Alright, we all know that gas prices are astronomical right now. So what should we do about it, if anything at all?
I know we have a lot of experimental alternative fuel methods out there, that definitely have their own pros and cons, and the hybrid cars are out, but they seem to have more cons than pros, and our gas supply is running out.
So, anyone got an idea for what we should do and how to implement it?
I would really like to know, then we can possible do something, like raise public awareness, or write a letter to our legislators.
Greenlover17
Just Breathe...
A relationship is like a shark; it needs a constant current, or it stops living.
Curiouser and curiouser. ~ Alice, from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Rainfall may make
i blame the goverment in the 1970's.... opec realized how much we needed their oil then and they are still holdin it over our heads today... if we had never sided with israel.... as right or wrong as it may have been.... we wouldn't be in this presdictment... plus... in my opininon... opec in just on gian mononpoly if you ask me... as to what to do about it... i have no clue
by the way has anyone heard that we are supposdly back to a cold war with russia... apparently, in an unclaimed part of the artic, russia found loads of oil, pressoius medals, and diomands and claimed all for themselves. the russian flag is even on the ocean floor there now. and apperently as nation, or at least our governement got a check minus minus on "plays well with others". what happened to finders keepers?? and besides... we cant really do anything about it.. it was unclaimed territory... its not like it belonged to us
"Its the uhm.... its that one thing.... its the thing that did that one thing.... its the :p forget it"
Cookie
let me start by saying that (and Im sorry to say this...) both of your views are incomplete and incorrect...
Greenlover17:
First... they are working on alternative fuel methods (i.e. corn) which is whats truely bringing the price of food up. farmers saw the increase in the profit for corn so they planted more of it and less of other crops. corn is what feeds chickens, cows, pigs, and most other livestock so the less corn there is (because a good majority of it is going to alternative fuel research) the more expensive corn is so therefor the feed is more expensive, the cost to raise the animals is more expensive, and the end result is more expensive... hybrid cars do NOT have more cons than pros so therefore that statemement it incorrect...
we still have oil in alaska but since the government wants to "save" that in case everyone else runs out we arent using it...
hermoine0457:
the entire reason we're in this mess is because people are doing what your doing and blaming others instead of simply doing something about it... our alliance with israel has little to nothing to do with the fact, price of gas, in europe, has been at about 13 USD for quite a few years, prices here just recently went up... therefor I fail to see the connection between the israelian conflict and the one that we are having especially considering the countries that give us oil arent even bordered up to israel therefor not competing for the holy land of jerusalem...
as for your "cold war again" thing... by the russians claiming a piece of land that was previously unclaimed and that is rich in minerals they are going against the moscow treaty in the openness department (read it if you want)... as for the whole "what ever happened to finders keepers?" statement, things like this go onto a much higher plane than a kindergarten fight about who gets what, with such materials Russia could become a major threat to the safety of the united states... we can do something about it because it doesnt belong to them either...
How could one such as myself answer such a question without so much as a second glance?
the other problem with corn is that we're using so much of it for fuel while people are starving. and that makes corn more expensive, like marine corps said. to me it seems like, what's more important, your car or someone's life?
some people convert their cars to run on vegetable oil. they can get it free when restaurants throw it away, they just have to filter it and they're good to go. i really don't know how this compares in terms of emissions and such, but definitely a lot cheaper.
I will reply to hermione0457, Marine Corps, and Nymcha421.
To Marine Corps:
First, I did say that there were alternative fuels out and about, with their own pros and cons.
Second, Hybrid cars can take twenty-seven years or more to pay themselves off with the gas price that they save, probably much more now as our prices are so much higher than a few years ago. They must be recharged frequently, and they only run on electricity part of the time.
Now, they do not use as much gas as other cars on the market, and thus, that's a plus.
My information, however, is outdated, so I would appreciate if you would educate me on the new facts about hybrid cars.
Please and thank you.
To Nymcha421:
Yeah, that's the problem with everything. Nothing done ever stays to itself; something else is always affected. Personally, I think corn is a bad idea based on that fact, and that soy, apparently, is less expensive and less detrimental to many people in harvesting.
My information is outdated, so if you can shed any light on the pros and cons of soy, I thank you.
And, lastly, to herminone0457:
I don't know much about any of those statements, so I'll stay away from them and let others debate them.
I am curious, however, to your Russian event. I do not quite follow what you are talking about.
Thank you all so much for posting. I think I'll learn a lot from this thread.
Greenlover17
Just Breathe...
A relationship is like a shark; it needs a constant current, or it stops living.
Curiouser and curiouser. ~ Alice, from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Rainfall may make
ok Nymcha:
as for emissions, they are a lot cleaner and a lot better for the environment
Greenlover17:
27 years is still better than a normal car that doesnt pay itself off at all
hybrid cars (as they are today) run off of gas for to recharge their energy cells, when they are recharged they run off of the energy cell, they still use less gas. for the constant recharge, the fuel recharges it as it runs.
How could one such as myself answer such a question without so much as a second glance?
As for Diesel fuels, used vegetable oil can be converted into biodiesel through a fairly simple process. After running the vegetable oil through a biodiesel processor mixed with methanol and a few other minor steps, you have grade A biodiesel, with low emissions and it's very cheap to produce compared to normal Diesel fuel at today's prices ($4.45/gal near my home). The best part is you don't have to modify your diesel engine vehicle in any way to run on the biodiesel, just pump it into the tank and your good to go.
I'll be helping my dad this weekend setting up a little area to produce biodiesel. We've talked to about 3 different people who make their own biodiesel, each said that the price to produce it equates to anywhere from $1.00 - $1.50. Yet this doesn't do much for me, as I still pay $3.79 a gallon for unleaded.
If you could convert most diesel vehicles to running on this form of biodiesel, it would save a lot of Americans a lot of money. Most diesel engine vehicles are necessary for some specific purpose, either by the state (your school buses) or small business owners. If we could put about 50% of diesel vehicles in the U.S. on some form of biodiesel, I think you would see a huge push for action to produce alternative fuels for regular cars as well.