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Funding Petroleum Warlords |
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There seems to be little disagreement that US military aggression in the Middle East is related to petroleum consumption.
There also is little disagreement that US dollars fund this military aggression, and that US citizens are the largest market for petroleum in the world.
Just how big is the US petroleum market? Personal Consumption Expenditures are about $160 billion per year.* Divided by 300 million US citizens, that works out to $533 per year, or $44.44 per month for each man, woman, and child in America. A typical family of 5 will spend about $222 each month for petroleum products.
Consider your own experience -- does that sound about right? Remember to include oil and the other fluids your vehicles consume.
The TOTAL cost of personal transportation will include two other expenses: "Transportation Services" and "Motor Vehicles and Parts". These add $680 billion per year to the expenditures.
Divided by 300 million US citizens, that works out to $2,266 per year, or $189 per month for each man, woman, and child in America. A typical family of 5 will spend about $944 each month, in addition to the $222 for petroleum, on personal transportation. These figures DO NOT take into account the amount they are spending to have food and consumer goods trucked in from all over the world -- these are just the PERSONAL transportation expenses.
What if we convinced everyone to reduce their consumption by 20%? They would save $528 per year on petroleum alone! By reducing consumption of petroleum by 20%, we would also reduce our reliance on imported petroleum, and therefore our need to wage war in the Middle East.
That would mean $32 billion less the petroleum warlords would get each year from US citizens. With a $32 billion cut in revenue, campaign spending would be reduced significantly, greedy executives would cut their own salaries last, and the current political system would be altered.
Studies show that slowing down to 55 miles per hour (MPH) will reduce fuel consumption by 20% to 50%. As individuals, we can do our part by simply obeying existing speed limits and never exceeding 55 MPH. Even more can be done by refusing to buy gas-guzzling SUVs and using public transportation instead.
WE CAN DISARM THE PETROLEUM WARLORDS by refusing to fund them. Visit www.drive55.org to learn more, and Take The Pledge to obey existing speed limits, never exceeding 55 MPH, and urging Congress to restore the national 55 MPH speed limit.
* US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics. http://www.bts.gov/transtu/indicators/Economy/html/Personal_Spending_On_Transportation.html
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Speaking at a climate change conference in Miami, California Governor Arnold Scwarzenegger said drivers can do a lot to cut fuel costs by driving slower.
"Who can cut (costs) down is you, you, you and you," Schwarzenegger
said. "You can cut it down. Take your car, for instance. Go and get the
perfect tire pressure. Tune up your engine. Drive slower." He went on to say "energy prices are not going to go back to the good
old days" and it is "bogus" for politicians to promise otherwise."
"Politicians have been throwing around all kinds
of ideas in response to the skyrocketing energy prices, from the
rethinking of nuclear power to pushing biofuels and more renewables and
ending the ban on offshore drilling," Schwarzenegger said. "But anyone
who tells you this would bring down gas prices any time soon is blowing
smoke. I think that people should really be in charge of their
own destiny and how much they want to pay for fuel, not wait for the
politicians," he said.
The Drive 55 Conservation Project is delighted with the Governor's message and hand delivered a Thank You letter with Drive 55 bumper stickers to his office in Sacramento today. Leadership in the legislature also got a letter and some Drive 55 bumper stickers hand delivered to their offices in the Capital, inviting them to 'Lead by example'.
Quote sources:
Sacramento BEE
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/1042081.html
LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/
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