World Report: September 2, 2005 Vol. 11 Iss. 1
- This Issue:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Story
Grades 4-6
Pressure at the Pump
Millions of families across the U.S. took car trips this summer. But whether they went to the beach, the mountains or Grandmother's house, one sight surely caught everyone's eye: the signs advertising high-priced gasoline. In many places in the country, the price of a gallon of gas reached a record $3 or higher.
The reason for the sky-high prices is the rising cost of oil. Crude oil is a black, sticky liquid pumped from deep beneath the earth's surface. It is one of our most important natural resources. Oil is used to heat homes and make plastics and other common materials. But most of it-some 13 million barrels a day-is turned into transportation fuel. Gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel come from oil.
They Call It Black Gold
The price of this precious raw material affects anyone who goes anywhere. The airline industry must spend an extra $180 million each year for every penny increase in the price of a gallon of jet fuel. The cost of delivering any package-a birthday present, a pizza or frozen food to a store-can go up when gas gets more expensive. Farmers spend more to fuel their tractors. Schools feel the crunch too. They have to pay more to keep their buses running. Some are even shortening school-bus routes.
With the summer vacation season over, oil-market experts say that the price of gas should go down. But many people are already trying to beat the high price of gas by driving less, carpooling or traveling by train or bus.
Will U.S. drivers decide it's smart to trade in big gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles for gas-sipping smaller cars that get better mileage? It's probably too soon to tell. Even if gas prices go down, says Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation of America, we should worry about our consumption.
"The pain at the pump is only one of the reasons that people should care," says Cooper. Burning less fossil fuel would also produce less pollution. If we cut back on driving, we will need to buy less oil from other countries. We need to remember, says Cooper, that the real cost of gas is even higher than the price tag at the pump.
By the Numbers
8 billion: Number of trips that school buses make to and from U.S. schools each year
65: Number of gallons it takes to fill a school bus fuel tank. Mileage? About seven miles per gallon.
8.3%: Amount world oil production has risen since November 2001
8.6%: Amount world oil demand has increased since November 2001
32%: Amount U.S. oil consumption is expected to rise by 2025
41%: Amount world oil consumption is expected to increase by 2025
