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Running… out of…gas

Those of us over forty remember the "energy crisis" of the late 70s.
Those of us over forty remember the "energy crisis" of the late 70s. Where a few years before the evening news broadcasts would have been filled with images of fighting in Vietnam, they were now showing unbelievably long line-ups at gas stations, sometimes stretching for blocks. Other stations had hastily-scrawled signs advising

NO GAS.


Is this the direction we are again heading? Possibly.

The recent shortages are due primarily two recent fires at separate Imperial Oil refineries, and the CN strike. This has caused a decline in reserves for Esso and delivery difficulties for all retailers.

Of course, here in the Sault our gasoline arrives by ship, and is off-loaded at the Purvis dock and piped to the appropriate tank farm. There have been two ships at the dock over the past two weeks. While our local supply shouldn’t be too adversely affected, except for Esso products, the overall balance of available product may be shifted to alleviate regional discrepancies.

A few weeks ago we were enjoying prices in the mid-70 cents range, as world oil prices fell and supply was in abundance following a very late start to winter. That’s over and done with, now.

We would do well to start trying to conserve more.

Let’s start by cutting down how much we drive, ensuring our vehicles are in top-notch condition, and are the most fuel-efficient we can afford to operate.

Convenience stores serve a purpose, but… how many trips do you make to one each week? Perhaps while at the grocery store you could buy more of what you usually run out of mid-week. Or, if you live close enough, you could walk.

Councillor Caicco is concerned about the traffic congestion at local schools, as children are dropped-off and picked-up by parents. As some parents have expressed in the Blue Room, there are streets where they feel that their children’s safety is at risk by allowing them to walk in the winter. Fair enough. There are many more streets, however, where it is perfectly safe for children to walk to and from school, usually on sidewalks and with crossing guards at busy intersections. And there’s little reason why children shouldn’t walk in the spring and fall.

How often do you check the air pressure in your vehicle’s tires? Or change the air filter? Have the engine tuned? Keeping your vehicle running its best will give you better fuel economy. So will adjusting your driving habits: fast starts, sudden stops and driving too fast all waste fuel.

I’ve had discussions — online and in-person — with those who claim a four-wheel drive vehicle is essential when we live in the north. Possibly… depending on where you actually live. Most of us can get by just fine without one. If you do feel the need to have a four-wheel drive, consider trading-up to a newer, smaller model if you can. Many of the newer 4WDs, both SUVs and car-body style, manage a respectable 30 mpg or better.

High gas prices are here to stay.

Living in the Sault, it’s easy to point to Toronto and other large metropolitan cities and decry their reliance on the automobile. The fact is we’re just as dependent on them here, and perhaps more so.

While people in southern Ontario may spend more time in their vehicles simply commuting to work and back, we spend more time in ours engaged in leisure pursuits. And then there’s all our gas-powered conveniences and toys — snowblowers, lawnmowers and leaf blowers, ATVs, snowmachines, outboard motors, etc. These all add up, too.

So, we can just keep on griping about the prices (which we’ll likely do anyway) and the shortages, or we can take a look at how we can reduce our consumption.

I’m not saying we have to roll back time and live like Charles Ingles, but by cutting back where we can we save two ways: we can save money, and reduce our impact on the environment.

But… that’s just my opinion.

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