I met someone yesterday who is the most optimistic person about the US economy that I have met in well over a year since all the bubbles started bursting. He was quite a smart fellow who owns a print and copy shop and owns a masters degree in economics. No dummy. And what he said did make sense to some degree. He says that the crash of the dollar means that the US can export goods again and be competitive and that this will usher in a new era of revitalized manufacturing in America and ultimately cause a financial boom. I don't know if this is true. But it was nice to meet at least one sentient person who is also optimistic. If one steps back and takes a deep breath and looks at the shocking increase in gas prices then they can apply this same brand of optimism. .

There is one great benefit of the high price of oil which should be a cause of celebration amongst the environmental organizations: it is making alternative energy much more attractive, this is so much the case that the soaring price may open the door, finally for a tsunami of renewable fuel source projects that will, consequently, lead to greater scale economies and perhaps the movement of alternative fuel sources into the mainstream. This would be a serious lemons to lemonade sort of scenario.

In the current scene the high price of energy is having some pretty bad effects -- but if a shift to saner energy sources results, this silver lining could be an epic and historic shift.

The longer gasoline prices continue to rise, the greater the significance of potential consumer shift. A rise of ten percent in gasoline prices lessens consumption by just 0.6% in the short term, but it reduces demand more significantly over a the long haul

As people decide on the important things for the future, such as where they want to reside and what type of car they want, they are starting to consider in the cost of fuel. Some are choosing smaller cars or are relocating nearer to their offices to diminish gas consumption.

The current situation concern has halted or impeded many new subdivisons, high gas prices have lessened consumption and restrained purchasing of gas-guzzlers, and high construction costs are restricting new coal and gas plants.

At the same time, economic incentives are generating a frenzy of new clean energy construction.

But the truly fascinating thing is that all this is occuring while the real remedy for to lowering of gas consumption and helping the environment through cleaner emissions is RIGHT HERE AT