I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the idea. I personally buy from companies like https://us.whogivesacrap.org/ and seek out and pay a premium for sustainably produced food. In a city such as SF or Seattle where many people are wealthy and eco-concious I could see this working. I'm unsure if it would scale though.
I think organics food shows this isn't true. These gas stations would first target the affluent liberal markets. The marketing could be, don't feel bad about buying that luxury BMW gas guzzler, come to Neutral gas station. The station should feel high end, like the Apple store of gas stations.
This is how organic food started with Whole Foods. And the same strategy could work here.
Organic food is successful because a significant number of people believe it is healthier to eat than non-organic foods. The environmental impact is mostly not the reason. (Whether it is true that organic foods are healthier may be debatable, though for some foods the evidence is pretty good that it is.)
It won't work to use that angle for gas. Pure environmental plays are harder to find. There are people who pay more for renewable generated electricity, so that's a good parallel. I don't know what percentage, however, or if it'd be enough to support a chain of expensive gas stations.
This was true years ago, but I think times are different now. Theres a feeling of near panic among many as the effects of climate change become more obvious and the new Trump environmental policies. I think theres strong desire to do something and this could tap into that.
Also by being high end, theres opportunity to be very different. These stations shouldn't even look like traditional stations. They could provide services that appeal to affluent markets and provide good profit margin. This will be necessary at first because raising gas price alone won't be enough to cover costs.
How does one do this? Does it involve a broker? Is their cut irrespective of market performance? Do the anecdotes and unspoken secrets about "mom-and-pop investors" not apply?
The only thing that has blunted my panic attacks are herbs - Ashwagandha and Holy Basil. These herbs bring me calm and help me stay relaxed when my mind is in the right place.
Our life in the creation of our minds....so the first thing to do is make sure you're eliminating toxic thoughts that can cause anxiety and spur panic attacks. After that, the herbs can be of tremendous helps without the harmful side effects of benzodiazepines.
I think he means to just try to avoid stress. The way I do this is--
A) Avoid situations which I know will be stressful. Not all situations that are stressful are harmful in the long run, though. For me, meeting people is stressful, but it pays itself off as if you're lucky enough to come off as likable you may have new friends, which will reduce your stress. People who socialize have been shown to live longer and be happier, according to Richard Restak in his book "Think Smart."
B) If you're troubled by something stressful (which has already occurred), I find it best to locate the exact thing that is stressing you and why it's stressing you. If it's an exam coming up, I try talking it over with people and venting. This has helped me a lot. I'll recant Think Smart again, where Dr. Restak recommends asking yourself these questions:
"Am I going to allow this experience to determine the course of the rest of my life? Or am I going to take control of my life? What can I learn from this experience?"
He goes on to say:
"Mentally reformulating things in this way will increase your feeling of control and protect your brain from stress-induced damage. This is important, since loss of a sense of control is the main contributor to the stress response. No matter how stressful the situation, if you retain control of your attitudes and responses this along will lessen your stress--even if you can't affect the situation responsible for the stress."
Couple quotes:
"Not being able to govern events, I govern myself."
-Michel de Montaigne (useful for stressful situations)
"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it. This you have the power to revoke."
-Marcus Aurelius (had to remind myself of this today)
Again I'll tout Alan Mulally. Ford was headed for bankruptcy until he came in and he's done a magnificent job. Ford avoided the bailout and is now actually turning a profit. Without him, the company would be in the same spot (likely worse) as GM right now. I think he makes $10M a year, and he deserves every penny of it.
Another vote for Mullaly. The UAW likes to demonise his salary and claim he's overpaid compared to the factory workers. Yes, workers actually make the cars, but workers aren't worth shit if their leader leads them off a cliff (GM and Chrysler). If his job is so easy, then why did the CEOs of GM and Chrysler drive their companies to the ground and force a bankruptcy? Not just one CEO, but a long line of really bad CEOs at GM and Chrysler. Mullaly is worth every penny and more.
100% in agreement, and notice how your argument relies on comparing with his peers. If you had just stated that Mullay is a great CEO, it would just be your opinion. But by using compare and contrast, you build a valid argument.
Most people don't want to spend any extra money on things that they won't directly benefit from.