High gas prices get the red light from drivers BY HAYLEE HUYNH Staff Reporter
Gas prices have shot up within the past three months in the Bay Area, and their effect on student drivers is noticed. According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2019, $3.50 per gallon was the average price of gas in and Sequoia is sufficient enough that I can– am able to pay for it, but [...] anytime you’re the state of California. As of today, gas prices average out at paying whatever it is, $100 to $200 a week in gas it definitely around $5 per gallon, adds up and you meaning that the cost can think about all of oil has risen 30 the other things you percent within the could be spending past two years. [on],” Cameron Nowadays, a full I’m still gonna drive to school Uhalde said, Student tank of gas can cost regardless, but I guess no Activities Director between $80 and $90, and resident of been an increase in transportation both on and for those who matter how high they go up, Fairfield, located 75 the road and in the air. From an economic commute to and from I’ll still drive to school. miles from Redwood perspective, this change was quite rapid, and Sequoia campus, petroleum corporations did not have enough City. these unavoidable Ethan McKillop, senior Though many time to produce more fuel product to meet this costs create financial are affected by this new demand, according to the Los Angeles inconveniences. exponential increase Times. “I’m still gonna In 2020, the EIA reported America as a in gas prices, a drive to school regardless, but I mean, it’s a little unfortunate. substantial portion of people are unaware of net petroleum exporter, meaning that we, as a country, exported more oil than we imported [...] I work at Starbucks, like that’s where the the reasoning behind it. As more and more people are getting into the nation. This, in part, was due to our gas money comes from, but [...] I guess no matter how high they go up, I’ll still drive to vaccinated and going back to work, there has domestic fracking and oil extractions that school,” senior Ethan McKillop said. One student’s family has a pre-set agreement amongst themselves on how they divide the cost of gas. “Me and my parents, we have this schedule thing where they’ll pay for it two times a month, right? And then like any other time I’ll have to gas it up myself,” junior Alex Chang said. “So [increased gas prices] really hasn’t impacted me a ton, because I don’t drive enough for me to be paying for a ton of oil and gas. But I’m sure if there’s a kid who obviously pays for [their] own gas, it means [they have] to spend less money on other things or like, just drive less, which is hard to do sometimes.” This issue not only affects student drivers, but Sequoia staff who travel from afar as well. Shell gas station at Brewster Ave. and Veterans Blvd “It is a financial burden but, I mean, we’re Photos and graphics by Haylee Huynh still able to get by. It’s like, the compensation
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