Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 11, 2008 1:11:54 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

The Good in $4 Gas

Posted Jul 2, 08 12:03 PM CDT in US,  Glossies 

(Newser) – The rest of the world may have thought it would never happen, but energy prices are beginning to change Americans' behavior. Time notes some positive aspects:

  1. Jobs lost to globalization return, because energy costs make international shipping unattractive.
  2. Suburban sprawl is slowing as people choose to live closer to cities.
  3. Many firms are switching to four-day workweeks—the practice saved Florida's Brevard College $268,000 over a summer session.
  4. Less pollution as motorists drive less …
  5. …and more frugally, both in how they drive and what they drive.

  1. Driving less and slowing down also reduces traffic accidents and fatalities.
  2. Cheaper insurance—those who mass-transit their commutes fall into the class of “pleasure driver”—with premiums reduced 10%-15%.
  3. Fewer traffic jams.
  4. Increased police foot and bike patrols.
  5. Less obesity, as people walk and bike instead of driving.

Source Time

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Why $8 Gas Would Be Awesome

    Jul 11, 08 11:17 AM CDT
    Why $8 Gas Would Be Awesome Gas, as you may have heard, has topped $4 a gallon, and Joel Stein of the LA Times loves it. "Cheap gas is unfair," he argues, tongue mostly in cheek. Heck, why not make it $8 or even $10 a gallon, as in Europe, "where they have fewer road deaths even though they drive like complete idiots"? More »

  • Wowie! Maui Gas Hits $4

    Mar 14, 08 9:45 AM CDT
    Wowie! Maui Gas Hits $4 The price of gas in the US hit another record this morning of $3.28 a gallon, CNN reports, but at least one part of the nation thinks that would be a great bargain. On Maui, $4 gas has already arrived in many places, and the island is on the verge of becoming the first part of the country to average that price, the AP notes. More »

  • Oil Prices Approach All-Time High

    Sep 7, 07 3:16 AM CDT
    Oil Prices Approach All-Time High The price of oil approached a record high yesterday, hiking interest in next week’s OPEC meeting in Vienna, where observers hope the association will give some positive sign that production will increase. OPEC, however, seems divided on the matter, with the group’s president calling the market “very well balanced,” according to the Financial Times. More »

  • Nothing We Can Do About Those Prices, Says OPEC

    May 25, 07 8:47 AM CDT
    Nothing We Can Do About Those Prices, Says OPEC Gas prices are soaring, but OPEC says that there's nothing it can do. Historically, the cartel has made big efforts to increase production when prices spike, but not his time, the Wall Street Journal reports. Members of OPEC say that there's plenty of crude being pumped; instead, the price increases stem from a tight refining industry. More »

  • Gas Spikes to All-Time Record

    May 21, 07 12:01 PM CDT
    Gas Spikes to All-Time Record Gas hit a record high of $3.18 yesterday, soaring past the previous all-time high, the inflation-adjusted 1981 price of $3.15 per gallon. A spate of fires and power outages have crippled the nation's refineries, sending prices soaring even as crude oil costs drop. That's turning consumers away from non-essential purchases like clothing and big-ticket items, CNNMoney reports. More »

A Toyota dealership is shown next to a Shell gas station in San Bruno, Calif., Tuesday, July 1, 2008.   (AP Photo)
Gas prices are seen in Amsterdam, N.Y., Monday, June 30, 2008.   (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
A person pulls a gas pump from his vehicle after filling his tank in Philadelphia, Friday, June 27, 2008.   (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 4)

Tags

gas prices  • oil  • obesity  • gas  • traffic  • commute  • auto insurance


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Glossies Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »