A few weeks ago, as the prices of fuel started to shoot to the heavens, the traffic on my route gradually decreased. There are a handful of automobiles plying the ever-busy road. This happens in the morning and evening. The roads are bare. Empty. A few cars zoom past in borrowed freedom that’s slowly fading away.

Why? People can not only ‘afford life’, but also fuel. It’s hard. It’s unbearable. One who used to pour in a full tank, they’ve now been relegated to a half of it. In fact, those who own fuel guzzlers have opted to dig deep into their abandoned garages, remove the cobwebs and yank out less fuel-guzzling cars so they can move around affordably. 

The situation is terrible. 

It gets crazy by day, by night. Today, you need a valid reason to drive out. Or worse, to go longer distances. Lifestyle plans have been shelved. Drop-offs are a thing of the past. ‘Let’s drive around’ is now an expensive luxury. Fun is running on ‘e’. It’s crazy. 

However, if you flip the page of this dire situation, is it a blessing in disguise? I mean, there’s been a deep reliance on fuel fossils around the world. But then again, fuel fossils are detrimental to climate. In the story covered on eesi.org, the use of fossil fuels results in significant climate, environmental, and health costs that are not reflected in market prices. 

These costs are largely known as externalities. When these fossil fuels are burned, they emit greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide which trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere and contribute to climate change. Some of these climate externalities of fossil fuels include; air pollution, extreme weather, health issues, and so much more. 

Air pollution from burning fossil fuels can cause multiple health issues, including asthma, cancer, heart diseases, and premature death. Furthermore, as eesi.org explains, combusting the additives found in gasoline – benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene – produces cancer-causing ultra-fine particles and aromatic hydrocarbons. Globally, fossil fuel pollution is responsible for one in five deaths.

This should be a wakeup call for the big men and women in suits. What are the easier alternatives that the populace can partake in? In the article, covered by Aljazeera, US President, Joe Biden urged world leaders to ramp up efforts to combat climate change as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to underline the reliance on fossil fuels. 

“We cannot afford to let the critical goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius slip out of our reach and the science tells us that the window for action is rapidly narrowing,” Biden said. At least the big shots are aware of the time bomb we’re sitting on. But closer to home, what are we doing about it? Nothing.

Let’s use this fuel crisis as a point of reflection. Do you really need to drive to town? You can jump on that call on Zoom. You can, if you have it, ride your bike to the nearest shop. You can do joint transportation with your neighbours. This has always worked. 

You can not only save your pockets, but also our climate.