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The Silver Lining In The Storm Cloud Of High Gas Prices
Content Provided By Allenergy
Allenergy (ARA) - Gas prices go up, gas prices go down, but up or down the per-gallon cost is still a lot more than most of us want to pay. It's likely to remain that way for the foreseeable future. There is, however, a silver lining or two in the stormy drama of gas prices, and you don't have to be a cockeyed optimist to find it.
Americans revel in turning lemons into lemonade, and the gas price situation is no exception. Here are three ways high gas prices have actually had a positive impact:
Safer Roads
The high cost of gas has actually made American roads safer, according to a widely reported study by the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute. The study found that nationwide traffic fatalities between May 2007 and April 2008 dropped more than 4 percent from the previous year, a significant decrease. What's more, in the months of May and April, the decreases topped 22 and 19 percent, respectively.
The decrease in fatalities was disproportionate to the drops in number of miles traveled and gallons of gas sold for the period, the study's author Michael Sivak, noted. The conclusion, he said, is that people are not only driving less, when they do drive, they are driving more safely.
A Chance to Make Money
Speculators and the stock market are favorite scapegoats when politicians try to assign blame for rising gas costs. While there may be some validity to the finger-pointing, the truth is high gas prices have also opened up investing opportunities for even the smallest investors. Some are opting to get in on the ground floor with companies working to develop alternative fuels. Others are seeing new opportunities in traditional energy sources.
For example, after 9/11, oil and natural gas prices dropped so low that many independent oil companies folded. Many wells were closed before their resources were depleted. One small company, Allenergy Inc. (ALRY.PK), started acquiring the leases for more than 150 closed wells on thousands of acres in Kansas and Oklahoma. The company is now re-opening those wells, and has increased its production 683 percent from year to year.
The company is still trading as a penny stock (just as Microsoft did in its early days), making it accessible to investors with even the most modest budget. Revenue and production increases promise to drive the stock price in the foreseeable future, regardless of gas price fluctuations.
Improved Health/Environment
We all know exercise is good for our health. Regular exercise improves cardiovascular health and facilitates weight loss. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight can help prevent or delay obesity-related diseases like type 2 diabetes, according to the Diabetes Prevention Program. Many Americans are taking high gas prices as incentive to do more walking and cycling.
The environment is also benefiting. Carpools are gaining popularity and many states now offer high-occupancy vehicle lanes on highways to further encourage carpooling. Bicycle paths are common sights on our roads, too, with many cities now devoting millions of dollars to developing paths for commuting cyclists.
High gas prices are likely to be with us for a long time to come. But from penny stock opportunities to better health, Americans are finding creative ways to turn adversity into success.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Americans revel in turning lemons into lemonade, and the gas price situation is no exception. Here are three ways high gas prices have actually had a positive impact:
Safer Roads
The high cost of gas has actually made American roads safer, according to a widely reported study by the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute. The study found that nationwide traffic fatalities between May 2007 and April 2008 dropped more than 4 percent from the previous year, a significant decrease. What's more, in the months of May and April, the decreases topped 22 and 19 percent, respectively.
The decrease in fatalities was disproportionate to the drops in number of miles traveled and gallons of gas sold for the period, the study's author Michael Sivak, noted. The conclusion, he said, is that people are not only driving less, when they do drive, they are driving more safely.
A Chance to Make Money
Speculators and the stock market are favorite scapegoats when politicians try to assign blame for rising gas costs. While there may be some validity to the finger-pointing, the truth is high gas prices have also opened up investing opportunities for even the smallest investors. Some are opting to get in on the ground floor with companies working to develop alternative fuels. Others are seeing new opportunities in traditional energy sources.
For example, after 9/11, oil and natural gas prices dropped so low that many independent oil companies folded. Many wells were closed before their resources were depleted. One small company, Allenergy Inc. (ALRY.PK), started acquiring the leases for more than 150 closed wells on thousands of acres in Kansas and Oklahoma. The company is now re-opening those wells, and has increased its production 683 percent from year to year.
The company is still trading as a penny stock (just as Microsoft did in its early days), making it accessible to investors with even the most modest budget. Revenue and production increases promise to drive the stock price in the foreseeable future, regardless of gas price fluctuations.
Improved Health/Environment
We all know exercise is good for our health. Regular exercise improves cardiovascular health and facilitates weight loss. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight can help prevent or delay obesity-related diseases like type 2 diabetes, according to the Diabetes Prevention Program. Many Americans are taking high gas prices as incentive to do more walking and cycling.
The environment is also benefiting. Carpools are gaining popularity and many states now offer high-occupancy vehicle lanes on highways to further encourage carpooling. Bicycle paths are common sights on our roads, too, with many cities now devoting millions of dollars to developing paths for commuting cyclists.
High gas prices are likely to be with us for a long time to come. But from penny stock opportunities to better health, Americans are finding creative ways to turn adversity into success.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
