| A recent series of news stories suggests that | | | | global political and environmental concerns |
| polar ice caps are melting "faster than | | | | heighten the demand for alternatives to |
| expected," and that this phenomenon may | | | | petroleum-based fuels, scientists will |
| result in the extinction of one of humanity's | | | | continue to work on more efficient ways of |
| favorite animals, the polar bear. Apparently | | | | producing ethanol.Diesel cars can run on |
| polar bears need to be able to migrate onto | | | | biodiesel, a combination of regular diesel |
| the ice to fish for food, and this shift in | | | | fuel and vegetable oil - based fuel; some |
| climate is already beginning to interrupt | | | | cars are being run on D100, which is 100 |
| their ability to feed themselves.Most | | | | percent vegetable oil. Two concerns with |
| rational scientists believe this shift in | | | | biodiesel are, again, availability, and the |
| arctic climate is due to global warming | | | | emissions of nitrogen oxide, another culprit |
| resulting from the greenhouse effect, which | | | | in the greenhouse effect. While biodiesel is |
| is produced largely by automotive emissions. | | | | promising, and has the added benefit of |
| While some scientists are speculating that it | | | | reducing dependence on foreign oil, any real |
| may be too late to reverse the trend of | | | | effort to make biodiesel cars more popular |
| global warming, at least in the short run, | | | | will have to come with much stricter |
| others believe that we need to do something | | | | emissions standards which greatly reduce |
| drastic - now - to avoid environmental | | | | nitrogen oxide content.An interesting irony |
| disaster.Internal combustion engines are the | | | | is that the EPA's mileage standards, while |
| big culprit here; they emit a variety of | | | | having been criticized as inaccurate, are |
| gasses into the air as they burn fuel, | | | | actually a good way to gauge automobile |
| including carbon dioxide, one of the main | | | | emissions. That is because the EPA actually |
| causes of the greenhouse effect. Two | | | | measures the emissions exiting the vehicle as |
| automobile manufacturers, Toyota and Honda, | | | | a way to gauge automobile mileage. While a |
| | | | high MPG rating may not necessarily be |
| have created gas-electric hybrid vehicles - | | | | accurate in terms of your gasoline usage, |
| the Prius by Toyota, at this point the | | | | it's actually a pretty good way to choose a |
| top-rated hybrid designed to have the lowest | | | | car with lower emissions.Global warming |
| emissions, and several designs by Honda, | | | | endangers more than polar bears; as the polar |
| including the newly engineered Honda Civic - | | | | ice caps melt, the temperature of the oceans |
| smarter, sexier, more fuel-efficient, and | | | | rises along with the sea level. Warmer ocean |
| with lower emissions, than its earlier | | | | temperatures fuel hurricanes, making level |
| versions. Ford offers a hybrid SUV in its new | | | | three, four, five and hurricanes more |
| Escape, and even Lexus has come out with a | | | | frequent. And many millions of people, in |
| luxury hybrid.Many cars on the market today | | | | Micronesia, Southeast Asia, and around the |
| can burn a gasoline-ethanol blend, which can | | | | world live in areas literally inches above |
| lower emissions. As a matter of fact, any | | | | sea level; their habitat, and possibly their |
| gasoline-powered vehicle can tolerate blends | | | | lives, are threatened by the rise in sea |
| of up to 10 percent ethanol, while many can | | | | level accompanying global warming. While |
| use E85, an ethanol - gasoline blend | | | | driving a car with low gas emissions isn't |
| containing 85 percent ethanol. The Dodge | | | | going to completely solve the problem of |
| Caravan and the Chrysler Sebring are only two | | | | global warming, it's a contribution that any |
| of many current model cars on the market | | | | consumer shopping for a new car can decide to |
| which can burn E85.One problem is that | | | | make.Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer |
| ethanol, particularly E85, is not readily | | | | living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has |
| available everywhere. Additionally, some | | | | written numerous articles for local and |
| critics have dismissed ethanol as | | | | regional newspapers and for a number of |
| impractical, claiming that ethanol requires | | | | Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. |
| more energy to create than it produces. As | | | | |