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Yes, in an ideal world we could all travel on foot/by bike, avoid using plastic bags, eat 5 portions of good quality fruit and veg a day, give up smoking, consume no goods or services from countries with a dodgy reputation in environmental or human rights etc etc. But sometimes such policies also increase poverty or are impractical to the poor, or anyway clash with some other equally desirable objective. So we have to be a bit pragmatic. Ideally we wouldn't have to travel miles to get to shops, work, school, leisure, or if we did, go by public transport. But public transport is hugely expensive (well in cash terms anyway, maybe not if environmental costs are factored in, but on the low wages many are on here telling someone they can't use a car to get to work is like telling someone to sack themselves). The tender mercies of the New Deal don't really allow for such selfless environmental commitment. Yes it's very true that the big oil giants are not really to blame for high petrol prices (some garages were making a loss on petrol sales in the Dump the Pump year, and only grocery sales kept them going - as fuel margins have increased, as petrol prices have fallen, many garages have pulled out of groceries, whose margin has been eroded by the supermarkets. So is it equitable to attempt to force lower petrol prices? It would favour the rich, but equally many poor families have no choice but to commute by car, and after housing, fuel is a huge chunk out of their limited budget. We have such high fuel duty now partly because under globlisation, tax on the wealthiest and on large corporations has been reduced, and the govt has to recoup this tax from somewhere. Indirect taxes (which bear down more on the poor as they spend more, save less, proportionately, see J M Keynes) have risen and now in the UK the poorest fifth pay 38% of their income in tax (direct and indirect; the richest fifth pay only 35%. In 1979, it was 31% and 38% respectively. Many would be happy with high fuel duty if only it went into better public transport; more extensive, cheaper, more frequent in the evenings and sundays, safer late at night. Cheaper petrol would, prima facie, erode the finances of buses and trains. But it isnt just cost that puts people off these, it is the poor service. Trains charge the earth, for wealthy businesspersons, the trains are behaving more like airlines, getting faster and more costly each decade. An erosion of the financial position of the big oil companies would not directly hit the main culprit; the government. But it would have 2 effects. a) it would perhaps scare the govt into firm committments as to where fuel duty went, i.e to public transport, not a general tax pot. b) It would be a good exercise in showing the govt that in other ways too people can act when fiscal or other injustices get too gross. Lastly, the environment again; it isn't really going to be helped by higher fuel duty as much car mileage is essential anyway, so as fuel prices rise we just bear it, maybe having less to spend on other env. things like double glazing or insulation or expensive low power bulbs, for example. But a fuel protest leading indirectly to better public transport would help the environment. So yes I do beleive in social equity and the environment but I still think this is a good idea. On 8 May 2002, at 17:53, Steven Boyne wrote: > Hmm, > > Sounds like a chain letter designed to increase CO2 emissions > and global warming by increasing fossil fuel consumption as prices > come down. > > Other than that, it sidesteps realities such as the fact that most of > the price of a litre of petrol is constituted of tax/VAT etc. The fuel > companies have little ability to make a real price difference. > > Better to undertake a mass mode shift to less damaging forms of > transport. Those who rely on cars can give up their jobs and walk > to the benefits agency. > > Alternatively, boycott buying fuel in the UK and get it all abroad. > The UK treasury will drop duty and create a trans-nation state > petrol-price war. > > If everyone takes a low-fares flight to continental Europe and fills up > a couple jerry cans to bring home... > > Steven > Researcher (tourism and regional development) > Scottish Agricultural College > Ayr, UK. > Hillary Shaw, P/G Geography, University of Leeds Traditional sayings of the P'nstrae-P'sutid tribe (3) Too many cooks spoil the restuarant profits. Too few accountants cook the books. Many hands make high wage bill. Many unemployed hands make lower Minimum Wage.