Fill 'er Up for Less.
Find a Conversation
| Thu, 04-22-2004 - 12:36pm |
(See red highlighted area) What's going on here? Not that I'm paranoid or anything. I'd rather have rationing than this.
Spending too much on gas? A few easy tips can save you at the pump.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article
Rising gasoline prices are siphoning money out of drivers' wallets. The average price for retail gasoline hit $1.76 a gallon last week, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), up 5¢ a gallon over the previous month. California motorists have suffered from pump prices well above $2 a gallon. The Bush Administration says the Environmental Protection Agency is "seriously considering" requests from New York, Connecticut and California for temporary exemption from cleaner-burning-gasoline requirements that have likely contributed to higher prices, given that those blends are in shorter supply. If the exemption is granted, drivers could see prices at the pump drop by as much as 10¢ a gallon. Until then, following these tips could help relieve your pain immediately:
*DON'T ASSUME "SUPER" IS BETTER. Many cars won't benefit from super or premium high-octane gasoline. Regular unleaded gas is fine for most cars, and it's a lot cheaper. Check your owner's manual to find out what kind of gas you need.
*SHOP THE WEB. "Prices can vary 20¢ to 30¢ a gallon in the same metro area, and often you don't have to drive very far to find cheap gas, just an extra block or two," suggests Jason Toews, co-founder of GasBuddy.com, a website that uses volunteer spotters to help compile price lists at stations in 174 areas around the country. GasPriceWatch.com and FuelMeUp.com can also help you find the cheapest fill-up in your neighborhood, near your job or along your commute.
*PUMP WHERE YOU SHOP. Prices at wholesale clubs like Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club can be significantly cheaper than most retail gas stations, although you have to be a member to get the best discount. BJ's lists stores with gas pumps on its website, www.bjs.com.
*USE A REBATE CARD. These gas-company cards give you credit on your bill — in some cases as much as a 10% rebate. Most gas-rebate cards require you to stick with one brand, such as BP or Citgo. But the Chase PerfectCard and the AAA Platinum Plus card are among the few that can be used at any gas station.
*PAMPER YOUR CAR A LITTLE. Basic maintenance, such as changing the oil on schedule and keeping the tires properly inflated, makes a difference in gas mileage, says AAA spokesman Justin McNaull: "About one-third of cars on the road don't have their tires properly inflated, and it's costing you fuel economy and shortening the life of the car."
*IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE, DRIVE THE CIVIC INSTEAD OF THE EXPLORER ON SHORT TRIPS. Ultimately, fuel efficiency is the key to your overall cost. When it's time to buy, consider hybrid cars that combine an electric motor and a gasoline-powered engine. Car manufacturers are offering more of these models, like the Toyota Prius. They not only get great mileage but also offer a sizable tax deduction--$1,500 on your 2004 federal return.


Pages
I just paid $1.89 for regular unleaded.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Schwarzenegger%27s%20Hummer
Thursday, April 22, 2004 · Last updated 3:06 a.m. PT
Schwarzenegger has yet to retrofit hummer
By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
LOS ANGELES -- Labeled an environmentalist-come-lately as a candidate, Arnold Schwarzenegger answered his critics by announcing plans to retrofit one of his gas-swilling Hummers to run on eco-friendly hydrogen power.
"I think that's where the future of fuel will be going," he said at the time.
But seven months later, the high-tech Hummer has yet to hit the road. For the moment, the project has produced more talk than torque.
Seven companies submitted bids to do the work - ranging in cost from $40,000 to $150,000 - but no contract has been signed, said Rick Margolin, assistant director of Energy Independence Now, a Santa Monica group that evaluated the proposals on behalf of the governor.
"He does have people working on it," Margolin said.
Schwarzenegger, who has owned as many as six of the enormous SUVs at one time, raised his proposal for a clean-fuel vehicle with officials in the Hummer division of General Motors Corp. But for now the company is not engineering a hydrogen-fueled Hummer for him or anyone else.
"It's out there as an idea," said David Caldwell, a spokesman for Hummer. "It's not something that exists currently. It's not something you would expect to see in the near future."
He added, "We would never do a Hummer on any energy source that would not perform like a Hummer is supposed to perform."
Schwarzenegger took delivery of the first Hummer made available to the public more than a decade ago, a civilian version of a military vehicle that caught the public's attention during the Gulf War.
His popularity in Hollywood helped transform the brand into a favorite status vehicle. He was forced to defend his association with the hulking, low-mileage Hummer during the campaign when rivals questioned his environmental credentials considering his choice of transportation.
General Motors markets and distributes the latest version of the vehicle, the 6,400-pound H2, and estimates it gets 10 to 13 miles per gallon. Dealers put the figure at 8 to 10 mpg.
