I always look forward to receiving my Harpers Magazine when it arrives snuggly stuffed in my narrow apartment mailbox, and when it does, I usually go straight to the Index. The Harper’s Index, for those not in the know, is a list of fun and fascinating figures and statistics that will make you seem really smart and interesting if you can rattle a few off at cocktail parties. Today’s featured fact: the estimated amount by which per-gallon gas prices would change if the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge were drilled is a whopping 4 cents (some figures are as low as 2 cents). In other words, if we let oil companies have free reign to scourge one of America’s most important onshore habitats for millions of species, I’ll spend $67.40 instead of $68.00 to fill my gas tank. Worth it? I don’t think so.
