How can we lower Gas Prices?
373683
Civilization as we know it is coming to an end soon. This is not the wacky proclamation of a doomsday cult, apocalypse bible prophecy sect, or conspiracy theory society. Rather, it is the scientific conclusion of the best paid, most widely-respected geologists, physicists, and investment bankers in the world. These are rational, professional, conservative individuals who are absolutely terrified by a phenomenon known as global "Peak Oil."\n\n"Are We 'Running Out'? I Thought There Was 40 Years of the Stuff Left"\n\nOil will not just "run out" because all oil production follows a bell curve. This is true whether we're talking about an individual field, a country, or on the planet as a whole.  \n\nOil is increasingly plentiful on the upslope of the bell curve, increasingly scarce and expensive on the down slope. The peak of the curve coincides with the point at which the endowment of oil has been 50 percent depleted. Once the peak is passed, oil production begins to go down while cost begins to go up.\n\nIn practical and considerably oversimplified terms, this means that if 2000 was the year of global Peak Oil, worldwide oil production in the year 2020 will be the same as it was in 1980. However, the world’s population in 2020 will be both much larger (approximately twice) and much more industrialized (oil-dependent) than it was in 1980. Consequently, worldwide demand for oil will outpace worldwide production of oil by a significant margin. As a result, the price will skyrocket, oil-dependant economies will crumble, and resource wars will explode.\n\nThe issue is not one of "running out" so much as it is not having enough to keep our economy running. In this regard, the ramifications of Peak Oil for our civilization are similar to the ramifications of dehydration for the human body. The human body is 70 percent water. The body of a 200 pound man thus holds 140 pounds of water. Because water is so crucial to everything the human body does, the man doesn't need to lose all 140 pounds of water weight before collapsing due to dehydration. A loss of as little as 10-15 pounds of water may be enough to kill him.\n\nIn a similar sense, an oil-based economy such as ours doesn't need to deplete its entire reserve of oil before it begins to collapse. A shortfall between demand and supply as little as 10-15 percent is enough to wholly shatter an oil-dependent economy and reduce its citizenry to poverty.\n\nThe effects of even a small drop in production can be devastating. For instance, during the 1970s oil shocks, shortfalls in production as small as 5% caused the price of oil to nearly quadruple. The same thing happened in California a few years ago with natural gas: a production drop of less than 5% caused prices to skyrocket by 400%.\n\nFortunately, those price shocks were only temporary.\n\nThe coming oil shocks won't be so short-lived. They represent the onset of a new, permanent condition. Once the decline gets under way, production will drop (conservatively) by 3% per year, every year.
173145
OK - regardless of your politics, I think most of us in the US right now would agree that gas prices are high, have been for awhile, and we're feeling the crunch a bit.  So instead of complaining, why don't WE make some small changes?  \n\nWalk or bike to work/school if you can, or use public transportation.\nTrade your SUV in for a more fuel efficient vehicle\nWeather proof your home in winter AND summer\nMake less trips (go grocery shopping once a week instead of constantly running back for things you've forgotten)\nTake shorter showers (use less hot water)\n\nCut down on gas, and gas prices stop effecting your wallet quite as much.
239402
Try creating alternative fuel. I'm reduced to cycling since the recent fuel price increase.
1041619
Yes, but w/good reason.  Gas prices have never been this high w/no relief in sight.  It seems we are limiting our travel b/c we just can't afford to drive in this country.  I know I'm on a gas budget.  Work-home-work-home, maybe a chill spot on the wknd, but that's it.
390170
They raise prices by restricting supply. They try to maximize their income without driving their customers to alternate fuels or into a depression. Either would reduce their income.
381598
Best way to fight is go green- use alternative sources of energy and fuel. Walk or Bike, don't drive. Carpool. Stop buying fuel and the gas prices go down. Plus, fighting gas PRICES won't help. Sooner or later, it's gone- no matter what the price.
434511
This is just another urban legend floating around.\n\nBoycotting Exxon isn't going to work to bring down prices.  If everyone stopped buying from Exxon and used the other providers, then the other providers would run out of gas pretty quickly due to supply and demand chain effects.  What would happen is that they would buy their gas from Exxon and overall all prices would go up, not down.\n\nFull mythbuster at Snopes.\n\nhttp://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/gasout.asp\n\nTo lower gas prices, you have to lower demand, which includes things like carpooling, public transportation, alternative sources of energy, and better milage vehicles.
