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Schweiz (Deutsch)Do you buy gas from BP?
Do you buy gas from BP?
Posted: Monday, August 16, 2010 - 01:03
I was talking to my friends the other day about this and it seems like I am the only one who actively avoids BP.
Replies for this Board Topic
I never really went to BPs that much anyway, for some reason. I just don't think there's that many conveniently close to wherever it is I go. But give this a read.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/media/boycott-bp-that-hurts-station-ow...
I avoided one the other day even though it was closest. I felt a little bad since I'd heard that a story about how many of them are individually owned (as mentioned in that story above.) But I don't see them that often here.
I try not to go there if I have convenient options. But sometimes I stop there if the alternative is inconvenient. I think more important than avoiding BP is working to avoid dependence on oil and other unsustainable fuels and start moving towards renewable energy. We just had a solar hot water heater installed at my house and I'm loving it! We haven't received our first power bill yet since having it installed, but we're told to expect at least a 30% savings by removing the electric water heater. Thank you, sun! I would be more than happy to share information on solar hot water with anyone interested. With federal and local tax credits covering more than half of the cost, immediate $$$ savings in utilities, and increase property value, it's worth it even not considering the environmental impact.
RIGHT ON JPEG BRO THATS EXACTLY WHY I SOLD THE HUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GIRL I'M TALKING TO NOW IS A VEGATRAIN TOO SO YEAH!!!!!!!!!
What exactly does a vegatrain too? Is this girl powered by vegetable oil?
Anyway, that's awesome jcpegg! (or should I say jpeg). I definitely try to drive as little as I can. I recently actively avoided BP, but I also try to avoid all the other big ones, it's just difficult. We'll move forward.
I avoid getting gas at BP entirely. I'm glad to hear others are being mindful of it as well. My fiancee chuckles when we are driving and looking for places to stop, because he knows that stopping there is not an option. I see other cars at the BP's and wonder why. I did read the article, thank you for posting that brz. But no matter who owns and operates the business, a portion of the profits go directly to BP. I'd bet the local HESS or TradeMart is also owned by a local business owner. I'd prefer to put money in their pockets when I need to gas up the car. Maybe it is silly to some people, but I think no matter how small of an action we can take. . . . if it can make even the smallest difference, it is worth it to me.
Yes, Hess and Sunoco top the lists of "least evil" gas companies
I am buying a scooter...
I started avoiding them about 7 or so years ago when there was talk of them having poor quality fuel. So to be safe I didn't go to it. And there was ALWAYS a station a stone's throw away from it.
BUT
if I was in an emergency situation I'd get gas rather than be stranded.
I have spent my entire adult life buying small vehicles with good gas mileage. And I have used public transport and bikes as much as possible.
But when I buy gasoline I buy it at my local BP station.
Because the owner of the station is a huge asset to the community. And is a member of the local school board and who is a strong advocate of children's education (and donates time to activities to promote that). And who has donated to local park renovations. And promotes small business ownership. Etc., Etc..
And who is respected by everyone (seriously) in the community.
And who is NOT involved in any aspect of BP drilling or any of the sleazeball activities that seem to be indicative of the company at the top levels.
I, like jcpegg, know that our best response to the very real energy crisis is to reduce our dependence on the oil that the company BP produces.
But to blame and punish small businesses is unfair and counter-productive.
Boycotting BP stations is not a solution.
It is just an easy way to feel better about a situation that we feel is out of our control.
Back to jcpegg, She has some practical and fair ideas. Which IS under our control.
I was a beach cleanup supervisor for BP (contractor) this summer and I can tell you that if you really want to help the people that were most affected by the spill (fishermen, local restaurant owners, etc), dont refuse to buy BP oil just b/c its BP. The company has to pay its claims to these people affected and by having this resentment carry over into buying oil at the corner shop, youre making it more difficult for BP to hand more $$ over to the people filing claims.
