The Answer to high Gas Prices..... (page 7)

funkyderek

Rather, my thought was that plants and animals have been dying throughout the ages, and if that's where oil truly originates ... then it would seem as though more petroleum would be in process, right?

Yes, but we're currently using it far faster than it can form, so we're inevitably going to run out.

Carbon rationing might be a solution to the problem - allowing Americans to keep their gas-guzzlers at a price, reducing global emission levels, providing money for people in poorer countries and an incentive for manufacturers to create more environmentally-friendly - and economical - products.

Dan-O

allowing Americans to keep their gas-guzzlers at a price

Americans already pay 'a price' for their gas-guzzlers, in the form of initial purchase prices, taxes and penalties, and in the higher on-going costs to own such vehicles (more fuel costs, more fuel taxes, higher annual licensing fees, etc.). I don't have a problem with that. The stuff that rubs my butt raw is when someone comes along & declares the owners of SUVs to be pathetic, ignorant, and self-absorbed ... even though I don't own an SUV, it still seems judgemental and condescending to toss such words around.

Big Tex

Ignorant question:

I've read stories about hydrogen fuel cells. I know there are a lot of problems still to be worked out with the technology, but it seems to me that this is an ideal source of fuel. We have an almost limitless supply of hydrogren on this planet, and the emissions from the fuel cells are said to be water vapor.

If we spent a couple of billion in WWII to develop nuclear fission to use as a bomb, why not spend whatever it takes to develop this technology, as well as the needed infrastructure ASAP? I realize that just throwing money at a problem doesn't solve it, but it also seems like it would prudent to develop alternative fuel sources that are cheap and plentiful. It seems to me that this would give the industralized nations energy independence so that their economies would not be held hostage by the whim of OPEC. It would drastically cut down on the deterioration of the ozone layer, as well as the greenhouse effect.

Jim_TX

Realist,

"...biodiesel sounds good but it doubt it that the agricultural sector could ever produce enough oil. the world consumes roughly 12 BILLION liters of oil per day. thats about 2 liter per person..."

Here are some numbers that may help you to see that bio-diesel is a viable alternative...

According to the following publication, "Estimated Consumption of Vehicle Fuels in the United States, 1992-1998.", published by U.S. Energy Information Administration/Department of Energy...

The U.S. consumes 125 billion gallons (475 billion liters) of gasoline and 60 billion gallons (228 billion liters) of diesel fuel. That equates to about 1.2 billion liters of fuel per day - combined.

The U.S. generates over 3 billion gallons (11.3 billion liters) of used frying oil annually. This equates to about 5% of the U.S. diesel fuel use.

While that may sound like a drop in the bucket - overall - it surely is a way to start using an alternative fuel, don't you think?

No modifications are required to a diesel engine to allow it to use bio-diesel, and it is far more environmentally friendly than many other solutions on the table thus far.

"... way more than the agricultural sector can provide in calories stored in food...."

Well... by using used cooking oil and fallow cropland, the U.S. could boost biodiesel to 15% of its annual diesel fuel usage without displacing any current food production. According to some researchers at the Univ. of Idaho, as much as 24% of U.S. diesel fuel could be produced from high production rapeseed grown on fallow croplands. ("Technical Overview of Vegetable Oil as a Transportation Fuel", in FACT, Vol 12, p. 45-54. Paper number 9135 of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station.)

It is also possible to extract oil from algae at a remarkable efficiency per size of land used to produce it.

I just think that there better alternatives to fuel than drilling wells.

Oh - another factoid... "When we burn vegetable oil in an internal combustion engine, the carbon in the oil is turned into carbon dioxide and released into the atmosphere. The next batch of plants grown for vegetable oil will consume carbon dioxide. "

" A crop of oil-producing plants will absorb exactly the same amount of carbon dioxide in order to produce a gallon of vegetable oil as a gallon of vegetable oil emits when it is burned in an engine."

There's more... you'll have to do the research.

Regards,

Jim TX

Jahna

Hello

In defense of SUV?s and pick up trucks, some people do actually use them with a purpose in mind. Not all people have them as a status symbol. For example my husband does on average 2000-3000 kilometers per week, just driving. Most of it in the rurals of Ontario. Without 4 wheel drive he would often become stuck, or worse. (Several times he came home safely because of the larger vehicle with 4 wheel drive). We also have to have the ability to carry a larger pay load, due to business and family. With three teens, going tenting requires much more then my smaller car can handle.

