As temperatures continued to rise across the Southwest, imposing heat watches, advisories, and warnings, so did the price at the pumps. Gasoline prices hit a record high of $5 a gallon this weekend, harming the pockets of those who rely on cars to commute. The U.S. is overwhelmingly a car-centric society, and this country’s antiquated transportation methodology is a silent economic and environmental killer.
The national average rose to roughly $5.004 on Saturday, reported AAA, and doesn’t appear to be slowing down as it sits at $5.009 as of Thursday, June 16th. Gas prices fluctuate for a variety of reasons, but four main factors determine their price: the cost of crude oil; taxes; distribution and marketing; and refining costs. However, the current surge in gas prices has been driven by two main factors: the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The peak of the pandemic was inundated with lockdowns and public health precautions, ultimately driving down crude oil prices. This has since flipped with the social and economic transition to “normal” everyday life. Russia’s heinous invasion of Ukraine is also to blame, as U.S. sanctions and the European Union’s oil ban have pushed Russian oil off the market, dramatically affecting the price of oil internationally.
A combination of these factors has led to a crude oil price surge. And with the U.S. locked into a car-centric mindset, there are very few practical alternatives to commuting without a car, thereby forcing consumers to purchase gasoline at higher prices.
To lower the price at the pumps, there needs to be an increase in crude oil production to balance supply and demand. However, ramping up crude oil production is inherently harmful to the environment because of pollution, runoff, and increased greenhouse gas emissions from crude oil extraction. Reports from the IPCC have proved this to be true.
However, in March, the Biden Administration tried to improve gas prices by developing a plan that would release 1 million barrels of oil a day, up to 180 million barrels in total, from the Strategic Planning Reserves. Unfortunately, this alone isn’t sufficient enough to lower gas prices, as oil groups, such as OPEC+ and oil companies, have struggled with production due to resource constraints.
A car-centric U.S. is unsustainable.
This gas dilemma is a prime example of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. The U.S. is dealing with a theoretical sustainability issue of the three “E’s”: environment, equity, and economics. This is true for several reasons, but mainly because of the demand for a rapid global transition to renewable energy, which keeps fossil fuels underground. However, the reality is that the United States is highly dependent on fossil fuels, and the American consumer demands cheap gas, or rather, needs cheap gas.
Therefore, who decides which “E” of sustainability is to be sacrificed? Does the environment suffer, does the economy suffer, or does the quality of life become worse for those struggling to afford gas and transportation? There isn’t only one solution to the question, but it’s essential to apply this “sustainability” framework to policy discussions to evaluate which “E” (environment, economy, or equity) is being neglected.
In the case of gas prices, all three E’s are currently failing. The environment is harmed by the extraction and overreliance on crude oil and its subsequent pollution. The economy is suffering, in part, for a multitude of reasons, primarily caused by inflation, increasing crude oil prices, and the slow economic recovery from COVID-19. And lastly, equity continues to plummet, with consumers making financial sacrifices to afford gasoline.
And although an increase in gas prices could actually be beneficial to the environment, as the high price spike would curb driving and motivate people to drive less, that would still harm the other two “E’s” of sustainability. As an environmentalist myself, I pride myself on viewing these complex issues with all three “Es”, not solely favoring the environment.
Cars, cars, cars, and more cars…
The United States is a car-centric society; it’s practically impossible to commute by alternative modalities such as biking, walking, or, throughout much of the U.S., public transit. Those living in urban centers such as Seattle and New York are some of the exceptions. However, in Texas, public transportation is often inaccessible and there is a lack of sufficient infrastructure that encourages commutes via walking or biking.
The automobile has dominated American culture ever since Ford showcased what America’s future could look like. Cars have since become an essential part of the American dream, possessing the “freedom” to go anywhere with convenience. In fact, people still look down upon public transit, as if riding a more sustainable, environmentally friendly option is a bad thing.
However, the car-culture of America comes with a price tag, as transportation makes up 27% of greenhouse gas emissions. From crude oil extraction to fumes from running engines and the externalities of manufacturing costs, driving cars has cost the American people a lot more than just the price of gas. According to an article in the Atlantic, the true cost of transportation would actually be more than $10 a gallon. Not to mention the countless graveyards that are home to drivers’ once-beloved cars.
Despite all these negatives, the average consumer still demands cheap gas. Why? It’s simple; American cities are designed for the car, not the pedestrian. Environmentally friendly options such as biking, walking, and public transit are often unreliable, inaccessible, or the infrastructure doesn’t exist for the public to take advantage of these transportation modalities. Additionally, public transport is never fully routed to every inch of the city, adding more cons to the list of reasons why consumers will not utilize public transit.
However, there are ways to undermine the tradition of a car-centric society, such as fighting back against single-family zoning, improving safety conditions for bikers and pedestrians, and ensuring ADA accessibility throughout all of these modalities.
Single-family zoning tends to isolate where people live, separating them from where they work, leisure, and shop. As a result of this division, single-person vehicles are required. However, implementing mixed development would actually promote a less car-centric society. This means that everything a consumer would need would only be a 20-minute walk away, from things like schools to grocery stores. However, that phenomenon is not well known to most Americans because suburbia construction won’t allow it.
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The nature of American society thrives on cars, so no matter what the gas prices are, consumers are going to buy. However, that isn’t an excuse to say that the status quo shouldn’t be challenged, because as the IPCC points out, our reliance on fossil fuels must make a shift, and that shift needs to happen now.
In the fall, gas prices are expected to increase, and unfortunately, in our car-centric society, so will demand. Alternative modes of transportation are not currently viable options to alleviate the burden imposed on consumers’ pockets. There is much work to be done to restructure American culture so that it prioritizes the pedestrian over four wheels and an engine.