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Nevilledog

(50,659 posts)
Fri Jul 1, 2022, 02:58 PM Jul 2022

There's a solution to high gas prices. Americans will hate it. [View all]



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Matthew Zeitlin
@MattZeitlin
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In Europe, *energy company CEOs* are begging for conservation, meanwhile in the US, no one can even ask for carpooling or work from home. Whatever happened to energy conservation?

grid.news
There’s a solution to high gas prices. Americans will hate it.
Europe has woven energy conservation into its politics and economics in a way the United States has not. Persistently high prices may change that.
11:43 AM · Jul 1, 2022


https://www.grid.news/story/economy/2022/07/01/theres-a-solution-to-high-gas-prices-americans-will-hate-it/

The solution to high gas prices, to some energy executives, is obvious. But only in Europe.

French energy executives, including the chief executive of Total, one of the world’s largest oil companies, recently sent an open letter for the French people to “collectively take action on energy demand by reducing our consumption.”

Europe depends on natural gas especially for much of its heat and electricity that — although this is likely changing — greatly comes from Russia. The chief executive officer of Shell, which is based in London, said earlier this week that a “turbulent period in the world energy market is coming as Europe tries to replace natural gas that will likely be cut off from Russia.”

In other words, one way to lower energy prices and aid in the Ukraine war effort is to slow demand. Conservation can come in a variety of forms: driving less, lower temperatures in buildings in the winter, carpooling, using public transportation, replacing gas furnaces or working from home. In other words, asking consumers — who have been putting incredible strain on energy resources through surging demand — to use less.

But if Europeans could be eventually forced by Russia to do so, Americans often bristle at the very idea they should consume less.

That’s because Europe — and parts of Asia — have energy conservation and efficiency woven into their politics and economies in a way that the energy-rich United States does not.

*snip*


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A fair amount of people are still working from home... TheRealNorth Jul 2022 #1
+1, ... and the WFH trend is going to grow even more. People going back to the office will be .. uponit7771 Jul 2022 #23
It's been beaten into our heads, I think, that consumption is "freedom" ck4829 Jul 2022 #2
Yup TheRealNorth Jul 2022 #4
To be fair... in my experience using a bus sucks. Happy Hoosier Jul 2022 #6
It doesn't have to be that way ck4829 Jul 2022 #9
Not sure how buses can ever be convenient for some things. Happy Hoosier Jul 2022 #10
It ended when Jimmy Carter put on a sweater exboyfil Jul 2022 #3
I've been thinking about President Carter recently... Buckeye_Democrat Jul 2022 #14
Sadly true. crickets Jul 2022 #16
They are letting us work from home TheFarseer Jul 2022 #5
ARCO gas this morning in Phoenix: $5.00 LogicFirst Jul 2022 #7
The answer is to transition to non-fossil fuel energy sources. Happy Hoosier Jul 2022 #8
I find myself driving less now that the cost to do so has doubled in the last year. MichMan Jul 2022 #11
That is exactly right in 2020 when everything was doc03 Jul 2022 #12
Profit trumps the public good in this country, plain and simple. A HERETIC I AM Jul 2022 #13
I do custom crafting for a company UpInArms Jul 2022 #15
There is a solution to high prices AND carbon emissions. roamer65 Jul 2022 #17
It's great for people who can do it. I'm a hospice nurse working a large territory BUT, mucifer Jul 2022 #18
That in itself is conservation. And I'd imagine you'd be considered an Scrivener7 Jul 2022 #20
But, but, but... that would mean not buying monster pickups. How will Scrivener7 Jul 2022 #19
I saw something like this a week ago.... TheRealNorth Jul 2022 #25
Our country's motto should be changed to rownesheck Jul 2022 #21
Remember 55 mph? jeffreyi Jul 2022 #22
If Biden suggested that.... TheRealNorth Jul 2022 #26
The collective good v. the good of me, myself, and I. Solly Mack Jul 2022 #24
American exceptionalism means we don't have to learn anything from other countries...nt Wounded Bear Jul 2022 #27
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