| WOW the weather got
colder, the traffic got worse, and it is beginning to feel like
the holiday season. At this writing, we are still approaching
Thanksgiving, but winter is really in the air.
We can all breathe a sigh of relief that the gas prices are going
down again. Local Atlanta pundit, Clark Howard, says that they’ll
be under $2.00 per gallon by the first of 2006. Hopefully we’ll
be able to afford our home heating bills and also afford to scurry
around the city. My prediction at the start of the latest “fuel
crisis” was that by mid January gas would be back to $1.89.
You will all find out how good a psychic I am on that prediction.
Now that the oil companies have had their hands slapped for greed,
maybe we can get back to living our lives as usual, although it
seems as though the price of gas didn’t even dent the Atlanta
traffic.
What will it really take for us to all realize that we are the
stewards of this earth and that we must use reason and take care?
It’s not only the gasoline, but the pollution as well. If
our system would support research for renewable fuel, we could
have had this problem solved years ago. But as long as researchers
continue to have their patents bought out by big corporate interest
who in turn shelve the inventions, we’ll still have the same
old burn fossil fuels – pollute the environment – break
our budgets on gasoline and heating fuel – make the oil companies
rich cycle.
I certainly admit to having my share in the above cycle. I don’t
like to be cold in the winter or hot in the summer. I like to drive
wherever I want. Economics don’t seem to be very daunting
to any of us when our comfort or convenience is at risk.
I’m fortunate in that my husband and I work together and
usually share a ride. We do things like not heating the entire
house when we’re away all day. We just turned on the heat
this week. I know it may require wearing a sweater and bunny slippers
around, but think of what we could save if we all cut back just
a little. Even better, think of what it would do to the big oil
companies profits!
So why not join me in being just a bit frugal and save more than
money. You could save the planet!
Sherry Henderson,
Editor/Publisher |
