According to Elizabeth Kolbert in The New Yorker, Americans have sent 30 billion fewer pounds of carbon into the sky so far in 2008 as a result of higher gasoline prices.
According to NPR this morning, highway fatalities are on a track that may end with 2008 having 20% fewer highway deaths this year, probably as a result of fewer miles traveled as well as motorists slowing down in order to improve mileage.
So next time you visit a gas station and find yourself whining and moaning, think again. We have been taking about climate change for the last 20 years, but we never did anything about it until gas prices rose. We expressed our concern about highway fatalities so sincerely, but were in too much hurry to reduce or to enforce our speed limits. Maybe gasoline is too cheap? It was up at $4 a gallon, and now I am finding it here in Virginia for around $3.40.
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Comments: 7
And while you look at the positive side, check out the negative. How many people are scrapping to get to work now, how many businesses are shutting or slowing down because of those cutbacks in driving (mechanics/resteraunts/travel agencies/tourist sites etc) What are people foregoing to purchase or what aren't they putting into savings/investments because of increased gas prices? Then think of the poor governments; Federal/state that are losing tax monies from all that slowed rate of gas consumption....
Its all great news for the enviros I guess....