energy | Online Savings Blog

How Savers and Consumers Differ On Gas Prices
08.27.08 | Consumerism | 0 Comments | by Fred Siegmund

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The price of gasoline divides America into savers and consumers like no other issue.

The biggest differences between savers and consumers come in their attitudes toward energy policy. In his book the Age of Turbulence, Alan Greenspan wrote at the end of the energy chapter: "I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil."

If it is true, it is a policy: war for oil. I have never had anyone say that to me, nor have I heard any politician or major news service advocate, or try to justify, war as an oil policy.

It does illustrate the contrasts of savers and consumers on policy because it is the ultimate consumer policy: plentiful oil must be available no matter what.

Expanding Energy Supply is a Priority

American policy has been mostly consumption policy because it emphasizes production. Drilling for oil is a production policy, but so are wind energy and solar energy.

Those who advocate off shore oil drilling want to expand supply, but those who want to expand wind energy or solar power also want to expand energy supply.

The oil drillers often argue with the advocates of wind and solar energy, but the argument is over environmental policy and relative cost.

Both sides are saying technology will allow us to have the energy we need or want at reasonable prices.

Savers Limit Gas Usage No Matter the Price

Alan Greenspan suggests a policy of "… significantly higher gasoline prices to wean us off gasoline-powered motor vehicles."

That pressures people to save fuel, but unless savers have some way to cut their consumption by as much as the percentage increase in price, it will cost them much more. That is why savers want to limit the gallons they use no matter the price.

Savers know gas mileage for cars can be much higher and they want to mandate automobile mileage standards so that everyone has the choice to use less energy and save money. They want to expand rail service and have less air travel because rail uses less energy per passenger mile.

Savers look for ways to reorganize physical space so that people can live closer to work and shopping. They look for ways to make it cheaper to move closer to work: a tax deduction for all moving costs, for example.

Notice that Congress has many ways to compromise on policy. A little more off shore drilling can be traded for higher automobile mileage standards.

America needs policies that save energy and money.

Fred Siegmund covers America's jobs as part of work doing labor market analysis and projections for a client base of recruiters, trainers and counselors. Visit him at www.americanjobmarket.blogspot.com
Savings in Action: What I've Achieved So Far
04.03.08 | Money | 0 Comments | by Tom Valenti

In the past, I've posted about how I've decided to be environmentally-conscious whenever I can, and how a nice side-effect of it are cost-savings. In the past couple of weeks I've begun a couple of new initiatives that again prove this to be true.

Instead of buying soil for my yard, I've begun a compost pile that will eventually provide me with all that I need. Composting works by decomposing organic matter like yard waste and many foods and turning it into an enriched soil.

The process will take at least 6 months to bear fruit, but I have to start sometime.

My savings are as follows:
1. less trash: environmentally friendly, and if more people joined me in doing this, we'd have less need for garbage pickup and processing, which would lead to savings on energy and taxes
2. cost of soil: this time next year, I should never have to buy soil again
3. cost of compost bin: I purchased my bin from my county at a highly discounted rate (saving about 75%). My taxes are subsidizing it, so why not take advantage of it?

As I've also posted in the past, I'm looking into changing out my heater and air conditioner.

This will lead to the following savings:
1. energy efficiency: conservation is easier on our resources, and it saves me money
2. less maintenance: if all goes well, the units should cost almost nothing to properly maintain

Tom Valenti is a marketer and project manager who currently works for a financial institution in New Jersey. For more info, visit him at http://tomvalenti.com.

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