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 owns a print shop and has a masters degree in economic studies. His viewpoint did make sense. 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. And this kind of viewpoint really applies to other things too including the price of gas.

There is a particularly great advantage of the soaring price of oil that environmentalists should be celebrating: it is making alternative energy much more attractive, this is so much the case that the rising price may just be thing that the facilitates a tidal wave of renewable fuel source projects that will, in turn, lead to greater scale economies and perhaps the movement of alternative fuel sources into the mainstream. This would be a great outcome.

Overall, the high price of energy is doing some pretty bad things -- but if a movement towards saner energy solutions results, this silver lining could be an epic and historic shift.

The longer fuel prices remain high, the more substantial potential consumer drift. A rise of ten percent in fuel prices lessens consumption by just roughly half a percent in the short term, but it reduces demand more significantly over a the long haul

As folks decide on the important things for the future, such as where to live and what is the best vehicle for them to own, they are beginning to take into consideration the price of gas into the equation. Some are opting for smaller cars or are moving closer to their jobs to lessen drive time.

The recent concern has delayed or slowed many new subdivisons, high fuel prices have lessened consumption and resulted in less purchasing of, and soaring construction costs are limiting new coal and gasoline facilities.

Meanwhile, economic incentives are creating a frenzy of new clean energy construction.

But the most fascinating aspect is that all that is going on while the real workable method to reducing of gas usage and helping the environment through cleaner emissions is RIGHT HERE AT