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I recently saw the story of a possible trucker strike on the news and then again on Treehugger. I’m not sure what the chances are of seeing a major organized strike, but if it were to happen our economy would pay dearly.

I knew that diesel costs have sky-rocketed lately, but I guess I figured that the costs were being passed on to consumers. From what I’ve been reading, though, it seems like truckers, especially independent drivers, are eating a lot of the extra costs. You have to feel for them; they’re just trying to make a living.

Just thinking about a major trucker strike illustrates how vitally important they are to our economy. Trucks are a vital key to our economic infrastructure. Without ‘em, nearly every good in the country would sit idle, unable to get to its destination. I can’t imagine what would happen in a major, prolonged strike, especially to consumer staples such as groceries and retail stores. Heck, what if the gasoline-hauling truckers refused to drive? Our country would really be shut down.

The thing is: everybody seems to be blaming big oil or Bush and Cheney/Halliburton. It’s the easiest way out, but I don’t think the problem lies there. World oil demand is never-relenting, but there’s only so much of the black stuff underground. The big, bad oil companies are drilling in ever-remote locations and making less and less big finds while crude now costs over $100 a barrel. How’s a strike going to fix that?

If the problem is that complex though, then how in the world do we fix it? That’s a tough question, and it’s going to be a big one. Sure, we commute in hybrids and develop electric cars to zip around in, but the alternatives are a lot more limited when we need to haul 14,000 gallons of milk halfway across the country.

I’ve read many times that railroad companies stand to gain big time in the future. They are incredibly more efficient then trucks, but at the same time a lot slower and less flexible in their routes. Plus, on the tracks that run through my hometown we probably have 50 coal trains and Amtrak stopping every day. There’s not a whole lot of room for more traffic. On top of that, it’d be hard to deliver goods to remote locations. We could eliminate a lot of long-haul trucks, but we’d still need a ton of short-haul runs. No matter what, I have a feeling our rail system is in for some big upgrades and a much larger role than it already has.

Yep, this is going to be a major issue for a long time to come. We’ve most likely seen the end of cheap fossil fuel energy. We are going to make big, big changes, whether we want to or not.

Well, we’ve reached a milestone in our oil addiction; the price of a barrel of crude oil closed above $100 for the first time last week.  Our consumption, though, is steady-eddy as always.  It seems that Americans are now accustomed to $3 a gallon gas.  How much longer can this trend continue though?

Who would have guessed back in 2002, when crude was hovering in the $20 range, that we would see a five-fold increase in only 6 years?  I believe this huge run-up is testimony to the fact that the world continues to demand more and more oil yet supply is struggling to keep pace.  Just look at China and India.  Those two countries continue to get thirstier, plus America’s unbelievable amount of energy demand hasn’t relented. 

We’ve witnessed the enormous growth of the environmentally friendly/energy conservation movement over the past several years.  We’ve got a long ways to go though, and I hope we have the time to do it.  At present rates of demand, I’m doubtful we could operate with oil at $200 a barrel.  Energy prices have been on a long-term upward trend for a while now; will it continue?  If it does, where is the breaking point?  I sure hope we don’t have to experience it.  We need to act faster.

One thing is for certain right now.  The environmentally conscious/energy conservation movement is big; really big.  Many individuals are trying to change their ways while businesses are scrambling to improve their PR in this area, not to mention all the firms trying to come up with the earth-saving solution.  I’m curious though as to whether or not this trend is here to stay.  If we continue seeing the negative effects of our actions on the earth and/or fossil fuel prices continue rising, I don’t doubt it will go anywhere.  On the other hand, if there are no new developments that keep us acting, could the movement fall by the wayside? 

I’m reminded of the energy shortages faced by this country back in the 70s, and all the positive changes that followed.  Congress lowered the speed limits on highways, there were many new incentives and grants available for alternative energy, and smaller cars began dotting the roadways.  It looked like America was going to do something about its reliance on foreign oil sources.  Not exactly.  OPEC lifted their embargo on us, fuel prices retreated from their all-time highs, and people forgot all about those positive changes.

Fast forward 30-some years, and we are even more dangerously addicted to foreign oil, especially from unstable areas of the world.  The energy-conservation movement from back then succumbed to larger vehicles, including the birth of SUVs, along with the evolution of the suburban lifestyle.  My question is; can it happen again?

We have a lot of pressing issues both home and abroad, and our presidential candidates are ever-reminding us of how they plan to fix them all.  With all these things that our country is facing right now, it’s entirely possible that this important issue could lose steam as others make more headlines.  The stakes are a lot higher now then in the 70s, and I hope that this country will realize that inaction this time around would be foolish. 

What do you think?  If energy prices remain stable and we grow even more accustomed to $3/gallon gas, will we forget about what drove us to act in the first place?  Will other political issues push this to the back burner on our priority list?  Is it a real movement, or is it a trendy fad that is likely to pass?

In the movement away from fossil fuel burning vehicles, fuel cell cars powered by hydrogen could possibly be a fixture in our future transportation. With water as the only emission, they are a true zero emission vehicle. Fuel cell cars definitely have their advantages, but there are plenty of obstacles that currently loom.

While the vehicles themselves are zero emission, the process of producing hydrogen is far from it. Extracting hydrogen from sources such as water, natural gas, or coal burns fossil fuel, therefore much more technological progress is needed to produce hydrogen in an environmentally friendly way.

Another large issue is the infrastructure required for hydrogen to be available to the public. Thousands and thousands of refueling stations would be needed, and it wouldn’t be easy for them to be constructed fast enough to support the industry. There is also the problem of storing the hydrogen within the cars themselves. It must be stored as a gas, and it is posing challenges to engineers trying to produce a car with a respectable range between refueling.

The current price of buying and running a hydrogen vehicle is astronomical compared to current hybrid offerings. Automakers, many of which are working on getting a fuel cell car to market by decade’s end, must think that they will eventually be able to compete price-wise.

Unlike plug-in hybrids, fuel cell cars would not be dependent on the electric grid for power. Millions of plug-in cars charging every night would put more strain on the electric supply and ultimately burn more fossil fuels. However, if the renewable energy field continues its current explosion, plug-ins could be powered by completely clean energy, and would be a clear winner over hydrogen, in my opinion.

It’s easy to sit here and point out all the flaws in fuel cell cars and pick apart reasons why it won’t work, but that’s beside the point. We’re going to need an array of options and a diverse game plan to end this addiction, and we need to be studying anything with potential. With a few breakthroughs, fuel cell cars could be a vital part of our future.

(Note- 6/30/09- on my new site, Shultice Financial, I am incorporating sustainable economics and financial practices into my writing.  Feel free to check it out).