When you hear “high gas prices”, the first thing that comes to mind is, “ugh” or “how am I going to afford this?”, etc.  The list can go on and let’s face it, everyone on this planet hates high gas prices and while we can’t do anything about it, I guess we can always look on the bright side.  I compiled a list of reasons why high gas prices can help us in many different ways.

Increased carpooling – Statistics show that the higher the gas prices go up, more people carpool.  Why is this good for us?  While some think this is an inconvenience factor, it helps cut back on the cars on the roads, which means fewer accidents and less wear and tear on the road.  Let’s also not forget that we are also putting more money in our pockets.

Healthier environment – The less people that drive means the less pollution we’re sending up in the air.  Just think of every time you start your car and all of that exhaust fumes go up in the air.  Even if you’re not a big environment nut, this does help the atmosphere greatly making it easier for everyone to breathe.

Car companies change plans – When gas prices are higher, consumers don’t want to buy a pricey SUV that gets 15 mpg, instead consumers shift their game plan to a fuel efficient car such as a Toyota Prius that gets more than 40 mpg.  This will not only save you a boat load of money, this will cause the car companies to create more fuel efficient cars instead of producing gas guzzling SUVs.

Healthier living – As I mentioned in a few points above, more people tend to carpool when they see higher gas prices but instead of carpooling, more people will consider riding their bikes, walking, or even rollerblading to their destinations.  Instead of sitting in a car all the time driving to your hot spot, people are becoming healthier putting their body to work!

Staying local – Have you noticed since gas prices went up, people tend to stay at home or stay within a few miles?  What does this even mean?  This means that we are helping out our local businesses and staying with our families a lot more before.  Instead of driving 10 miles to that corporate hardware store, we may just drive 5 miles instead to the mom and pop shop to help the local economy.  It’s a win-win situation for all.

We may all groan at the gas pump when we see high gas prices but it only means a few things in the future.  It means that we’re going to see investment into alternative fuels, mass production on fuel efficient vehicles and less dependency on foreign oil.   We may have to pay $4 a gallon today but just think of the future and how much it’s going to improve.