High Gas Prices: Tragedy of the Common Complaint

Hybrid sales are up. Hummer sales are down. Bus, train, rideshare, carpool, and even bicycle use are all up. The number of single-person commuter cars on the road is down. Although complex and controversial, it is becoming widely acknowledged by society that too many Americans are dying in a war for control over Middle Eastern oil reserves. Large corporations like General Motors are being forced to focus their spending on developing (or in some cases simply putting to use) technology that will ultimately help create a more sustainable earth for all of us—because selling their gas-guzzlers is no longer sustainable for them. The necessity of renewable energy sources has finally come to a head in America and it all means lower carbon emissions, less pollution and a healthier environment. Drivers are also slowing down to save gas, helping to create safer roads for other drivers (including motorcyclists), as well as bicycle riders and pedestrians. 

So what's the problem? We want a better environment—for ourselves, and our children. We want safer roads and healthier communities that nurture social rideshares and responsible exercise habits (biking to work or walking to a bus stop), and we want to put renewable energy technology to use and reduce our carbon footprint…right?

Unfortunately, we're not quite there. The road to a healthier environment is still the road less traveled and many Americans waver between dishing out the extra money for the same tank of gas that fuels their commutes and changing the way they think about transportation. Higher gas prices are leading us through a dark tunnel with a bright light that is too far away for many people to see—and some people simply can't afford to care about tomorrow because they have to worry how they will get to the grocery store and feed their children today.

Here are three possible scenarios: 

1. Gas prices go down and our supply-and-demand based economy (for most resources, but obviously not all) drives the cost of fuel-efficient, global warming-fighting technology up again while people start buying back their flashy gas-guzzlers.

2. Gas prices stay where they are and our economy spirals downward as Americans reallocate their budgets to maintain their daily routine (even though they are already making significant shifts in their lifestyles).

3. Gas prices keep going up until we eventually reach the end of our proverbial tunnel and enjoy living in a more sustainable world.

Although society and our economy are more complex than these generalizations, they do provide a realistic perspective on what high gas prices mean for our country and the world amidst a culture in which we call for an end to global warming, yet we protest high gas prices (save the earth vs. save my wallet). Gas prices are undoubtedly hurting the individual for now, but the more they go up, the closer we are to changing our world for the better for ourselves, for our children and for society as a whole.