Today we are tackling the letter O for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.
As a child of the 70s and 80s, I remember the OPEC Oil Crisis. The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) declared an embargo on the shipment of oil to those countries who supported Israel in its conflict with Egypt. The effects were felt immediately, as gas prices rose and U.S. imports of oil from Arab countries dropped. A national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed to help reduce consumption. A move towards more efficient automobiles and alternate sources of energy ensued.
A second oil crisis occurred in 1979, during the Carter administration. Remembering the 1973 OPEC Oil Crisis, consumers panicked, causing long lines at gas stations around the country. Carter encouraged Americans to do what they could to reduce their consumption of energy. In 1980, the federal government established the Synthetic Fuels Corporation to produce an alternative to imported fossil fuels.
