The True Cost of Gasoline

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On the one hand, I'd rather not pay four to seven dollars a gallon for gasoline. On the other hand, I would really rather see the price of fuel reflect its true cost to the environment. The price of gasoline in the United States reflects the cost of oil extraction, refinement, transportation, corporate profits and state and local taxes. What is not reflected in the cost is air pollution, road construction and maintenance; property taxes lost from land cleared for freeways; free parking paid for by taxes; noise and vibration damage to structures; protection of petroleum supply lines (our government seems more than willing to bare this cost); sprawl and loss of transportation options; auto accidents; and congestion.

This is just one example of the “true” costs of our petroleum consumption. Still more costs could be applied to aviation, food production and consumption and obesity.

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