1006697
For gas prices to go down, a few things (among others) need to happen:\n\n1) We have to get away from our dependence on foreign oil. \n\n2) We need to begin drilling on our own land. I'm sorry environmentalists,  green party members, and Al Gore, but there are ways to drill in Alaska and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico that won't harm the environment. We have the technology as well as the need to do so. If we can become self-sufficient in fossil fuels, then we won't be beholden to Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, or any other OPEC nation that knows they have us by the short hairs when it comes to oil.\n\n3) We need to develop legitimate alternative power sources, not just talk about how expensive it is to do so, because at our current rate, gas will be just as expensive soon enough. Fuel cell and hybrid vehicles are just the start. We need to harness solar, wind, and water power in such a way as to reduce our dependance on fossil fuels. \n\nChina's (at to some extent, India's) relentlessly emerging economy means that it is very likely that the days of $3/gallon gas might soon be over--because gas will be well over $4/ gallon if we don't do something soon. China has FIVE TIMES the population we do and India isn't far behind. Think about how many cars are on the road here in the US. Now think about how many could/will be on the roads in China and India. It's all in the hands of the politicians right now--not in terms of controlling the price of gas (which is ludicrous--they have no control over that)--but in terms of the steps we need to take so that our country controls it's own future.
236826
High Supply, Low demand = Lower Price\n\nLow Supply and High demand = High Price\n\nSimple economics.  Our gas prices work this way too.. Very few refineries to refine gas, which causes lower supplies.
853642
-We need better transit. This means cutting OPEC out of our budgets, from the Federal level down to the Individual level. The alternatives are fastly approaching, but, the government can make it happen faster: \n\n--B-100 Biodiesel is 0% petroleum, and consumable by modern deisel engines. The fuel can be created from plants, and therefore increase our agricultural base, bringing closed farms back to the forefront of the backbone of America\n\n--H2 vehicles will be able to give us a more oxygenated and humidified environment, with no flourocarbons. These vehicles run faster, quieter, and are healthier for us. There are surely other alternatives to petroleum oil.\n\n-We need faith in ourselves. Taking a note from history, and re-instituting the CC Camps would put people in a job, and help them build something of lasting value in the nation. My grandfather helped to build firewatch towers and ranger stations for the CC Camps, and those in turn, helped prevent the spread of forrest fires.\n\n-Our closest neighbors need to be our best defenders. By reaching out, and helping our neighbors in real, and meaningful ways, we can reduce the resentment against us, internationally.
393908
The best thing to do is not meddle. If price gets high enough, people will be forced to conserve. Prices are usually over $4 per gallon in Europe and over $3 per gallon for most of Latin America. Perhaps prices would be more stable if North America were to stop wasting the world's fuel supply.
1167446
Until we change our habits. If people started car pooling and bought what they needed in one trip instead of 20 and they didn't jump in a car to drive to blocks. When people stop buying so much gas the prices will come down. I know not everyone can carpool but they can do other things like pick up groceries on \nthe way home. Plus we can push for alternative fuels there is progress being made in that field.
172511
Fuel prices are set by OPEC (price per barrel.)  They are most reasonable in the US because our government subsidizes what we pay.  OPEC sucks, they won't allow any other petrol-bearing nations to offer a lesser fee.  They are too powerful.
401077
3.12 here in chicago...www.chicagogasprices.com helps find the lowest gas prices everyday in the are (as well as illinois) but i think there are similar sites that help others across the country....know before you go!
471334
Gas prices are determined by supply and demand...\n\nAs gas prices rise......this causes consumers to drive less.....which stops consumers from using so much gas\nThe price will start to go back down....\n\nGasoline is very cheap......the same people who complain about the cost of gasoline....$3 a gallon....are the same people who spend $1.99 for a bottle of water, $4 for a pack of cigs, and $5 for lottery tickets.
428556
For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from The two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do!! Now, don't wimp out on me at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!!\n\nI am sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)... and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) ... and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers! . .\n\nIf those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!\n\nAgain, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. That's all. (If you don't understand how we can reach 300 million and all you have to do is send this to 10 people.... well, let's face it, you just aren't a mathematician. But I am... so trust me on this one.)
512284
No, but what helps lower gas prices is when you buy gas from a company that doesn't buy their gas from the middle east. Then, those other stations are forced to lower prices.