by Anna Yarbrough

Created on: June 23, 2008   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

In the USA, the increasing cost of oil has adversely affected our national economy seeping throughout all areas of life in our great country. Where we live, in the city of Richmond, VA, gas prices are currently averaging over $4.00 per gallon rather than the $1.25 per gallon price typical only four years ago. We have seen the cost of food, merchandise, and services rise as a result of higher gas prices and the cost of transporting goods from one place to another. Some products are no longer available to us at all. Even the cost of trash pickup has increased as a result of the rise in gas prices, almost doubling over the last year.

Schools in the area have reportedly and unavoidably gone over budget due to the unexpected significant increase in the cost of fueling school buses this year. We have also experienced ramifications at Richmond International Airport which include flight cancellations, although, so far, they remain few. We have even experienced more requests for donations to the local food bank.
Local businesses have closed completely due to the rising cost of oil and the residual impact it has had on the economy overall. Other businesses have been sold or have moved to localities where they believe they can operate more cost effectively. Many have eliminated staffing positions in order to economize in an effort to meet budget demands. Unemployment has risen. This manifestation is particularly significant to our state when you consider that, as the capitol seat, Richmond has the ability to offer many more opportunities than many other cities in our state.

As one might imagine, after considering the scope of the impact our fine city has endured as a result of rising oil costs, the coping techniques employed in order to weather the storm are also broad in scope. While many citizens successfully make the effort to coordinate activities and maximize practical utilization of automobiles; choose more fuel efficient models of cars; plan outings closer to home; find ways to commute fewer miles to work; curtail eating out; shop in bulk; basically trim the fat in their budget in order to offset rising costs, we too have some not so clever methods being suggested and employed as cost cutting measures.

Our local paper, the Richmond Times Dispatch, has featured many articles related to the rising cost of oil. An article written by Bill McKelway in today's issue promotes the purchase and utilization of gas cap locks in an effort to curb the theft of gasoline from

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