By ANTHONY BOTTAN and ARIELLA MONTI
As of May 29, a barrel of crude oil was being sold on the Commodities market for $130. The United States dependency on foreign oil to fuel the economy has left many in a quandary: Where can I reduce spending to help pay for the higher costs of gas, food, and utilities?
According to the Energy Information Administration, the United States consumed 20.7 million barrels per day of petroleum products during 2006. That makes the United States the world's largest oil consumer. Even though we are the third largest oil producer in the world, most of the oil the United States uses, about 60 percent, is imported from Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Nigeria.
Superintendent of the Rockville Centre Department of Public Works, Harry Weed, said high gas prices have definitely impacted the village's overall budget because Rockville Centre is the central fueling station for all village operations, fire and police departments. "When we originally did the budget, none of us expected the increase of fuel prices to be what they are," he said.
Weed added that rising oil costs affects road repairs in the village because asphalt is a petroleum product, and thus has gone up in cost. He said the village hopes to update its buildings to make them "greener," or more environmentally friendly and are considering purchasing hybrid vehicles, which are more fuel efficient. "We are looking into how we can become more fuel efficient and greener," he said.
With oil prices surging, many question why the United States has not turned to renewable energy, like wind and water power. According to the EIA, renewable energy plants are generally more expensive to build and to operate than coal and natural gas plants. In addition, the best renewable resources are often available only in remote areas, so building transmission lines to deliver power to large metropolitan areas is expensive.
So what can people do to stop dumping their wallets into the gas pump, especially if they can't afford a hybrid? Robert Sinclair, spokesman for the Automobile Association of America, said routine maintenance of cars can improve its fuel economy. Sinclair said tire pressure is crucial for fuel efficiency and safety. For every one pound per square inch a tire is not inflated, he said, cars lose two percent of fuel economy per tire. "It's a terrible waste of gas," he said. He added that most people ignore air filters, which he said, should be changed every 7,000-8,000 miles. "An engine is an air pump," he said. "The more air that gets pumped through, the better the fuel economy. If the air filter is not clean, it's like a marathon runner trying to breathe through a straw."
Sinclair said that heavy breaking and acceleration also wastes gas, and that speeding guzzles fuel. A car gets its best fuel economy when traveling between 45-60 MPH, he said. "For every 5 MPH over 60 MPH, it's like adding 25 cents to the price of a gallon of gas," he said. The biggest problem with high gas prices, he said, is that Americans were ill prepared. He attributed the country's lack of preparation for high gas prices to the widescale of gas guzzling, sports-utility vehicles. In Europe and Asia, they burn more diesel fuel, which Sinclair said gets 30-40 percent better fuel economy. They also have embraced the Smart Car, a smaller car that is more fuel efficient.
In Paris, France, the government has set up an alternative means of transportation through the city, which they labeled "Velib" (an almost free self-service bicycle system) to help cut down on driving and limit the emission of greenhouse gases. Through this system, Parisians can bike from one station, and leave the bike at another bike station near their destination. The system runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are more than 1,450 stations in Paris, and more than 20,000 bicycles in use. A year subscription to Velib costs about $45.
Adjunct professor of economy at Hofstra University, Martin Melkonian, said the more money people spend on gas, the less they spend on "luxuries" like going to restaurants and vacationing. "We've entered a new era where we'll see higher energy costs and it will force us to do what we should have done before, which is cut back on fossil fuels," Melkonian said. Reducing gas prices, he said, is not the solution. If anything, Melkonian said, the government should work to keep the price high, and use tax dollars to subsidize mass transit, so that the Long Island Rail Road and subway system would be free to ride. "It sounds outrageous, but it will direct us in the right way," he said.
Comments about this story? ABottan@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 246.
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Here are some helpful Web sites when looking into traveling or filling your tank.
Fuelpricefinder.com - This Web site shows you local gas prices within a certain radius of your zip code. This is a good way to find the cheapest gas.
Fuelcostcalculator.com - This Web site calculates, depending on your car make and model, how much gas you will use on your journey, and how much it will cost you.
