A lot of people are cranky about gas approaching $5 a gallon, but I’m not one of them. Maybe I’d feel differently if I had to commute to work, especially if that could only be done by car. Maybe then the thought of gas eating into all my free spending would rub me wrong. But as it is, I see high gas prices as a pretty good thing.
In truth, I wanted gas to be $5 a gallon 15 years ago (and said so then). If gas prices had been higher all along we would be much further along in alternative energy research and use, AND people would have long ago demanded better, more accessible, and more frequent public transportation. Plus, if gas had cost more I don’t think we would have seen the sprawl into suburbia that has marked the last few decades. Instead we would have been forced to consider ways to increase urban density, while also making urban living more affordable for families. Mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods anyone? Maybe if gas had been $5 a gallon all along Americans wouldn’t have convinced themselves in droves that they needed 4000+ square foot houses, or behemoth vehicles that are impossible to see around when I’m trying to turn left on my corner and one is parked in my line of sight (one of many reasons they are annoying).
With gas prices sky-rocketing, it seems that everywhere I turn people are talking about scaling back, going smaller, energy consumption, public transportation, and a host of other important things.
It’s obvious that higher gas prices are affecting food costs too. Across the board, everyone is feeling the pinch, and the costs to consumers are rising. Except less so with local foods. I was at my grocery store the other day and noticed a HUGE price difference between local and non-local products. I was buying flour and saw that Bob’s Red Mill (a favorite of mine for grains/flour) had their 5 lb organic brand of flour priced at $5.99 while the equivalent King Arthur’s product was $9.99. I was shocked! A $4 difference? I was so taken aback by the difference I decided to talk to the poor guy stocking the shelves about it. He said that Bob’s has a history of keeping prices lower, but that they were seeing huge price differences on local products throughout the store. Finally, the little local companies have a way to stay a leg up on the big guy in their own market. Seems like a good thing to me. You?
