by Jim Segal

Created on: July 06, 2008   Last Updated: July 09, 2008

Higher fuel prices world wide has created so many negatives from higher prices at the pump to food shortages in certain third world countries. In America, we have seen higher produce cost at the supermarkets and an economic panic by small businesses. Owner-operators of the trucking industry are at the point of parking their business for good and start over with a new career option. Also, many other industries are being affected, from plastics to carpet manufacturing, vinyl siding to carpentry and roofing materials. Petroleum effects nearly every part of our lives, even the very things that makes life easy and relaxing such as our television sets and computers, I-Pods, etc. Petroleum does not just stop at the fuel pump, but stretches into everyday products as well.

After the last few years, we as Americans know too well the negative effects of higher fuel prices in America, so what about any positives. Since the first Gulf War, Americans seen the Hummvee in action across the Saudi desert. At that moment, Americans wanted a civilian version and claimed to pay what ever it took to get one. This began the SUV and big truck addiction, which these vehicles had no regard for fuel efficiency. The nineties became the decade of self indulgence from the large vehicles to the internet .Com era. But now we are paying the price for burning so much oil in the not so far past. Oil is an energy source that will not come back once it is burned. So we are at an age seeking newer sources of energy, a renewable source to cut fuel consumption. Which in the early seventies during the energy crisis of that era, we began making changes to smaller fuel efficient automobiles. So positive actions were taken place, we as Americans didn't stay dedicated to the issue of fuel independance.

Now in 2008, fuel prices are at four dollars a gallon, America is at war and relying on enemy, terrorist nations for petroleum. At least higher prices has motivated America to stand up and raise a little fuss about the issues. Also, congress, whom has been ineffective for the past decade are finally trying to take some action on the issue and hopefully will begin negotiating the issues instead of pointing fingers and hopefully begin to get things done. Also Americans are buying smaller automobiles again, more fuel efficient models are being produced and inventions and ideas are being introduced to free America from it dependency from foreign oil. Though we will always need petroleum for a majority of our products, hopefully we will soon to not need petroleum for our automobiles, which will produce a cleaner environment, and a more productive national economy.

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