Irrespective of the reasons that have contributed to this, it is indeed heartening to see that the amount of crude oil that is being used currently in the US, has dropped to the consumption levels of 2003.

According to the American Petroleum Institute, demand for oil in the U.S. in 2008 went down by 6% to 19.4m barrels/day. And while that still forms huge chunks of carbon dioxide constantly released into the atmosphere, it still is a considerable decline indeed.

The reduction in oil consumption might have come from a variety of reasons. From the bad economy that forces more commuters to use public transportation to a switch the alternate fuel, this is obviously a development that one can be slightly happy about.

Still, no reason to feel ecstatic.

The US oil consumption in 2003 was no small number in itself and despite the 3.3 percent drop in use of gasoline one cannot help but think that this has more to do with the ‘green dollars’ rather than ‘green thoughts’.

Is environmental awareness starting to become a by-product of sound economy? Very well could be and we are not complaining as long as the results keep flowing in.

Source: TreeHugger & AutoBlogGreen
Original Image by marinephotobank

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It’s not the high crude oil prices causing high gasoline prices that are driving up food costs. It’s not the fault of the US invasion of Iraq and upsetting the oil bucket. It’s not even the global warming monster that is causing food shortages, hunger among the poor, increased poverty or social unrest. It’s not even the demands of the growing economies in India or China.

The World Bank has concluded that its the EU and the United States and their drive for biofuels that has had the biggest impact on food supply and prices. When what would normally be used for food is fed to cars, people are left wanting.

Let me think this through. The push for biofuels is the result of high gasoline prices, no? If crude was more affordable then no need to push biofuels, right? What I really want to know is how many farmers in America and elsewhere are still being paid to not grow anything? Have the government subsidies stopped? If not, why not?

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