It is very short sighted to condemn all SUV owners to the dung heap, just because you personally do not like them.

I am all for finding alternative fuel sources, I also know that in my industry I am sure all heavy vehicles are looking for the same, ever thought about those big trucks bringing your groceries to the store and what they have to pay? As it stands now, larger vehicles are limited to what is available and it?s not much. Also hybrids are not cheap to obtain for all of us who don?t have a lot of disposable income and they are not many options yet.

There are many more things to consider before you judge others. Not everyone runs around the city streets of Toronto. Not everyone has two kids, some have more. Not everyone is only thinking about hauling groceries around. Certainly not everyone is you.

Jahna

Simon

Yes, not all are irresponsible badge warers ... but many are.

In the UK we have women doing the school run, a few hundred yards, and trying to manouver round old little streets. Just silly.

Like anything, they have their use - as a working vehicle I'm all for them, it's just that they get misused and become a status symbol.

JH

I drive small Japanese cars, very efficient on gas. I accelerate slowly also and follow the speed limits, which also helps save on gas.

dubla

i drive an suv, but it has nothing to do with "status"....it just happens to be the most comfortable vehicle ive ever owned. after test driving it one time, i was sold. most all of the people i know put comfort ahead of status when spending $10,000+ on a vehicle.....but then again, the crowd i associate with is pretty down to earth, no "uppity" types, so maybe we are the minority.

aa

Realist

princess,

You know absolutely nothing about me. You call me ignorant and presumptuous and a brat all because our plumbing company bought an Excursion to advertise the company while I drive it around town.

what i know about you stems from your posts. had you remained silent could you have passed as a decent person.

i don't call you ignorant because you drive a SUV. i call you ignorant because of your obvious disrespect to the ecosystem which keeps us all alive.

Oh! and I water my large lawn all summer long.

depending on where you live this might be perfectly ok or absolutely idiotic.

Jahna,

In defense of SUV?s and pick up trucks, some people do actually use them with a purpose in mind.

no one has a problem with the use of a machine that burns a lot of fuel as long as it is actually required. what is idiotic is that people use SUVs to drive to work or for everyday shopping. you can do that by using a smart car or a beetle.

Jim,

according to OPEC numbers north america has 30% of world wide oil consumption! (7.78 BILLION gallons = 1.2 TRILLION liters per year!)

i am not saying one should not use biodiesel or other laternative energies (wind, solar etc.). overall these energy sources do not provide enough energy however. especially if the whole world decides to switch to SUVs over the next 10 - 50 years!

A crop of oil-producing plants will absorb exactly the same amount of carbon dioxide in order to produce a gallon of vegetable oil as a gallon of vegetable oil emits when it is burned in an engine."

actually the plant would consume more CO2 since an essential part is used to build the roots, stem etc.

Big tex,

yes hydrogen is the perfect energy source for transporation. BUT where does the hydrogen come from? problem is you need energy to produce it! you can use conventional powerplants to produce electricity which then can be used to produce the hydrogen. other mechanisms exist but the fundamental problem remains - where do you get the energy from in the first place?

Dan,

The stuff that rubs my butt raw is when someone comes along & declares the owners of SUVs to be pathetic, ignorant, and self-absorbed

it is the attitude of people like princess that are the source of critique! if someone needs a strong car for transportation fine...but one has to be aware of the strong negative effects these cars have on the environment...not to speak of the destruction of highly valuable oil that is essential for most of our products today (do you know where plastic, etc. come from?)

the attitude I HAVE THE MONEY - THAT GIVES ME THE RIGHT TO SPIT ON THE PLANET - is what is so condemnable.

then it would seem as though more petroleum would be in process, right?

indeed oil is constantly produced. but on a very small level. the oil that we use up in probably less than 200 years took a billion years to form!

by the way...for most purposes you don't need a large car (SUV or other). most people drive alone in the car to work, shopping etc. you can do that in a SMART car!

undaunted Danny,

as i said above....hydrogen is the way to go in the future! BUT without fusion we still need a energy source that produces the hydrogen in the first place!

Gerard

Y'know ... you can get cars that do 70+ MPG?

The best I know are the hybrid cars -Honda Insight giving 55 Miles/Galon

As alternative fuel source, cold fision would ne nice...

The Answer to high Gas Prices.....

Share this