KRISTIE MOSS / Scroll Photo Illustration

Gas prices continue to squeeze nation, student budgets

Julia Fullmer SCROLLSPECIAL@BYUI.EDU Special Sections Editor

If you’ve passed by a gas station in the last month, you know that the price to fuel our cars has skyrocketed out of control.

Last year, $20 could buy a full tank of gas and a candy bar. Now, spend that same amount and you might think your gas gauge is broken — and forget about that candy bar.

As students, our money is already stretched to its limit. Now, just being able to drive to school has become a financial burden.

Why do gas prices continue to rise? And is there any relief in sight, or are we destined to continue to scream, “WHEN WILL THIS END?”

There are multiple theories circulating about why gas prices are so high. Theories range from terrorists to President Bush needing more money to build another ranch.

But the reality of rising gas prices boils down to this: political instability, strong United States demand for oil and increased demand in Asia. And no, the immediate future holds no relief for rising prices.

Nothing is happening, even with all the talk of bringing down gasoline prices so the average student doesn’t have to take out a loan just to keep their gas tanks full.

But do not despair too much — the U.S. Congress assures us that all will be well, at least on paper, with the advent of the hydrogen car.

Congress recently passed a national energy bill that promises “a brighter and more secure energy future with more reliable, affordable and clean sources of energy to power America forward,” according to the Office of the Press Secretary.

The idea behind the bill is to allow the country to switch to hydrogen-powered cars, which would decrease the nation’s dependency on high-priced gasoline and thereby save American’s money.

Hydrogen cars, in theory, are supposed to have cleaner emissions than gas, preserve natural resources and eliminate any further danger to the atmosphere. The inner-workings of the hydrogen car are apparently as simple as a fuel cell inside the engine converting hydrogen and oxygen into energy, in which process only water is emitted.

Sounds good, especially since the bill promises tax credits up to $3,000 for those buying hybrid cars and a 30 percent credit to taxpayers, trades or businesses who install a hydrogen car refueling facility.

However, in reality, the bill will benefit few people because many will never be eligible to receive the tax credits.

First of all, there are few hydrogen filling stations available for consumer use and even when there is one, hydrogen is currently a dollar more per gallon than gasoline.

That means even if we purchase a hydrogen car and receive the tax credit, the cost of filling up is still high compared to gasoline-powered cars.

Second, few will be able to afford a refueling facility even with the 30 percent tax credit because the cost is $7.7 million.

Congress said that the future still looks hopeful. It has provided for more than $64 million in federal funding to help make our society one of hydrogen-powered cars.

President Bush even acknowledged: “America must have an energy policy that plans for the future, but meets the needs of today. I believe we can develop our natural resources and protect our environment.”

If Congress and President Bush are right, we should all be shouting from the rooftops that our fuel crisis is over.

Yet, it appears we are moving backwards. The government is trying to solve the high-price of gasoline by spending millions to billions of dollars on a new type of fuel.

As wonderful as the concept of hydrogen cars is, the reality is that they are still 20 to 30 years down the road from being an affordable household commodity.

For the nation there is no way out of this one for the time being. We still have to get around, which means we still be buying gasoline.

But while the rest of the nation waits for gas prices to decrease, we would suggest that here in Rexburg we walk more and enjoy that candy bar.