Bottom of the barrel

Editorial

Our nation's addiction to Arab oil is endangering our health.

The escalating fuel prices imposed by OPEC are forcing families to make lifestyle changes. Businesses are wrestling with increased costs of making service calls and delivering goods. In addition, nearly three-quarters of personal gasoline consumption is expended driving to and from work and in connection with family business activities. For many families faced with fuel bills nearly $1,000 higher than three years ago, deciding whether to spend money on gas or food is a game of Catch-22, and everyone loses.

Vacations, which for many busy households offer a sacrosanct period of togetherness, cost more, and more families will choose to stay at home.

In Phoenix, some older adults are curtailing their treasured visits to the VOSJCC senior center because they can't afford the gas, even though staying at home may mean social isolation and the risks of poor nutrition and depression.

Trumping the impact on individuals is the war in Iraq, now well into its second year. It has intensified Arab hatred of the West - Israel and the United States in particular - and increased the risks of maintaining our dependency on oil from the Middle East

Oil is power, and the oil-producing nations wield that power over American foreign policy and military decision-making, to our extreme detriment.

Still, there is much we can do to rectify this distressing situation.

The Arizona Automobile Association suggests: Drive fuel-efficient vehicles. Consolidate trips and errands to cut down on gas use. We can comparison shop by phone and by reading newspaper advertisements. We can slow down, and avoid quick starts and sudden stops. We can keep our autos in good repair. We can join carpools to get to and from work and school.

As citizens, we can implore our elected officials to plan and fund a comprehensive public transportation system that is dependable, accessible and appealing to residents of every age and income level.

Most importantly, we can lobby our elected officials to do everything it takes to wean ourselves from foreign suppliers and move our nation to energy independence. This means managing our fuel reserves to protect against burdensome price increases, investing wholeheartedly in alternative fuel research and development, providing incentives to automobile manufacturers to build more fuel-efficient vehicles, and providing tax incentives to consumers to buy such vehicles.

We are facing a barrel full of challenges, but if we succeed, the outcome will be healthier families, cleaner communities and a safer nation.

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