In California the cost per gallon of gas is well over $2. Dallasand the rest of the nation are currently following the trend. EdBoard would like to offer the SMU community a few tips to help copewith the recent rise in gas prices:

1) Keep your tires properly inflated.

2) Accelerate slowly when leaving a stop light.

3) Drive the speed limit.

4) Don’t buy a Hummer!

Let’s face it, unless you are stockpiling for Armageddon,one cannot really justify a Hummer as a practical purchase —not even soccer moms. The only reason such vehicles, which can getless than 10 miles per gallon, have become so popular is that gasprices are too low.

That’s right, we said it; gas prices are too low.

No one wants to hear it, but someone has to say it.

While arguably low fuel prices have helped our economicdevelopment as a nation, they have also taken away from it. The lowfuel prices took away all real impetus for finding alternativeenergy sources or even making responsible choices when it comes toour cars.

And let’s face it, walking places sucks — especiallywhen one factors in the Texas heat during the summer. Cars are partof the American way of life, but that doesn’t mean we shouldwelcome this new sports utility vehicle culture with open arms. Newcars such as Toyota’s hybrid-powered Prius are an encouragingsign of things to come and such cars have been gaining popularityas prices at the pump continue to rise.

Becoming not only reliant, but completely dependent, on anonrenewable resource almost exclusively controlled by foreignpowers is obviously problematic. Especially if those powers areones with whom we have an uneasy at best relationship. It is EdBoard’s desire that gas prices, which are expected tocontinue to rise through the summer, will serve as a means ofdrawing attention to the problem.

Instead of using the post Sept. 11 surge in patriotism aspolitical capital to curb our civil liberties our national leaderswould have better served the nation by curbing our dependence onforeign oil.

Given the current administration’s previous direction inthis area it is also important to point out that such an ends couldalso be accomplished without selling the Alaskan wilderness tospecial interest groups. It will however, require innovative ideasand a commitment to pursuing these new alternatives.