Yes its a tragedy. Yes its BP's fault. Yes everyone is entitled to their right to protest. But this oil spill is going to continue to devastate jobs + local communities for years to come + when BP cant cover its costs to pay claims b/c of lower sales, thats even worse. They've already sold their biggest profit producing rig in Alaska last month to help compensate these claims. Its only going to get worse.
I have to say I'm inclined to agree with those that say you're punishing the store and not the company by boycotting their gas stations. I know it's the principle of the thing, but at the same time, the store owner did nothing wrong except open up a BP years before and unforeseen disaster that they had nothing to do with.
jcpegg - "I think more important than avoiding BP is working to avoid dependence on oil and other unsustainable fuels and start moving towards renewable energy. "
Julianne - "if it can make even the smallest difference, it is worth it to me."
Most definitely.
It's simple economics - 'Supply = Demand/Tolerate'.
Here's an informing article about a few other oil companies:
Boycott BP! (Because it’s much better to give your money to Exxon)*
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/07/boycott-bp.html
*sarcasm
Hopefully GM's Volt and Nissan's Leaf will have some success this year.
You could all give up your cars entirely, move to NYC (or Boston or San Fransisco or Chicago or Seattle - or any other major metropolis with an excellent public transportation system) and have a teeny tiny carbon footprint like me.
Seriously though, I tend to agree that the proper response is not to boycott BP gas stations, b/c you're not harming anyone but the locals that own them. And I understand Julianne's argument that you'd rather put the money in the pocket of someone who isn't associated with BP, but still....that doesn't seem fair. Buy your gas where you want, but don't use spite as a motivating factor. I think.
I don't know, I don't have to deal with unless I rent a car anymore, and then I go down to fumes and have to fill up wherever I can get to w/o running out of gas (as Mooncutter can testify).
@ Lynn - jcpegg = "He". No worries though. Even my family misspells Jesse with an "i" (the feminine version), so you're not alone.
I agree with a lot of you guys that boycotting BP is not a productive thing and that it likely affects local communities and small businesses negatively while probably having very little-to-no impact on the company as a whole. Boroblue's simple economics sums it up nicely. As long as we demand the oil that BP and other companies are selling, then they are going to continue to capitalize on it and continue to spill it all over the place in the mean time. The federal and state governments have implemented tax cuts as incentive for people to embrace renewable energy. The real solution here is for us as individuals to take advantage of that opportunity and to create a real demand for clean, renewable energy by embracing it and incorporating it into our lives. Once that demand is established, then big businesses will climb on board to meet it. I think we have a real opportunity here to start making positive changes that will impact our planet.
Check out the federal Energy Star tax credit program: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index
And look into your state's incentives as well. In NC, they offer a 35% tax credit (There are caps for certain products - not the solar hot water). Add the federal credit and you get back 65% while also reducing your utilities, probably increasing the value of your home, and reducing your dependency on fossil fuels. Not to mention the fuzzy feeling get knowing that you're making a difference.
Lynn, it sounds like you know a very good person who runs a BP, which I never said any of them weren't. I think that person sounds amazing and I understand the people in your community supporting them, as they support your community.
I wish I lived in a bigger city with a Subway system or lived close enough to take my bicycle to work. But I live in Greenville, NC with almost non-existant public transportation and drive a Toyota Matrix that is GREAT on gas. I fill up about twice a month (sometimes more with the occasional road trip) and when I do, I choose Hess. Convenient to where I work and live, there are Hess stations. Yes, on roadtrips I do actively avoid BP as I stated before. (And have avoided Exxon for years) Also, Exxon and BP's prices are usually higher than Hess/Wilco.
I do completely understand why you all feel the way you do, and I won't say any of you are wrong because you aren't. However, the "smallest difference" I referenced making is also a very small drop in the bucket to what the local business owner could make off of my purchase as a profit. My decision to not purchase fuel at BP is not one of "spite." It is a personal decision. I respect the decisions and reasonings of others, please respect mine.
