E85: A Cure for the Environment?: Green Vehicles Articles: Eco20/20

E85: A Cure for the Environment?

Many developments have emerged recently in relation to the car industry and the environment. Finding a good solution is a priority. Ethanol, or E 85, may just be the answer. Any vehicle that has a fuel injection system can be converted to accept E 85 and vehicles that can use flex fuels can be operated on E 85. Another benefit of this fuel is fewer harmful emissions. E 85 is a biofuel which means it is made from a renewable resource like corn or other grains. Because of this it helps support the local economy instead of OPEC.

Ethanol, or E 85, has been a recent development introduced first in 2002. It is an alcohol mixture that burns cleaner than traditional gasoline. This means fewer exhaust emissions polluting the air. Traditional gasoline leaves a carbon footprint every time it is used. Just starting the car in the driveway puts carbon into the air. E 85 does not have the harsh carbon byproduct. This mixture is safer to use to operate the vehicle and the environment. Vehicles that are made today are capable of running on E 85. However there are conversion kits available for any vehicle that has a fuel injection system. Some states are giving incentives to consumers who choose to use this mixture instead of traditional gasoline.

E 85 is a biofuel. This means that it is made from natural material. Corn is widely used as the renewable source for E 85 in America. Other countries use wheat or barley to produce this biofuel. By using renewable resources people are saving Earth. Traditional fuels use oil which is nonrenewable. Once the oil is depleted it will be gone forever. Renewable resources like corn do two things for the environment. First they reduce the carbon emissions made. These are done both in the process of making the fuel and when the fuel is used or burned. Secondly, the plants that are used to make E 85 use carbon dioxide as nutrients to grow and make oxygen as a byproduct. This improves the environment.

Finally by converting to and using E 85 consumers support the local economy. Farmers are needed to grow the plants used to make the biofuel, and they need people to help harvest the plants. By buying E 85 a person gives their money to local growers and farmers instead of the foreign owners of the oil industry. As the economy toughens why send money overseas when there is a solution here near you? The average E 85 price is $2.49 whereas gasoline averages $2.74. This means that a person saves money by using ethanol. As E 85 is more widely used the economy will grow because the need for workers to harvest, process, and haul the fuel across the country.

Ethanol can be a great solution to the growing problem of saving the environment while producing fuel needed for daily use. This biofuel reduces pollutants in the air and improves air quality. E 85 is more efficient on the economy as well as the environment. As more people become more ecofriendly E 85 will become more popular.