As the price of gasoline in Tucson hits record highs, many UA students and faculty are thinking about alternative ways to get to class and work.
Local gas prices averaged $3.085 Monday, beating Friday’s then-record by $0.011. Nationally, the cost of a gallon reached an all-time high of $3.2272, according to the Oil Price Information Service.
Nathan Craig, an anthropology professor, said he refuses to own a car.
He said riding bikes and walking can save money and help solve the nation’s obesity epidemic.
“”It’s a part of my war on terror,”” he said. “”I’m interested in reducing my country’s dependency on foreign fuel.””
High
3.093 – average price per gallon in Tucson
Higher
3.150 – average gas price per gallon in Arizona
Highest
3.227 – average price per gallon nationally
The widely attributed reason for burgeoning gas prices is the cost of crude oil. A barrel peaked at a record $109.72 on the New York Mercantile Exchange yesterday before falling to $107.77.
Consequently, road trips for spring break and leaving town to see family have become even more costly for students.
Lisa Harvan, a pre-business junior, is burdened with the cost of visiting her sick father in Phoenix.
“”The price of gas has been killing me,”” she said.
Many students said they are turning to carpooling to save money.
Patrick Garrity, a business junior, said he and his girlfriend drive to campus together to save money.
“”It sucks – every month the prices just keep going up,”” he said.
Fuel efficiency was a major factor for both Scott Kroken, a plant sciences professor, and Marcus Lopez, a chemical engineering junior, in choosing a car.
Lopez said the price of gas is as vulnerable to fluctuation as the price of everything else, and that it takes planning to not get hurt by rising prices.
Chris Wilson, a mining engineering junior, said he doesn’t mind the high gas prices. He hopes it will push innovation in more fuel-efficient technology and lead to energy savings.
Wilson said prices in Europe are extraordinarily high because of taxes and importing costs.
The price of a gallon of gas in Great Britain has reached $7.91, according to the Energy Information Association.
“”The high price of gas is good because it propels people to drive less,”” Wilson said. “”I avoid unnecessary driving.””
Dennis Rojas, a junior majoring in speech, language and hearing sciences, called the nation’s energy crisis a problem that “”needs to be taken more seriously.””
“”I get mad at people with big cars that don’t care,”” he said.
