Gasoline Prices

Yet according to the latest reports from The Department of Transportation motorists drove 3.8 billion less miles in December 2009 than they did in December 2008. This marks the fourteenth month in a row that miles driven have decreased.

OPEC, The organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have cut production over 4 million barrels a day since their last meeting. Leaders of OPEC say they may cut production further at their March 15th meeting. At this time oil is below thirty-five dollars a barrel. In July of 2008 oil was selling for $147.27 a barrel.

With these facts and figures the price of gasoline going up seems rather bizarre. They seem especially so when you consider that when gasoline prices were sky high those same refineries managed to keep up production quite well.

Oil producers and companies had several years of nearly incomprehensible profits. Now suddenly they are raising prices again saying that increased usage is causing a shortage that requires prices to go up.

I don't know about anyone else, but I smell a bad odor in the oil patch and it isn't that peculiar sulphur odor so common around oil wells.

If anyone had the slightest idea that the "oil crisis" was over they need to reconsider. The oil producers and companies are going to do every thing they possibly can to keep us dependent on them and their products. Now is the time to begin to say "No, thank you." And really get serious about finding other ways to meet our energy needs.

All those feel good ads the oil companies are running need to be viewed with suspicion and distrust. Where are they getting the money to run those ads? From you and me.

If, like me, you are tired of being whipsawed by the oil producers and companies it is time to take action. Figure out every way possible to reduce your use of oil and oil products.

When you have to buy a new vehicle, find the one with the best mileage, which meets your needs. Yes, this vehicle will cost more than a gas guzzler, but if enough of us do this the prices on such vehicles will begin to come down.

Does your community have some laws on the books that prevent the usage of solar panels and wind generators? Get involved and get those laws removed.

Sign on with Al Gore and T. Boone Pickens and their programs. There is real power in numbers and US citizens still have the most clout. According to US government statistics we are the world's largest exporters as well as importers. Both of these facts give us a way to change things and even help improve things for everybody.

Don't back down on ways to reduce your usage of oil just because the prices have dropped again. This cycle has happened four times in my life time. We had oil booms and busts in the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's as well as the current one. Let's make this the last one.