Gasoline: Consume or Conserve?

With the national average gas prices at $2.36 a gallon, many Americans are debating whether to fill up and take that extra trip now while prices are low, or sit on the full tanks they have and conserve the gas. It's a debate worthy of attention, as people in their excitement are forgetting the high prices we were paying just last month.

CONSUME

Some would say now is the right time to hit the road, take those trips you put off due to higher prices this past summer. Prices have dropped down to under $1.85 in some areas of America, while others are still paying $2.89, depending on where you live. I have seen people pulling their bigger vehicles out of the garage, driving them to the gas station, and filling up. I know I canceled all but two of my road trips, and would love to have taken them.

People are driving on the freeways, picking up their speed, as if they can afford to do that now with lower prices. Lines at gas stations in some areas are longer than seen in over a year. Consumption of gasoline is now at it's peak since the recent drop in prices, which in turn is on its way to driving the prices back up.

It's a simple rule of supply and demand. When prices were at an all time high with an average of $4.11 in July 2008, consumers weren't paying for it. They took the bus to work, they walked to the store, and they car pooled, dropping the demand for gas, which left a rise in supply, allowing for the drop in prices to get drivers back out on the road. Now that people are running to fill up their tanks once again, the demand is high, supply dropping, and gas prices are soon to raise back up.

CONSERVE

Of course, if we as a whole were smart, we would conserve our gas, keeping the demand low, and forcing the oil companies to keep the prices down. Filling up only when necessary and acting as if prices were still at $4.00 a gallon. Americans need to remember the high prices, and stick to conservation rules. Perhaps if the gas guzzlers kept their cars in the garage, if more people kept their speeds at the minimum, and if more people chose optional transportation, we could continue to see a change in prices. Just last month, we were paying national average of $3.50 a gallon, and conserving like crazy. Drivers kept their cars in tune, tires filled, slower speeds, and the bigger vehicles were dusting in the garages. Now is the time to remember the pinch of those days of high gas prices, of the days you wondered whether it was worth that extra trip to the store, and continue to conserve your gasoline.

ON THE FENCE

Of course many of us can make the following argument, if I don't fill up, I can't drive to work, and if I can't work I can't support my family. I know I am one of them. Public transportation in my area is unreliable at best, ride shares aren't available, and living in the snow belt knocks out riding a bike to work, along with the fact it's ten miles away. If we aren't working, we aren't spending, which means we aren't supporting the weakened economy either way. The only reasonable solution is to conserve what you can, keep out the extra side trips, walk when you can. Combine shopping trips into one large one, and keep driving responsibly. Let's show the big oil companies we don't need their supply as badly as they think, and maybe, just maybe, we can keep or even lower the gasoline prices.