High school students are pissed off, getting organized and taking matters into their own hands. All because of anger over the high prices at the pump. A remarkable string of news stories shows students boycotting gas and walking or biking to school at Long Island High School in New York, Sayville New York, Bridgewater New Jersey, Eclectic Alabama, Killen Alabama and Glencoe Alabama. I’m serious, read and listen to them all.
At one school, the seniors had a class on civil disobedience, and then decided to take it to the streets. At another school, Earth Day sparked the action, but “It just kinda snowballed,” one organizer said. “Before we know it there will only be one or two cars in the parking lot,”
Some things strike me about these students. They’re all clearly seeking to create change by collective action, but according to the news stories, the goal is to lower gas prices. But they’re clearly protesting. They could be taking the school bus, but in some cases walking or biking is at least a little oppositional – its not condoned by the schools due to safety reasons.
If walking to school is unsafe, we can either prevent students from walking, or we can change our transportation system. And even if it seems like these protests are intended to lower prices so students can drive again, I have a lot of respect for the get-up-and-do spirit.
Also, can anyone get in touch with any of the student organizers? Lets invite them to summer trainings!
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If these kids want to really do something to lower gas prices,they should be writing thier congress and senator reps and demanding that they get out of the way of America becoming energy independant by allowing the oil companies to explore and drill for the trillions of barrels of oil under are own feet, and build some refineries which has not been done in 30 or more years.
Hey Morgan, thanks! I’m friending folks from AL on Facebook. Maybe someone from the NE could get in touch with others in NY??
John,
That might lower oil prices for a short while, (and I’m no expert here), but my understanding is that once we reach peak oil, the price is going to continue to get more expensive, even if we find some more reserves. The theory being that the first half of oil we extracted was the easiest and the second half is going to be a lot harder and more costly. And if you look at tar sands, far more destructive to habitat, wilderness and green-house trapping plants. Union County, South Dakota just approved the first new oil refinery in 32 years in this country. But when you put the issues together – climate change, oil prices, environmental degradation (not to mention obesity, asthma, sub-urban sprawl and others), trying to burn more oil doesn’t seem like much of a solution.
Its true, these kids seem to be protesting the price of oil, but their methods I think would make them aware of alternatives like bike paths.
I don’t believe we’ll have cheap oil again, no matter what we’ll do. My hope is that this protest turns into a real awakening of possibilities for alternatives.