A SENSE OF VALUE.

This is admittedly not going to be the most popular thing I've ever said here, but I can't help but feel like gas needs to be $10/gallon or more––not $2. And although I have no idea what water costs these days, it should be more expensive, as well. As should energy and natural gas. Food—my God—food should triple in price. Why? Because we wasted hundreds of millions of tons of food last year, and who knows how much water, gas and energy. We cannot possibly value something upon which we place no value.Would we really waste gas, or food, or energy at the impressive levels we do if it cost double or triple the amount it does now? It's hard to believe we would. If food and gas and energy and water we're more expensive––or reflected their true costs––they would be more valuable to us, and we would learn to cherish them––too valuable to waste. That investment would force us to be more creative with our resources, more conservative, more considerate. And most importantly, it would give our poor, ailing planet a fighting chance.Which has to happen. We know that. Another group of scientists told us AGAIN recently that it has to. Unequivocally, if we don't change there will be no future on Earth, or not one we would subject even our worst enemies to. (Though unfortunately we don't even get to choose who suffers, it will be our children and grandchildren who will get that honor). We have to change, but cheaper is not the answer. In fact, cheaper is the problem.If we continue to use water like it has no value, to gobble up oil and natural gas reserves, and only eat the cheapest, chemically-grown foods, we will kill this planet off. And ourselves along with it. But if we just charge more for the things we need, and learn to value them more, the world would prosper. It would be harder, sure, and we would have to wear coats in the house, ride bikes, take shorter showers, cultivate our gardens and budget more for food in lieu of devices (or what have you), but it would be a small sacrifice to ensure a reasonable future for this place. We shouldn't have it so easy if everyone after us has to suffer for it. That's not fair. That's lazy. That's cheap.- Jesse.