Oh Julianne, I respect your decision and reasoning - I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I just happen to disagree, and that's ok. I wasn't trying to convince you to change your mind or castigating you for your decision; I was just saying I would make a different one if I was a regular consumer of gas.
Thank you Heidi, I appreciate your response and clarification. For some reason, it being seen as something of "spite" really got to me. I see something "spiteful" to be something that causes harm or hurt. I live my life and try to cause as little harm to others as possible. My decision to get cheaper gas from a station other than BP is not something I do to "hurt" anyone. It is a decision. Thank you for the reply, I feel tons better.
Spite was a bad choice of words...I didn't really mean that you were trying to hurt someone intentionally, and now that I think about it, that's what spite means. Sorry!
I'm a big WILCO fan.
"You could all give up your cars entirely, move to NYC (or Boston or San Fransisco or Chicago or Seattle - or any other major metropolis with an excellent public transportation system) and have a teeny tiny carbon footprint like me."
- or stop eating meat.
jrlooney - you planning on seeing HGTR at Broad Street Cafe Friday night?
I no longer go there.
Can someone please explain to me or point towards a good article that explains how one oil company is "better" than the others?
Thank you, jcpegg (male, as you are. I apologize for suggesting you are female.
It is the avatar..... The adorable child. Stereotypes live on, and I admit culpability. I am sorry!).
But the BP- blame thing worries me. BP has been found out. (And I hope they pay big for their irresponsibility). But what about other oil/energy companies? And, we the consumer and other oil/energy companies are off, scot-free? And everything gets back to normal?
I worry about our tendency to find someone to blame. Which frees us to find something else to get upset about. And we move on.
But we, the people, have culpability in the oil/energy crisis going on. Blaming BP is not good enough.
(I recognize that this is a music site and perhaps is not the best forum for this subject matter.
But I honestly appreciate the moments when the real world breaks into places like this one. )
Once again, thanks jcpegg for your comments.
***And, oh, I like jrlooney's avatar and his user name and his attitude. Except for the giving up meat thing.
Lynn,
This is General Discussion. It does not have to be music related here. I'm glad a lot of us have enough sensibilities in common to discuss things like this in an open forum. In fact, I check this section of the boards more often than I check the Avett discussion anymore. Good stuff.
No worries Lynn. He is ridiculously cute though, I agree
And I'm also worried that all of the recent skepticism towards drilling/mining for and burning unsustainable fuels for energy will be set aside once we feel content having stuck-it to BP for what really is our own fault.
And as much as I enjoy eating meat, jrlooney is right in that meat production requires a HUGE amount of energy and resources. I think I read somewhere that reducing our meat consumption (If we all did) is the single most effective measure we can take to reduce our "carbon footprint". I'm not ready to go total vegetarian (not yet), but we are starting slowly by adopting "Meatless Mondays" at our house (http://www.meatlessmonday.com/).
I can walk anywhere, but bacon tastes too damn good to give up.
I'll never be full vegatrain, but I too have been attempting to reduce the frequency with which I eat meat.
I never use internet lingo or things like that... but rules are meant to be broken. LOONEY FTW!
Yes, because I shop at Bi-Lo, so I get cheaper gas at BP.
I agree that there should be more focus on alternative energy! I hope this is enough to motivate us all (including myself!) towards renewable energy/ reducing the carbon footprint. Thank you for your input and perspectives!
I have been a vegetarian for 40 years, so I can get gas wherever I want. Wait a minute, that's an unintended pun.
I don't actively avoid BP. The stations are owned by members of your community, and one store near us has had to cut two positions due to the boycotts of their gas. One was a single mom and this was her second job. The other person I never met.
Remember, though, just because gasoline has a diferent name -- it may still copme from a BP-owned rig. Kind of like when my mom worked for a bakery -- they'd run the line and can biscuits with a pillsbury label on them. same dough, different run -- and they were labled with a regional biscuit label. To really boyott BP products, you'd need to find out who all they provide product to.
haha thats awesome bobz!