Rising Gas Prices Could Mean Something Positive for Our Future

Anyone who owns a car, and even some who don't, have recently been complaining more than usual about the price they are forced to pay for a gallon of gas. Gas prices have been rising steadily for decades, but never has the American public had to endure over $4.oo per gallon, and not for many years has the price jumped so quickly. So now Americans are up in arms because it is costing more and more to fill their gas tanks which is taking precious money out of their now limited budget due to the current economy. However, I think we are finally getting a little tough love that will ultimately push our country in the right direction.

For so many years the US has been having its cake and eating it too, we were the superpower of the world with unmatched economic prosperity and many people perceived us to be "untouchable." However, the reason our gas prices have always remained lower than the rest of the world is the same reason buying a pair of jeans at Walmart is so much cheaper than other places, and that is the fact that our country bullies other countries and exploits their people and resources so we can save a few bucks. Walmart uses poor people in countries like China and Taiwan to produce their products because they don't have to pay nearly as much as they would in the US, which in turn means your pair of jeans costs $10 instead of $50. Much in the same way America inserted itself into certain countries in the middle-east, overpowered them and forced them to sell us oil for cheaper than any other country in the world. Now as we all know many of these countries are experiencing revolutions and instability which is driving oil prices up.

So now our gas prices are up and people are outraged, but in my opinion this is the best thing that could have happened to us. For one, now we are being forced to conserve our fuel thus lessening our carbon footprint and damage to the environment that we so routinely exploit for a short-sighted goal. People are creating car pools for getting to work, riding a bike or taking the bus to the local grocery store instead of driving, and in general being much more conscious about the gas they use.

The second reason this rise in gas prices is a positive is it is forcing us to really start taking the importance of finding renewable fuels seriously. For so long we have had options such as electric cars and solar panels, but only when we are in dire straights are we willing to explore such a drastic change from what we know with seriousness and maturity. The fact of the matter is oil cannot sustain us, and the rise in gas prices was the kick in the butt that we desperately needed to bring us out of this blissfully ignorant dream we have been living in.