Re: Fair Gas Prices

[Tom Lamar <lamar@pcei.org>]

Visionaries,

Yes we do pay a bit more per gallon than other northwest cities, but even
here on the Palouse a gallon of gasoline is still cheaper than a gallon of
milk.  The complaints about our gas prices being higher than those in the
$.99 range seems to me like a discussion of the mere details of this issue.
We really must consider how cheap gas is EVERYWHERE in this country
compared to other parts of this world.

When we consider the environmental impacts of pumping, refining and burning
all of that gasoline, I think we should feel either lucky that we are being
charged so little, or just plain ashamed of ourselves for paying so little.
The cheapness of our gas also means more demand for roads, less demand for
public transit, and increased likelyhood of sprawl and strip developments
along major roadways.  I think in the long run, the cheaper the gas, the
more our society will cost us.  I think we should be careful about wishing
for something we may not really want.

We all drive, but we can all do our part to reduce our personal consumption
of gasoline as well.  Walking, biking, carpooling, vanpooling, and taking
the bus are options available (to varying degrees) to all of us here.

Tom

Thomas C. Lamar, Executive Director

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Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute
P O Box 8596; 112 West 4th St; Suite #1
Moscow ID 83843-1096
Phone (208)882-1444; Fax (208)882-8029
url:  http://www.moscow.com/pcei

Please Note our individual staff email addresses below:

Thomas C. Lamar, Executive Director: lamar@pcei.org
Kathleen Lester, Office Manager/Environmental Education: lester@pcei.org
Laurie Gardes, Financial Manager:  gardes@turbonet.com
Anita Grover, Watersheds: grover@pcei.org
Colette DePhelps, Community Food Systems: dephelps@pcei.org
Peggy Adams, Watersheds/Food Systems: peggy931@uidaho.edu
Jon Barrett, Idaho Smart Growth:  smartgro@micron.net
Elaine Clegg, Idaho Smart Growth:  eclegg@micron.net

Celebrating twelve years of connecting people, place and community.
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