ALT-1 Understanding Fuel Economy
Apart from understanding the obvious, tire pressure maintenance and using our air conditioners sparingly, fuel economy starts with the very vehicle that we buy in the first place.
Global warming and a rapidly depleting fossil supplies are two of the main factors to keep in mind. However, I notice that people are still opting for larger and more decadent vehicles, that burn gas like no bodies business.
As a leading country, the United States still persist on producing gas guzzling vehicles at one end of the spectrum and at the other, we are trying to develop alternative vehicles and alternative fuel. I do believe in fair trade to a degree, but it is costly in other areas.
The American family has more cars per household, than most other countries in the world. I think it is time that we understand fuel economy on a national level, rather than leaving it up to the citizens to decide.
Maybe we should impose even stricter measures on gas guzzling?
People complain about everything, but we still climb back into our SUV's and dream of a day when gas prices will fall back to normal. Gas prices in America right now, are as normal as they will get!
Back in the late seventies, British gas prices went through the roof! They have stayed that way ever since! Where as, here in the United States, despite the gas crisis at that time, we continued to fill up our tanks and enjoy very low prices right up until the turn of the twenty first century.
When gas prices go up, does it mean that we should wine and moan about it? Or should we all pull together as a nation and do something?
Now is just a perfect time as ever, for the United States to educate it's people properly on this subject. There are enough signs out there, but it is only if we choose to take notice! I think that an even stronger message should be sent! But, I guess we are just far too busy. When a crisis arises, we all tend to perk our ears up for a while, then it is back to business as usual.
When British gasoline prices escalated in the early eighties, it seemed as if all of a sudden, the British wised up pretty fast. Within a short period of time, people were car pooling. They were cycling or riding mopeds. Cars got smaller. Cars went from achieving 35-40 miles per gallon, to performing just as well at 60-70 miles per gallon. The quality of Diesel improved and became cleaner and cheaper. So what's up with that?
Straight after 911, Americans were told to just go out and spend. We were told to keep on with our life styles. We were told that it was okay to have three or four cars per family. Damn it! We're American! and this terrorism thing should not threaten our lives!
Admittedly, we are trying to do something about the problem in America, but there are still a lot of people that are uneducated about fuel economy. We think that if our vehicle gets 25 miles to the gallon, and it is approved by the EPA, then we are doing great.
American cars did get smaller at one point. Leaded gasoline is almost extinct and now we have to watch our emissions. This is all very well, but our cars are still burning up the gas! Further more, we are building roads like crazy, even faster than we can maintain them.
..And there's another thing, road development, road maintenance and traffic congestion, all leading to one thing...more fuel!
