Fuel prices: We all are going to have to face facts, and change the way we consume oil, and the types of vehicles we use to transport our lives. The world consumes 80 million barrels of oil a day and reserves are fast running out, if you don’t believe this, you are fooling your self. America is the biggest consumer of crude oil, and is turning its back on the pending crisis, as per a statement from Gorge W Bush oil is an American way of life. America has 4.5% of the world’s population but consumes 25% of the world’s oil, 20.7 million Barrels a day. Australia consumes about 800 thousand barrels of oil a day. These numbers are so large, most of us don’t comprehend there magnitude. The following will give you the sense of proportions Oil is quantified in barrels. A barrel is 160 liters, or two fills of an average family car. A fuel tanker (truck) is approximately 50,000 liters or 315 barrels. Average gas station storage is 150,000 liters or 1,000 barrels. Ocean going oil super tankers hold on average 2 million barrels, or 320 million liters. Only about 15% of oil is for gasoline, the rest is used in home heating, industrial heating, making plastics, synthetics in clothing, paints even cosmetics. It’s no secret that for every nine barrels of oil consumed we are only discovering one. It is predicted that in eight years the world will be consuming oil at a rate of 50,000 gallons a second or 227,000 liters a second or 1,500 barrels a second. Total world oil reserves (what’s left in the ground) are approximately 800 billion barrels, and we consume 76 million barrels a day, there for we have 10,000 days supply at present consumption or 27 years. But predictions of 5% increased consumption per year this will be reduced to about 15 year’s oil supply. Today energy is at a crossroads, like a lit fuse, a catastrophe of immeasurable proportions is looming, and while the energy crisis is beginning to make its way into the news media limelight, few are aware of the true scope and magnitude of this crisis. To combat this problem, is to not fight the fuel companies, but to pressure our governments to introduce a zero emissions policy for motor vehicles, as did California in1998. (For example zero emissions for 5% of all vehicles by 2010, 10% by 2012 etc., etc) it seam’s to me this would be more practical than futile fights with fuel company’s, and this also would assist towards the looming problem of global warming, if we haven’t all forgotten about that when filling our cars. This policy would also force automotive industries to set about producing zero emissions vehicles. We all need to act now not later, take a stand and demand it from our governments.

We have travelled to Adelaide for every football game this year. Whyalla price is way too high. It's cheaper to go to Pt Augusta and fill up. Why buy diesel in Whyalla?

We are already ripped off with our"generous" fuel discount vouchers, and we pay it all back threefold when we buy our fuel in Whyalla. When travelling to Adelaide, I commence my trip with the absolute minimum of fuel enough to get me near Port Pirie. I then fill up (about 70 litres) and proceed to Adelaide. I fill up again at Adelaide at an independant supplier (no petrol voucher gimmicks) at a price vastly less than Woolies "discounted" prices for my travelling in Adelaide and repeat the process before leaving Adelaide and again filling up at near Pirie. I estimate that on such a journey (including the 200km within Adelaide) I would save about $16 to $20 compared with Whyalla rip-off prices. I suggest that we institute and maintain a day when no-one in Whyalla buys fuel. Lets investigate the building of a Whyalla Cooperative Fuel Outlet, similar to the "Bendigo Bank" idea. Let's beat the bastards!!!

The 'Whyalla Cooperative Fuel Outlet' is a good idea! We may not be able to afford new infrastructure but we could approach an existing outlet such as the one on Oborn St. If this idea gets some interest, I'll expand on my ideas.