Whether you are in business or a private consumer, the price of gas is affecting everyone at every economic level.  You may be a single parent, small family with one income or a business that has a fleet of vehicles.  EVERYONE is experiencing economic pain.  What perplexes me is the varied arguments why the price of gas is substantially high. There are some that are objective and honest, then there are some that have lost their objectivity by taking for granted what is reported on the news and not taking the extra mile to research the historical trend.  I've taken the time to debunk fact from fiction.  I've included two charts that are from the following website: Macrotrends.net

Oil Price History since 2010

Oil Price History by Presidents:  Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Barack Obama

I really don't think it's a good idea to advance "green energy" during a world crises.  Most of the world has a lot on their mind and saving the planet is not on top of the list right now.  Not diminishing the necessity to take care of our earth and natural resources for future generations, however, at the present time, we are being faced with too many crises at one time.

Most importantly, you can't switch to green energy over night.  It takes decades to build the infrastructure.  Another important "fact" is if you have battery driven cars, they have to be charged.  How are they charged, you ask?  Well, of course you know the answer, but I'm being obnoxious, you have to plug the car in an outlet to charge it. If US power grids are already stressed during extreme weather events, can you imagine the stress on power grids that haven't been prepared, enhanced, for monumental power demands?

In light of that profound thought, green energy is fine, as long as care is taken to prepare for it. Just a reminder, the best use of resources is from multiple areas such as coal, gas, propane, wind (don't really care for it; very large and they kill birds), solar (has a lot of potential for the future, but needs better research and development), and I'm sure there's more, but there's some examples.  Not every instance where power is required is going to work best from one single source.  Each climate also has a lot to consider and their readily available resources vary from country to country.  Severe and cold climates do best with different varieties of power.

While I'm digging this hole on green energy, I'd also like address, climate change, global warming, and global cooling.  The earth on it's axis, that spins on a tilt, where the sun shines on it during the day and the moon dances on it in the darkness, is a forever changing sphere of temperature by seasons, by years, by decades.  SST's (sea surface temperatures) alone can make a difference on weather patterns along with wind shear, no wind shear, El Nino, La Nina, dip in the jet stream, Arctic Vortex's, etc. all play a roll in how we are affected by weather and temperatures.  Is there global cooling, global warming, climate changes, yes, always, but not in the way that the general public are taught.  If you study enough about the history of weather and weather changes over the decades and centuries, you will find that our planet has had a history of large and small ice ages.  To note, in the mid 17th century, a small ice age occurred with severely cold temperatures and long winters.  I believe in caring for the earth but not at the behest of taxing people for the carbon foot print.  We all can find a better solution to care for our earth, such has programs taught in elementary school on how to care for the earth and maybe a dedicated chapter in some science classes through out the years.  Add to that address some of the earth's needs in college geology and meteorology classes by teaching the truth of our earth. Our earth is not doomed if we take care of it.  Our earth is not going to end in 10 years either.  Our earth will last a very long time, just with care and truth.

Mikel Coreclark said:

I blame all them butterflies for the winds and tornadoes.

As some clever person said.
If a butterfly flaps its wings in America, it will create a huricane on the other side of the planet.
I gues this clever failed to know that butterflies live on the other side of the planet also.   We would all be living on a planet that was 24/7 total huricanes and tornadoes.

 

On a lighter note, we all can do our bit, if we all invest in solar panels, even just one panel or wind turbine (Just like they did in the 1800's to pump water on the homestead but now we know we can generate electricity with them) and create some energy, imaging how much pressure we would take off the power companies to create energy.

Just one panel can power enough energy to charge our computers, phones, tv, lights.

Then in time invest in a second panel and a third until eventually you didnt need to use the power company for domestic use atleast. Companies would be forced to change on a global scale.

Laughed at your reference to butterflies!!

Interesting thought in looking back on how water was pumped for use and your connection to the use of solar panels for the smaller gadgets.  I like the way you think.  If everyone would apply some common sense to a manageable transition to solar and other green options, maybe everyone would have a clearer head in America.

Techi Jedi said:

@ mikel - agree with you. Solar energy would be wonderful to have. Wind too.

@Tiffany, I do believe that we have an impact on our world. That humans have helped to cause global climate change - and have been determined to destroy it for the all might dollar.

Look at the rain forests - burned by a mad man seeking money, only to then realize that he couldn't contain it and it is irreparably harmed. The trees help to produce oxygen and filter it. Without the trees, there are quite a lot of issues that happen. Not to mention the ecological damage, the special plants that only grew there and were much needed for medicines, etc.

Look at China with their coal production/consumption and the smog that forces everyone there to use masks. They are responsible for about 27% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions . Luckily, they are changing their tune and started using more solar power. 

I am not for coal power at all. Too dirty. Too many people killed to get it. Black lung disease for one. I'm all for green energy. 

As for gas, it's a finite resource. We should be moving away from it towards other types of fuel for vehicles. My daughter and son-in-law have an all electric car. I hope to be able to get one as well some day.

The good thing here is, though we may disagree on these topics, we can still be friends and have respect for each other. 

I totally agree with you, TJ.  We all can be better earth stewards. The plight of the rain forests, truly makes me very sad.  I think of Ferngully and if I had any way to be involved to make a difference, I would.

Coal is dirty.  I wrote about coal on another website as my ancestors are from the NE coal country and I'm very familiar with the smell of sulfur from the mines, black lung and tunnel collapse tragedies. I've been to the mines and have seen it all in it's true form.

I'm good with electric, though I believe we have massive infrastructure issues that have to be addressed and if our government starts addressing them and building the appropriate infrastructure to handle the eventual higher percentage of electric cars to gas cars, then that would gain my confidence in securing balanced energy resources for our future generations.

And yes, agreed, we may not always see the issues the same, but we will always be great friends, because great friends do have respect for each others individualism, and thoughts and that's what makes a friendship so much richer.

Techi Jedi said:

I didn't know you had been around the coal mines. Rough stuff. I feel for those that have had to earn a living at such a risk to their lives. 

True - we do need infrastructure issues to be addressed. I wish they could work with each other like they did in the past. Unfortunately, it's a tit for tat world in politics these days so that nothing gets done other than stabs and jabs.

When my grandfather passed and we went to the funeral in Pa, the grave site was at the lower end of a coal mountain.  It was actually a majestic backdrop to the grave site.  I don't think people born in coal mine areas are generally healthy.  In my personal observation it seems that the sulfur and coal burning is destructive to the lungs just living in those regions.

I'm totally with you on that; wishing our legislators would actually get along and start working for the American people again, working together with each other,  remembering why they were elected and what job they were elected to do.

Mikel Coreclark said:

Thing is, we can not rely on or depend on politicians or big business leaders / owners to do the right thing. Unless it hits them in their pockets / profit margin.

 

Solving the climate and other things starts with us consumers and forcing change. Once we do our bit, companies will be forced to act and change.

Protesting and marching wont solve the problem or force change.

Exactly, Mikel, all good points!