Letter: Higher gas prices can be good thing
Mustafa Atabay, manager at the American Gas station in Smithtown, pumps gas on Jan. 14, 2015. Prices at the full service station fell to $2.17 Wednesday morning. Credit: Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara
I probably have a different reaction than most people toward the increase in gasoline prices ["Gas prices climb," News, May 7]. From an environmental standpoint, a rise in gas prices is a good thing.
Because of the increased price, fewer people will want to drive and pay for the more expensive gas. The increased prices serve as a disincentive for citizens who use gas for transportation.
A decrease in gas purchases means a decrease in the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. The incomplete combustion of fossil fuels produces by-products such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and carbon dioxide. The first two cause damage to the human respiratory system, including the irritation of asthma and emphysema.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps infrared rays, leading to an increase in global temperatures. This climate change could destroy habitats and, in turn, kill many organisms.
Tyler Lorberbaum, Oceanside
