Quote:
Originally Posted by LebanonUSA  I don't know why everybody is up in arms about the increase in gas prices... Oil prices went from $40/barrel to over $70/barrel over the last few months and as such it is only natural for gas prices to go up. I don't know about the prices in Lebanon, but here in the US, we went from$1.60/gallon to $2.65/gallon. Do I like it? Hell no! But there are many things I can do to fight back.
For starters, why does everybody in Lebanon need a HUMMER for? These beasts barely reach 16MPG on the highway. Second, try car pooling. I have four cousins at NDU and each one of them takes his/her car to go there. Why? If my smart cousins carpooled, they would be taking 75% of their car capacity off the road. Imagine if many people did the same! That would reduce traffic, which as a result, would improve gas consumption of the cars that are on the road (not to mention the positive environmental impact). Look at the transformation that is taking place in the US today in the car industry... The people revolted against high gas prices last summer (which reached over $4/gallon) by dumping their beloved SUVs and buying more energy efficient gas sipping cars instead. Because of this seismic shift in people's attitudes, GM, Ford and Chrysler had to ditch their gas guzzlers for smaller fuel efficient cars. Hybrids have become a common household item. The electric cars are on their way (GM already introduced the Chevy Volt, and Chrysler has something in the works as well).
So stop complaining about high gas prices and do something positive instead. Ditch your HUMMER and Lexus SUV and get a SmartCar instead or else[] |
LebanonUSA,
I agree with almost everything you said in your post except that you have to note that while gas price in the US went down from 4$/gal to 1.60 as the barrel price collapsed, the price at the pump in Lebanon didn't budge! it remained at the same price. Lebanese are actually paying more now (barrel ~70$)compared to last summer when the barrel was at 140$. This raises questions on price policy, and hence this thread.
For how to fight high prices, we're on the same side, as i said in my post yesterday, which i repost here:
On the long run, oil prices are going up, the 140$/barrel last year was just a sampler.
Prices might go down for while, but i'm talking Long Term, the trend is upward!
Even if we cancel all fees in Lebanon on car gas, the price at the pump is still going to go up, and up, and up.... we might bring it down to 15,000LL this year, but in few years it'll go back again to 30,000LL and above (with no tax).
I'm making the point that finding a solution to gas prices (aka benzine) doesn't necessarily pass by fighting the price of the 20L at the pump, this could be a help but it'll only be a band aid solution which won't last in the face of long term oil pricing.
The solution should look into several sides:
1- Purchase Power of the average salary, job opportunities, .... (when people make money, the prices won't feel as bad as they are now!)
2- Offering alternate solutions (good public transportation, low taxes and yearly fees on cars that consume less (Lebanese want to drive Range Rovers but don't want to pay for gas, this mentality should change), carpooling,...)
3- A national long term energy policy based on switching electricity production from oil to hydro, air, solar, natural gas,... and use the budget (millions and millions) that we pay each year to buy oil for power plants to subsidize car gas (we might even need half of the budget only)
The gains of such an integral energy policy won't only benefit consumers but our environment too!
25th June 2009
