Are Rising Oil Prices a Blessing in Disguise?
With oil prices crossing the $135-dollar barrier the alternative energy company executives are really rubbing their hands in anticipation. In just May the oil prices have risen 20% and consequently the stock markets are panicking big time. Rising raw material costs, if not tackled in time, is definitely going to trigger an economic slowdown. On the contrary the stocks of alternative and renewable energy companies are hitting new highs with: ABN AMRO index of renewable energy stocks has climbed 9.5%.
The cost of generating energy, and that of running automobiles is going to rise, according to predictions, till the end of 2009, and people have already stopped using their big cars because they consume great quantities of petrol. Driving around is no longer a luxury and in fact people have begun to sell their gas-guzzling behemoths and switched over to lighter, smaller vehicles that consume comparatively less fuel.
In some countries people are even using more and more public transport services. It’s not that such services don’t cause pollution, but at least they reduce the volume of traffic on the roads to a small extent.
When it comes to energy, people have fewer choices because electricity is not produced individually, in most of the cases. So if alternative energy companies and organizations can make a better proposition to consumers then this is certainly their golden chance. They should also educate consumers so that consumers put more pressure upon their respective governments to encourage the alternative energy sector.
Of course alternative energy technologies need a big overhaul as their current state is quite expensive to implement. In fact the solar power stocks dived as much as 50 percent in January due to credit crunch fear as this would make many solar panels unaffordable. Somehow the message needs to be conveyed that switching over the alternative energy resources is going to be a lot cheaper than sticking to expensive, outdated fossil fuels.
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May 27th, 2008
High oil prices are good as people will go back to basics to use green energy, where they can and will undo all the destruction that is happening all over the world.
May 27th, 2008
About time we trash the ‘children-killer’ SUVs!
What ‘kind’ of an idiot would transport children in vehicles that will overturn / flip at 35 MPH?
Bring-on $10 gal. fuel within 5 years!
June 6th, 2008
One result of high oil prices is increased spending on green tech and closer parity of green energy to oil. That is ultimately a good thing for green fuel and the planet as a whole. I think people forget, however, that there are many dire consequences that come along with high oil. Certainly higher oil means higher gas prices and fewer miles driven. But because we still live in an oil-based world, unfortunately, everything else is affected too. The cost of agriculture and factory production increases. Workers are laid off because companies must compensate for higher energy costs. This is not new, but I encourage those who wish for high oil prices to think about the true implications. In the end, the ones who suffer the most from higher oil are people on the margins, those who are already struggling to get by. Oil at these levels should already be high enough to encourage massive green tech innovation. I wish $200 oil and $10 gas on no one.
June 13th, 2008
If consumers knew (and energy producers were responsible for) the true cost of fossil fuel energies, we’d have abandoned them long ago. Amory Lovins, respected energy efficiency guru, puts gasolines actual cost at something like 11 to 13 dollars per gallon. It is we consumers who are paying for all the invisible costs associated with gasoline…namely infrastructure and crop damage, adverse health affects, increased insurance costs from health effects, protection of oil resources (WARS!) etc.
June 30th, 2008
Well I guess ole Henry Ford and the Wright brothers won’t be seen in quite the heroic light as before the fall and collapse of world economies. On the brighter side of things, we humans have been around, what for 10,000 years? And the automobile and the plane have been here for what just over 100 years? What is all the panic about? We’ll survive. The birds and crows and bees and all the other animals have to hussle for food.
Our arrogance as a species has finally run up against itself.
I am ecstatic about the high oil prices. No more Bin Laden types flying into buildings because we bomb their countries for the oil. Now if there is none or some smart folks come up with nice sweet alternatives, everyone will be bright and cheery again and even happier and safe because the Sand Arabs won’t be busting our balls over making them filthy rich. There will be fewer wars and people will go back to living their lives.
I am GLAD this has come to a head. Think of where we’ll be in 10-15 years. Maybe like Brazil?
What the heck has taken so long? Why have we Americans allowed the big oil companies and the Sand Arabs to control our fate?
I propose everyone stop driving their car for at least one day a week. I mean EVERYONE. Then we increase it to two days, etc. Then start walking to where you need to go or biking.
With the help of Weight Watchers and me parking my car over the last three weeks whenever I can, I have lost 9 pounds. I have 19 more pounds to go.
Also, I am going to grow my vegies hydroponically and start sprouting again and make my own bread.
Thank God for the high oil prices. Yeah!!!
Oh my God, what if global warming decreases? Would the polar bears get a shot at survival as well?