By ANTHONY BOTTAN
As of May 29, a barrel of crude oil is 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?
Local businesses, especially those like Blue Diamond Limo on Rockaway Avenue, are feeling the crunch from high gas prices. Owner Rich Iavarone said he had to add a 10 percent surcharge on the overall price of limo rentals to make up the difference on money spent fueling his fleet. He said other limo companies are getting hurt by the recession. "It's definitely hurting us," he said. "I've spent 20 percent more in fuel over the last three months."
Members of the Valley Stream Civilian Patrol use their own cars, and thus their own gas, in their duties. Tom Intravaia, Director of Operations for the Civilian Patrol, said even though the village helps with gas -- each member gets $20 a month -- the costs are emptying their wallets. Each member patrols the village for a minimum of eight hours a month.
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.
Valley Stream Deputy Village Clerk Bob Fumagalli said gas costs have gone up six percent since last year. Because of that, the village has invested in a fuel management system for its fleet of 135 vehicles. The system, developed by EJ Ward, Inc., monitors how much fuel is used, the miles traveled per gallon, gives odometer readings, shows idle time and other facets to help monitor fuel economy.
The village also bought three Ford Escape hybrids for public safety and code enforcement. These cars, Fumagalli said, run on electricity when traveling under 35 mph. Considering public safety and code enforcement do a lot more stop and go around the village, he said, it was more cost efficient to purchase the hybrids.
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.
Sinclair 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."
Additionally, Sinclair said, 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," he said, "it's like adding 25 cents to the price of a gallon of gas."
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