The issue hasn't vanished. Activists planned a Thursday news conference in Sacramento to urge the governor to stop driving his signature vehicle, citing its impact on air quality.
Sierra Club lobbyist Bill Magavern said the gas-greedy Hummer "wreaks havoc to our environment" but viewed the governor's promise to retrofit his sport utility vehicle as "largely irrelevant."
"The Hummer is the opposite kind of vehicle from what we would like to see on California streets," he said. "What's more important to us is whether he keeps his promise to reduce California air pollution by 50 percent. ... We have yet to see his strategy."
There was no mention of his Hummer on Tuesday, when Schwarzenegger directed state agencies to work with private companies and research groups to develop a statewide network of stations offering hydrogen fuel within six years: "Your government will lead by example," he said in announcing the initiative.
With the governor working on the alternative-fueling plan, the retrofitted Hummer was "pushed down on the priority list," Margolin said.
---
On the Net:
http://www.energyindependencenow.org
cl-nwtreehugger
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Hybrid%20Growth%20Glance
Wednesday, April 21, 2004 · Last updated 9:30 p.m. PT
Top hybrid vehicle registrations states
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The top 20 states for hybrid vehicle registrations in 2003:
1. California, 11,425
2. Virginia, 3,376
3. Florida, 1,996
4. Washington, 1,972
5. Maryland, 1,851
6. New York, l,653
7. Texas, 1,651
8. Illinois, 1,502
9. Massachusetts, 1,335
10. Pennsylvania, 1,217
11. Ohio, 1,211
12. Oregon, l,043
13. North Carolina, 937
14. Colorado, 899
15. Arizona, 855
16. New Jersey, 854
17. Georgia, 791
18. Michigan, 770
19. Wisconsin, 759
20. Indiana, 571
---
Source: R. L. Polk & Co.
cl-nwtreehugger
Church group slams Bush on Clean Air Act.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/04/22/churches.bush/index.html
A national group of Christian leaders is sending a scathing letter to President Bush to coincide with Earth Day, accusing his administration of chipping away at the Clean Air Act.
The National Council of Churches argued that planned changes to power plant regulations will allow major polluters to avoid installing pollution-control equipment when they expand their facilities.
"In a spirit of shared faith and respect, we feel called to express grave moral concern about your 'Clear Skies' initiative -- which we believe is The Administration's continuous effort to weaken critical environmental standards to protect God's creation," the council wrote in an advance copy of the letter provided to The Associated Press.
The New-York based group, which represents 50 million people in 140,000 Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox congregations, said it was sending its two-page letter to the president on Thursday, as people all over the country celebrate Earth Day. It took out a full-page ad in The New York Times, scheduled to run in Thursday's editions, calling on Bush to leave the Clean Air Act's new source review rules in place.
The Environmental Protection Agency did not immediately return calls seeking comment Wednesday, but the agency has defended the rule changes proposed in August. EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt has called it "the biggest investment in the air quality improvement in the nation's history."
The proposal would cap emissions and allow polluters to buy and sell pollution allowances, but environmental groups complain the new system would be far too lenient. In December a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the new rules from taking effect, agreeing with more than a dozen states and cities that contended the changes could cause irreparable harm to their environments and public health.
"The people we talk to, both inside and outside the administration, say ... that these changes will in fact weaken, not strengthen the Clean Air Act," said the Rev. Bob Edgar, a United Methodist minister and the church council's general secretary.
"And we will in fact have dirtier air and less compliance," said Edgar, who served six terms in Congress in the 1970s and '80s, representing a suburban Philadelphia district. The council is urging ministers across the country to talk about the problems of air pollution during this week's services.
Monica Myers, pastor at Seattle's Northwest Christian Church, a Disciples of Christ congregation, said she doesn't plan to bash Bush in her sermon Sunday. Instead, she said she'll simply remind her congregation that pollution and other environmental problems tend to affect the poor more harshly than those who can afford to live in places far away from polluting factories or toxic waste sites.
"I want to emphasize that their faith should direct them as they vote," she said. "Responsible Christians should weigh the teachings of Jesus Christ, especially as they speak of those who are poor and marginalized."
The council joined the Evangelical Environmental Network in a "What would Jesus drive?" campaign in 2002, urging the auto industry to adopt stricter emissions standards and calling on SUV owners to switch to more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Well, you will be able to add 1 to NJ next year when I get my hybrid car, I will probably get the Prius, but I will have to wait and see what is available on the market next year when I replace my current lease.
I love the idea of my SUV, but the gas millage really turns me off.
James
janderson_ny@yahoo.com
CL Ask A Guy
James
janderson_ny@yahoo.com
CL Ask A Guy
Good for you!!
You beat me to it!
Why's & wherefore's..........
http://www.policyalmanac.org/environment/archive/crs_cafe_standards.shtml
Pages