Bryan Rome
Staff Writer

With the price of oil sky-rocketing from $12 per barrel to over $54 in just five years, the United States economy will soon hit hard times.
Dependency on oil
Oil is a vital necessity in our society. It powers the distribution of food from farms to cities and suburbs and the distribution of products between every state. Look around. Everything made of plastic is an oil-based product. Oil produces millions of automotive-related jobs for Americans and provides energy for everything from heating houses to powering factories.
Effects of price increase
The rapid increase in the cost in oil therefore affects this country in countless ways, causing prices to increase in nearly every market. High oil costs will also deplete funds for education and other essential government services.
This radical increase in price could also lead to higher prices at the gas pump in the near future, which may force many students who drive fuel inefficient cars to downgrade to something smaller and more economical.
The end of oil near
The policies the government uses in regard to oil will not be able to remain forever. The world is rapidly running out of oil. It is estimated that the oil supply will run out within the next half century. When this happens, the U.S. economy will come to a screeching halt. Food wont be able to be distributed to cities and suburbs, people wont be able to commute to work, factories wont be able to make products and many more consequences will result. It is absolutely necessary that alternative fuel sources are adopted in the U.S. to reduce dependency on oil before it runs out.