Gas prices soar for spring break getaways
Robert Otsubo - March 12th, 2008With summer quickly approaching, prices for gasoline are reaching record highs.
According to AAA Oil Price Information Services, on Monday the average price for a gallon of gas across the nation was $3.16, just below the record $3.18 set last May. San Francisco saw the highest national average last week at $3.58.
With gas prices reaching record highs, students are rethinking traveling plans for the vacation season.
“It sucks for us traveling,” said Andy Spurlock, a sophomore chemistry and health professions major. “I was going to gas up on the way to California, but I will need to do it before I leave to avoid the ridiculous prices.”
Spurlock added that instead of eating on the trip he will now have to spend the money trying to get to California.
Throughout spring break, the Energy Department expects prices to exceed $3.40. It is possible that by summer national averages will reach $4.00.
“I think we are quite lucky,” said Macy Mouristen, a senior liberal arts major. “I think in Brittan the price for gas is about $7.”
The increase in gas prices brings into question our nation’s dependency on foreign oil.
“It is troubling to see that as a society we have become so dependent on gas,” said English professor Luke Reynolds.
Reynolds praises our recent efforts in researching alternative fuel sources.
“We got hybrid and electric cars,” Reynolds said. “It is great to see we are investing in other forms of energy.”
Reynolds said it is imperative for our future to remedy our foreign fuel addiction now.
Mouristen said if our current lifestyle continues, it will cut even deeper holes in our pockets.
“In relation with what is occurring in the Middle East, people losing their lives over the oil fields, it is going to cost us more than just money,” Mouristen said.
Mouristen added that with the current state of other parts of the world, America is fairly fortunate that one of our main problems revolves only around oil.
As the November presidential elections approach, the issue of energy will no doubt be a concern for the candidates.
“I think this year’s elections are especially important,” Reynolds said. “I would definitely like to see energy conservation as an issue. It affects the census, so it should be a priority.”
While Europe is famous for their utilization of public transportation, America is behind the times, still relying heavily on cars.
Spurlock said he would like to see more forms of efficient and effective public transportation implemented around the United States.
“Something like the yellow bike system but on a larger scale for close commutes,” Spurlock said.
Spurlock said he realizes the potential fallbacks of this plan, with the vandalizing witnessed with NAU’s yellow bike movement.
“On a larger scale I would like to see more buses and more convenient bus stops,” Spurlock said.
Despite the success of subway systems in large metropolitan areas such as New York, Spurlock knows the difficulties involved in developing comparable transportation methods in small cities like Flagstaff.
“They really just can’t go around uprooting everything,” Spurlock said.
As America’s gas crisis continues, the issue of conservation is on the minds of many concerned citizens.
Reynolds said it is definitely something worth talking about.
“As Americans we don’t put ourselves out there,” Reynolds said. “We want what we want, when we should be more concerned with trying to better energy conservation.”