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Gas prices are up around the nation and in our region prices are approaching $4.00 a gallon.

Local families are feeling the pinch.

Meghan Lane with our sister station KRCG in Jefferson City, Missouri reports that these prices are driving Facebook users across the nation to call for a gasoline strike.

If you are a Facebook user, it's more than likely you've been invited to a gas boycott.  Users put up postings all over the social media site, all with the same message.

Gas prices are out of control.

As of Thursday, one boycott page had more than 1 million Facebook users pledging to not buy gas April 15.

"First born child for the first 20 gal.," Trent Hunziker says on our Facebook page thread from Tuesday.

Jamie Cale similarly wrote, "$3.95 in Canton.....a pint of blood....ur first and second born.....and the shirt off ur back!"

But some said the boycotts won't accomplish anything.

"Lets see if people really don't go to the gas stations," wrote Jeffery Hurst on Facebook Friday morning.

One local economist tells KRCG that the one day refusal to buy gas won't really have an impact on the oil industry, but others said it's more about getting their point across than anything.

"I don't really see that as having a big impact,” Economics professor Ed Easterling said. “It will be interesting to see the number of people that show up, the number of people that are kind of upset at gas prices."

Easterling is an economics professor at William Woods University.

He said gas is a necessity and even though people might now buy gas April 15, they will stock up again the day after.

"In terms of having a long term effect on the gas prices, it's too much of a necessity for each of us, we all go to work, we all go out to do things, we may cut back a little but, but in terms of actually having an impact on the gas prices themselves, I don’t see that happening," Easterling said.

"Even if we boycott buying gas every day but 1 day a week, its not going to change the prices... We either have to accept the prices or do something more effective than boycotting gas on certain days...," Samantha Kreps shared with us on Facebook.

But right now, we as Americans depend on gasoline.

"It doesn't matter if gas is one dollar or seven dollars.  We need it.  You may not like it but gotta pay for it!," Shannon Jackson said.

Easterling said the high gas prices are making people cutback on other things such as going to the movies, and out to eat.

He said this is especially true in Mid-Missouri.

To learn more about the boycotts click here. 

Do you think a gas boycott is a good idea?

Would you attend one?  Why or why not?  Join the powerful conversation happening on our Facebook page right now by clicking here.