with your point about bikes either. Sure, there would probably be high end bikes, since you'd want something that could hold up to the abuse of your daily commute. You wouldn't want your chain breaking or wheels falling off on the freeway. There would still be a market for the type you get from kmart though. The marketplace would still be competitive, so manufacturers would still need to keep prices low since the barrier to entry into the bicycle market (oh, if my econ professor could read this) is pretty low compared to the barrier to entry into the oil or car business.
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Another question...
If fossil fuels take thousands of years to produce, theoretically, there would still be a constant replenishing of them. If we suck up oil now, that was plants and animals thousands of years ago, then the plants and animals that died a year later, would be oil a year later, wouldn't it? :?:
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Yeah, but you have to take into acount how long the fossil fuels took to produce compared to how quickly we are using them up. It took billions of years to create our current supply and we're now worrying about running out after what, 150 years? People weren't driving cars during most of human history. I guess if you're planning on being around long enough for the next batch to be ready, then it's not a big deal.
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Originally Posted by treeman
There should be only two groups of people upset at high gas prices. 1.) the people who drive very fuel efficient cars because they are doing their part. They don't need to stroke their ego by driving a large truck/suv when they really have no purpose for it but to make themselves look/feel good. 2.) FARMERS Everything else is useless in the world unless you have food on your plate. The TV, your car, your job--everything! Remember when farmers were the only ones who drove trucks(before they became COOL).
I am an ex-farmer whose car gets 30 mpg but I won't complain about the price of gas. It truly is in your power to lower your gas costs.
I would bet if they sold gas at a price relative to your MPG(i.e $1.00/gal for 40+mpg upward to $5.00/gal for 10 mpg vehicles) the world would look at their life and lifestyle a little different.
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My car gets about 27 hwy and I'm pretty upset about gas prices. Between work and school I have to drive a
lot. I can't afford one of the trendy new fuel efficient cars, especially when gas uses up a large part of my disposable income.
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Originally Posted by Crys
nuclear power generates waste that we cannot safely deal with (not to mention the chances of another Chernobyl),
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I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with your depection of nuclear power. The advances in breeder reactor technology are lowering the waste generated by the plants. The chances of a Chernobyl type accident happening in the US are practically, if not, zero. The Chernobyl plant was one was a very antiquated one, even at that time, and was known to be unsafe. Not to mention all the human error and denial involved. I'll PM you a link to a very interesting thread I read about it. You'll probably gag when you see the url, but oh well
