BY NAITONIO HARE, Freshman
BLYTHEWOOD- In the last three months, gas prices in South Carolina have been rising rapidly, and it looks like they may stay that way for awhile.
There are many reasons why gas prices are increasing. According to CNNMoney, gas prices are going up because the price of oil is also rising, and refineries are closing down.
Some people think the recent hurricane, Irma, is the cause for rising prices.
People say the demand for gas is too high.
“Where the disaster was at, our pipelines, we had to raise the price of gas or we would not be able to afford it,” said Christiy Finster, a worker at a local BP service station.
“Gas prices rise when the demand is greater than the supply,” Natalie Hare, parent of BHS student, Nait Hare said.
The location from which the gas is coming also plays a role in the pricing.
“How far it’s shipped, cost of shipping, and transportation,” Finster said as a reason for higher prices.
Right now in Columbia, the average price for one gallon of gasoline is $2.47 according to GasBuddy.The price of gas in Greenville is just as high.
According to GasBuddy the average price of gasoline in Greenville is $2.48. Consumers across the state are looking forward to the prices coming down as soon as possible.
“Gas prices were equally as high or maybe higher during the recession back during 2007 and 2008,” according to Hare.
As gas prices rise, people have had to cut back on certain unnecessary items or activities to be able to pay for gas.
Kelvin Singleton, a sophomore at BHS, said he had to limit how often he drives to cut his gas use.
Other options are being offered to the public to help with the high gas prices. For people who don’t travel long distances often, one way these people can save money on gas is to get an electric car.
Electric cars are quick, quiet, can be charged at home, cheaper than regular cars, and they do not give off any emissions because they do not have a tailpipe so it produces less pollution. The cons to it are some only go 100 miles before needing to be recharged according to PluginCars.
Alternative fuels are also good because some are cheaper than gasoline and perform almost as well also.
