Gas Prices - give me a break!

[Robert Goodale]

So are we supposed to feel guilty because because of prosperity?  Will paying
high gas prices somehow make us feel better about ourselves?  Should we go back
to the stone age?  Will becoming a third world country somehow make the planet
a better place to live?  I'll take cheep gas in exchange for prosperity, thank
you.

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Sorry, I couldn't help it.  I have a low tolerance for junk science.
___________________________________________________________

Rob Goodale, RPT
Las Vegas, NV





Delwin D Fandrich wrote:

> You are right, $1.49 per gallon of gasoline is cheap.  So is $1.58 per
> gallon.
>
> The US pumps approximately 22% of the worldwide carbon dioxide ('greenhouse
> gases') emissions into the atmosphere, in large part because of the
> extremely low energy prices that we pay.  (At least in terms of the direct
> purchase price.  There is a much higher price down the road, but since it is
> not paid at the pump it tends to be overlooked.)
>
> There is no longer any serious debate as to whether or not these emissions
> are damaging the planet.  The debate is now simply one of determining how
> extensive the damage will be and whether or not humanity can survive the
> damage.
>
> The world of the near future will be quite different from the one we live in
> today.  It will be much warmer -- eleven of the hottest years in recorded
> history have occurred since 1983.  The five hottest consecutive years in
> history were 1991 to 1995.  1998 was the hottest year ever.  The planet is
> heating up at faster rate than any time in its history.
>
> If you don't think this is a serious problem, check with the insurance
> industry.  During the 1980's insurance losses due to weather-related
> damage -- droughts, floods, storm surges, sea level rise, etc. -- averaged
> about $2 billion a year.  In 1998 alone the tab was $89 billion.  And it's
> going to get much worse.  Remember last year's record-setting drought in the
> mid-Atlantic states (six states were declared disaster areas).  The heatwave
> through the Midwest and northeastern U.S. cost 271 lives.  Hurricane Floyd
> alone resulted in over $1 billion worth of damage in North Carolina alone.
> And we got off easy.  A cyclone in India killed over 10,000 people.  The
> mud-slides in Venezuela killed 15,000 people.  In December of last year wind
> storms through northern Europe resulted in over $4 billion of damage.
>
> And the list goes on.
>
> No, we don't pay nearly enough for the energy we use so wastefully.  Not by
> half.  But we're going to.
>
> Del