Why High Gas Prices Are A Good Thing

There are two sides to every story - even the story of how America’s gas prices have multiplied in the last decade. While rising gas prices are affecting virtually every aspect of our economy, they may indeed be a very necessary wake-up call that may just be the very recipe that evokes a long overdue push for changing our consumption of everything from fuel to food.

Until recently, gas was seen as nothing more than an ubiquitous commodity that was available on every corner for next to nothing. No one worried about how “efficient” their vehicle was and alternative energy was merely a side project scoffed at by most of the nation. 

As prices have gone higher and higher, however, America has started to question its energy usage for the very first time. Hummer’s are out of style, people are consolidating their errands, and almost every company in the country is hard at work on something powered by anything but gas.

Driving less has the potential to spark a dramatic reduction in the nation’s obesity rate as the bicycle once again becomes an accepted mode of transportation, people think twice about eating out, and walking becomes an easier way to get around. Even better, with less cars on the road, congestion is bound to ease up (at least a little) and road maintenance costs should decrease within a few years.

Are high gas prices a good thing right now? Of course not. At the moment, they’re plaguing the pockets of ordinary citizens and making it near impossible for much of America to continue living the way they did yesterday. But in the long run, the change in the price of gas may be just what we need to redefine tomorrow’s America as an environmentally conscious, moderation-friendly nation that has taken a step back to rethink its position within the world. Perhaps this won’t be today and probably not tomorrow but, within a few years, $8 gas and the possibilities above could indeed become reality.