15 Reasons to Smile When Gas Prices Go Up (and up, and up)

It won't happen right away, according to Christopher Steiner, author of $20 Per Gallon--

which, have I mentioned, you can win?

--in fact, things will get a lot worse for most of us before they get better. But when the prices at the pump continue to skyrocket (and Steiner makes a strong case for the fact that they will), Steiner's book maintains that we can look forward to a future with:

1. Less traffic, especially at rush hour
2. Less smog and pollution.
3. A fitter, healthier population
4. Kids living close enough to walk or bike to school again
5. The demise of big box stores like Wal-Mart, and therefore
6. The return of the small-town Main Street
7. More telecommuting
8. Improved inner city transportation systems
9. High speed trains connecting major cities
10. Greater demand for and availability of locally grown and made food
11. Fewer products made in China and shipped overseas, and therefore,
12. More products made locally
13. Further innovation in alternative vehicles
14. The survival of species such as Bluefin tuna, which are currently being overfished to extinction
15. Increasingly greener energy sources

As he follows the rise of oil prices from the current $3-4 per gallon of gasoline, up through $6, $8, and so on up to $20 per gallon, Steiner gives the history of our dependence on petroleum in different arenas, and the effects rising costs will have on our day-to-day lives. To keep things lively, he also brings readers into the heart of America as he visits an airplane graveyard, makes deliveries throughout Manhattan in an electric UPS truck ("all in all, it amounts to a powerful golf cart with a ton of cargo space,"), and goes carp fishing with a professional fisherman.

Steiner acts like he can see the future. Yes, he backs up every assertion with facts and figures, but some of his predictions may turn out differently than he expects, and I'm sure there are other visions of the future. Still, this book adds a fascinating perspective to North America's current lifestyle. In the scheme of things, our dependence on petroleum products is a tiny blip on the radar of humankind--a blip that we're destined to leave behind at some point. We might as well suck it up and prepare ourselves for change.

The Soundtrack: Tower of Power's Only So Much Oil in the Ground.

Would you like a copy of this book? Be my (and Hachette Book Group's) guest! The giveaway will be open until Saturday, August 1, when I'll draw two winners.

$20 Per Gallon--Christopher Steiner (essay and giveaway)

As I mentioned, we took a road trip to California. Because I love irony, in between filling up the tank along our route I've been reading Christopher Steiner's $20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better. Fascinating read. I've got a couple copies to give away to folks who comment on this topic between now and August 1.

Have you cut down on your gasoline usage since prices went up last summer? How would another dollar hike in gas prices impact your lifestyle?

As my answer to this question, I'm reprinting an article I wrote on my personal blog at the beginning of the summer of 2008. Since that article was written, we traded in our minivan and old station wagon for a single car that gets better gas mileage and seats 7. We rode our bikes and bused almost everywhere last summer and fall. We fell off the wagon when it got cold and rainy, and haven't quite managed to scramble all the way back on yet.

Okay, oil dudes. It's on.

Monday, June 16, 2008

I really like our local gas station franchise. The guys who've been running it for the past six or so years are a couple of all-around nice guys, and it's always a pleasure to spend a minute or two chatting when waiting to pay for gas. When the price goes up, they roll their eyes and commiserate. When it goes down...well, when it used to go down....they were glad for the relief, too. They also have nearly the best price in town and they're very nearby.

The gas guys also sell sunflower seeds, trail mix, pop, and ice cream bars. I think we'll try to buy lots of those things from them this summer, to make up for all the gas we won't be buying.

I like our local mass transit system pretty well, too, but I don't use it much. Unless we're going to be downtown all day, it's more expensive to take the bus or train than it is to pay for the gas and parking. Add to that the extra time it takes, and the hassle if you miss the bus, and it's hard to get motivated to pay $6-$9 for a round trip bus ride.

Until now.

No, I'm not talking about going car-free, though I applaud those who are. That'd be too drastic for us, and for our extended family who rely on us for the occasional ride. I'm just talking about putting the cars in their proper place for the summer: in the driveway, ready for when we need them.

With oil companies responding to global warming and international conflict by raising their prices to outrageous new heights, it's not just about saving a dollar here and a dollar there. It's teaching my kids that you don't have to be dependent on a car in order to get from point A to point B. Giving them the gift of confidence that mass transit and their bikes can get them where they want to go--that'll save more money in gas during their early adolescence than I'll ever pay in bus fares now.

It's about investing my money in something I can feel good about instead of something that gives me a sick feeling at the pit of my stomach.

I'm not setting myself an ultimatum or a specific goal. I put gas in the wagon on June 12, and in the van a little before that. How long can I go without giving the oil dudes another payment? It's as simple as that.

Giveaway sponsored by Hachette Book Group and open to U.S. and Canada residents who can provide a street mailing address.