by Patrick D

Created on: January 17, 2009

Let's get realistic about gas prices. Nobody wants to say it but the single most effective way to fight back against high gas prices is simple, drive less. I'm not saying don't drive, just drive less, because no amount of boycotting or lobbying specific companies, in any form, will ever lower prices.
Here's why: Oil and Gas are global markets. Demand is not going down, and in the U.S. they are already consuming more "Finished Motor Gasoline" (oil refined into gas) daily than is produced daily [1]. So not only does the US import foreign oil, it means the remaining demand that isn't met with domestic gas production must be met with imported gas. This is why boycotting or petitioning doesn't work. With such a tight supply/demand system, whichever company is being boycotted can simply sell their product elsewhere, most likely to the company/companies that are now supplying their old customers. If these companies don't sell the gas to you they will sell it elsewhere and it wouldn't be any cheaper.

Like I said earlier, the best way to fight rising gas prices is to drive less and there are many ways it can be done. Get a new job closer to home. I took a job closer to home and save about $60 a week and that accounts for the cut in pay that I had to take. Other options are to telecommute (work form home) or offer to work longer hours. If it's possible try working four 10 hour shifts instead of five 8 hour shifts, which saves one round trip per week. Also, plan your meals for a whole week at a time, that way you will only need to go grocery shopping once a week and carpool with a neighbour or friend whenever possible.
Also worth mentioning is to keep your car well maintained; there is a lot of information out there about this stuff so without going into details the short list should include; changing the oil and air filter regularly, check the tire pressure, don't carry unneeded cargo or weight in the car and don't use the air conditioner unnecessarily. Doing these things can help you get the best fuel economy possible from your vehicle.
Not only will driving less give you immediate saving in gas purchases, if enough people were to drive less eventually we might be able to reduce demand, because only when global demand for oil/gas goes down will the price of gas go down. So in the end boycotting your local gas station will only hurt a local business and won't have any effect on the oil company that supplies it.
[1] Energy Information Administration: Official Energy Stats from the U.S. Government.

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